Next time you watch a top sports team, amongst the din of the crowd, listen to the players communicating.
Rugby is unique among sports as almost 50% of the game takes place behind the ball carrier. This puts a real emphasis on clear, concise communication from the supporting players, constantly telling team mates where they are in attack and who they've got covered in defence.
Use decision making drills
Inevitably communication is part of the decision-making process. The ball carrier will be assessing visual, physical, spatial as well as audible information before deciding on the next course of action.
Unfortunately most players do not work in slow motion, so the strongest signals need to be the right signals. To practise effective communication, it is necessary to use decision making drills and situations.
The language factor
How many times have you watched a team playing and heard different players using different calls for the same situation? For instance in defence, the 12 calls "drift" whereas the 10 calls "push out". Or the 7 in support calls "deck" while the 6 calls "down".
It can all get very confusing very quickly. So give your team a series of "trigger" calls that all of them use, all of the time.
Beginning to communicate
Once you have decided what calls you are going to use as a team, you need to ensure everyone sticks to them. Don't allow players to revert to their old habits once the pressure is on.
Start very simply. For example, set up a basic hands drill with groups of four players in Indian file, taking pop passes left and right. The support player must intimate which side they are on (left or right) and they're depth (deep or shallow).
If you don't allow the ball carrier to look where he is passing, he has to rely on the support player's communication.
Move on to a straight hands drill with groups of four players in a flat line passing along the line whilst moving forward. It's quite a basic drill, except that you must not allow the ball carrier to look where he is passing.
Again, the support player must communicate his position to the ball carrier clearly and accurately. For example, by calling "long left", or "short right".
It is important that the players get used to how and what their closest team mates communicate, so try to get players working in relevant units and groups.
Communication in attack
The three pictures below basically show the same game related drill and how it can be progressed as the player's communication and decision making skills improve. The drill can be carried out as a game with either touch, TAG or full contact, depending on the level of the players and the amount of pressure you want them to work under.
The next step is to play small sided live games (that is 4 v 4, 5 v 5, etc), where the players are subjected to scenarios they might experience in a real match.
Rugby coaching tips for good communication
- Decide on the team "language" and stick to it.
- Make sure communication is accurate and relevant.
- Demand communication in every drill, no matter how simple.
- Make players communicate under match pressure conditions where possible.
- Don't let players get away with not communicating. Use those who communicate well as positive examples.
- Ensure your players have well fitting gum shields so they can talk and be understood.