1 of your 2 free articles
Games, not drills
Players learn from success and failure, especially where there are decisions to be made. Not winning in a game situation is much better medicine than being told off in a drill situation. Therefore, use more games in training.
Games that highlight the need to support the ball carrier mean that players who expose the ball carrier to little support will get little ball. No ball is boring!
4v6
Overloading the defence means that support players have to support close in or the ball will be lost. Playing on a wider pitch forces the supporters to work even harder.
I like to play a modified version of this game with the same team imbalances. Either side can start with the ball. If there is a turnover, then play on.
It is interesting to see how teams scrap for the ball when they are undermanned. More than the psychological factors involved, in a smaller area, the team of six will win more often than not if they employ good support play.
Gauntlet
A classic support game. Four attackers move through a narrow channel, meeting defenders every 5m to 10m. Initially, the attackers will use footwork and passing to go forward.
Make the defenders work in pairs and the attackers will need to use support work in contact more than before. Extend this exercise by widening the channel at the end so the attack has different support issues to consider.
Player height
If a ball carrier goes into a contact situation and is still standing tall, the next player (the supporter) tends to expect to receive a pass.
If the ball carrier takes up a low, driving position, the signal sent to the support player is that he will not receive the ball and so needs to move in closer.
Question and answer sessions, and self discovery techniques
Learning through questions is one of the most powerful ways of getting the players to change their behaviour. If they can verbalise why and what they should be doing through your good questioning, it is easy to ask them why they didn't do it when the opportunity arose.
Training time
In training, there are several methods of encouraging support play by forcing the issue.
Match tactics
Pods
You can assign support roles to some players.
Though not in the spirit of "thinking, heads up" rugby, in some ways, using specific groups (or pods) of players to clear a ruck after a first or second phase play is more efficient than hoping players will perform that role. It also helps players focus on what they are doing once they have won the ball.
Set plays
This is an extension of the pod system. From slow ball situations your team could call set plays where the possible contact point is recognised and the players then know their supporting roles.
It reduces the chance of players questioning whether they are supposed to be involved or not.
In a recent survey 89% of subscribers said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them more confident, 91% said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them a more effective coach and 93% said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them more inspired.
Get Weekly Inspiration
All the latest techniques and approaches
Rugby Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use rugby drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice.
We've been at the cutting edge of rugby coaching since we launched in 2005, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.