Following on from last week’s defence exercise, replicate moving across to the pitch to defend from a slow or quick ruck. It’s a matching up then coming forward exercise.
Defenders have to scan what’s in front of them whilst running across the pitch to get to the next ruck. They have to number up and adjust quickly. Once the ball is out, the outside defenders must close down the space in front of them. This session develops these ideas.
Put eight defenders bunched together on the touchline.
Opposite them put four ruck-pad holders and a 9 holding a ball.
When you shout a colour, two defenders race to that gate of cones, and go to ground, representing a tackler and jackler.
In the meantime, the attacking 9 stands at the cones and the four ruck-pad holders stand either side of him.
The next two defenders go either side of the cones, to represent the “guards.”
The other defenders match up against the ruck-pad holders. The defenders call “hold, hold, hold”.
When the 9 dips to pass, the ruck-pad holders move forward.
The guards stay in position, but the other defenders come forward to tackle the pad holders.
The defenders shout “two step” when they come off the line.
Repeat several times, then swap attackers and defenders.
TECHNIQUE
The “guards” should get into position first.
The other defenders have to look ahead and match up against the ruck pads.
The defenders must get two powerful steps off the line together.
Get your players to quickly react to their roles and who they are marking, plus get off the line quickly with these ruck defence warm up exercise. MORE
Improve your players’ awareness of how to move together as a defensive line.
A defensive line needs to know who’s covering who and then double up if they can to make a tackle. MORE
Improve your touch rugby games in training to develop some of the key principles to make your players better defenders. Here are some ideas to change the way you set up and play. MORE
If you are able to train, then you will be aiming to improve your players’ skills and tactical appreciation around specific areas of the game.
If you are in lockdown, it’s a chance to hone your session planning in readiness for your return. MORE
One of the most difficult things to teach a group of players is their ability to change from a defensive mindset to an attacking one effectively. Here is an activity that does just that.
Make the players think that they need to defend as an organised unit and then be able to attack at pace when the ball is turned over. It’s not going to be easy. MORE
Here’s a headline that’s not going to get your players back to training quickly: Tackling and Fitness Training. However, as we focus on safety and reducing the exposure to a concussion, all the most recent data suggests we need to have better-prepared players. In particular, the fitter the player, the stronger they are, and more... MORE
