Four-player defence

WHY USE IT

This works on the organisation of the closest defenders in and around the edges of the ruck. Against different shapes of attacks, they will get to know who is covering who.

Set up

A 20m square, balls, eight cones, five attackers and four defenders.

HOW TO DO IT

• Put a 2m square at one side of the 20m square to simulate a ruck. There is a ball in behind the ruck (cones) with a 9 ready to pass to a 10 who has three support attackers.
• Four defenders lie on their front on one side of the ruck waiting for the instruction to go. On this, they get up and go round the ruck to defend (see top picture).
• 9 passes the ball and the attack comes forward while the defenders have to manage their channel. Use touch tackling but the tackles must be on the front of the ball carrier to count.
• The attackers align out wide or tight to shape the defence.

TECHNIQUE

Closest to the ruck: Guard (G) – covers the pick and go around the fringes.

Second defender: Shield (S) – covers runners inside the 10. If there are no runners, they take the 10.

Third defender (A): If S is marking an inside runner, A marks 10 to the attacker inside 10.

Fourth defender (D): If there is an inside runner, D marks them. if not, they cover the outside attacker.