Use this scenario to create decision-making opportunities around attacking the edge of a defence. The edge is where the end of the line of defenders finishes.
WARM UP
Set up a square with one defender in the middle.
Four attackers. Each standing on one side of the square. (For clarification we can call them North, South, East and West).
On the whistle an attacker from one side (North) attacks to get across to the South side of the square.
Defender must work their feet and get into a tackle ready position, with two hands on the inside hip of the attacker.
Once that attacker has gone, the player on the East side immediately goes and tries to get across the square.
The defender works for one minute with attackers constantly moving across the square.
COACHING POINTS
Although there may not be a lot of opportunity for the defender to move forward, they should aim to make their last step forward towards the attacking player.
Focus should remain on the target area at all times. In this example, it’s the inside hip but if we want to work a lower leg tackle then the calves could become the target.
As the defender gets tired, staying “square” and on the front parts of your feet are crucial.
The work we do leading into a tackle will determine how successful a tackle we can make.
GAME
Play an overload attacking game. You want 4-5 defenders against 8-10 attackers.
The defenders start back on the tryline and kick the ball out towards the attacking team to start the game.
The attackers will continue to attack until they score a try.
The defenders get a point for every touch they make on the ball carrier.
After a touch, the attackers can either offload, go to ground or play through their legs depending on the level of difficulty you want to create.
If the attacking team make a mistake and the defence get the ball, they can kick the ball into the space behind and carry on. You may want to award additional points to the defence if their pressure led to the mistake.
Winning team is the group of 4 who can make the most touches before a score.
COACHING POINTS
This game should give teams confidence that they can cover a large amount of ground for a good length of time when numbers are down.
They should work hard to stay as a unit. I would reinforce the following principles. Appropriate spacings, appropriate line speed, stay square and connected.
If they can keep the middle defenders on the inside shoulder of the ball carrier then they should be able to drift with the pass and ,when they have equal numbers, apply more pressure.
GAME: DEFENSIVE DECISIONS
Play a game of touch with two equal sides. Tell the teams that they will score points based on good decision making in defence.
Award a point if the defensive team have fewer number than the attack on one side of the pitch and they can still manage the space to make a touch out on the sideline.
Award a point if the defence have numbers equal to or greater than the attack and they can apply pressure and make a touch beyond the gainline.
You may want to award a bonus point or turnover possession if they can combine two phases of defence together. For example, they drift to make a touch out wide and then apply pressure to get a touch beyond the gainline off a wide breakdown.
In Hard and Fast with the Miss Pass, we set up a “miss pass” training session. The miss pass is a long pass which skips one player, with the missed player drawing a defender in the process. MORE
Create scenarios to help understand roles defending the edge of a ruck. It focuses on good speed off the line and being in a strong position to make a tackle. MORE
A hard and fast flat miss pass can cut out defenders before they have a chance to change their running angles. It can lead to clean breaks as your attackers exploit the gaps.
By scanning the line and hitting the ball at an angle towards a space, the ball carrier is going to be almost impossible to stop. MORE
Training games, like touch rugby or contact games, tend to be competitive.
They should have:
Context: the players should know, either before or after the game, the reason you are playing. Fun/enjoyment are a given. However, what are the potential rugby outcomes?
Points: the players will want to know what the score is, and what the points system is.
Now, let's spice this up MORE
Already leaked more tries than you expected this season. Here's some cures to shore up your defensive line, which concentrate on technique, skills and organisation. Remind your players of what they do well and then help them to address their weaknesses. MORE
If you are coaching adult rugby, then you are probably already beginning to put in some elements of contact into your preparation programme for next season. If you are coaching youth rugby, then you need to carefully consider the regulations about contact rugby. For example, in England for under 11s and below, you won't even start "contact" of any sort until the actual season starts. MORE