Get ready to counter attack

Counter attack, which is the ability to attack after the opposition attack give up the ball, is one of the best opportunities to score. The opposition are at their most disorganised.

It’s not an easy area to train though. However, you can set up plenty of scenarios for your players to react to, then work out how they will attack and see where they can attack.

In this post, we are going to look at counter attacking from a kick return. First, we need to secure the ball. You could call it “diffusing the bomb”, were “the bomb” is another term for a high ball with chasers bearing down on the catcher. Give your catchers the confidence to take that ball with The Bomb Squad: Jump and catch like the pros.

For a more chaotic situation, where either team might retain possession after the kick, use Chase, challenge and counter. Now the team who get the ball need to work out how to use it. Expect plenty of thrills and spills.

To develop the spatial awareness to read the opposition kick-chase, we have a full practice plan called Attack backers, which also can be used to develop a good defensive chase as well.

Finally, our skills game, Run backs is a good warm-up activity which can be developed into a full session to create scenarios where there are attackers in front of the ball as well as in position to take the ball going forward.

Attack backers

in Kicking & Catching, Practice plans

There will always be poor kicks for your team to return or chase. This session works on running and/or kicking the ball back with purpose as well as thinking about what the defence might do to counter this. MORE

The Bomb Squad: Jump and catch like the pros

in Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills

Don’t let high balls become a nightmare for your back three. Give them the technique and confidence to ‘”diffuse the bomb” and regain possession ready for the counter-attack. MORE

Chase, challenge and counter

in Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills

Put players into realistic kick-chase situations where there’s a healthy competition for the ball and then trying to score or make ground after the ball has been retrieved. MORE

Run backs

in Kicking & Catching, Small-sided games

This game develops quick thinking and ways to move the ball to space from unusual positions. Because most of the attack are running the wrong way to start with, they will face different problems than they’d normally expect, but also new opportunities to beat the defence. MORE