Fast recycling players is a feature of any top team. It means that players are in a position to take the ball from the next breakdown. If they are ready, they can attack with pace.
When players reposition themselves after a set-piece or a ruck, they have to read the game and know their roles. A better understanding of this will enhance your team’s attacking cohesion.
Have a group of at least 10 players moving around just to the side of the cones, passing a ball around.
When you shout a number, that number of players run out and stand on the cones.
Use a number between 1 and 4.
When you then shout “go” the ball carrier runs into the triangle and goes to ground.
At least two players go into the triangle to clear out the ball.
Once it is available, it’s passed out.
The remaining players have, in the meantime, to run to support the other four players.
Once released, the players run forward, aiming to pass the ball twice before they get level with the original ball carrier.
Once the players are confident with the idea of realignment, add in one or more defenders with ruck pads.
In addition, you can make the ball carrier take a tackle with ruck-pad holders coming into challenge this area.
TECHNIQUE
Run straight if you are the first receiver.
Call early.
Attack at pace, it doesn’t matter if you don’t get the ball.
Use parent stations to allow you to run lots of activities with a parent overseeing each activity.
It requires one parent, minimal setup and minimal instructions. Each station runs for two to three minutes before the players move to another station. MORE
Understand how to create then take advantage of 3 v 2s by isolating and splitting the two defenders. The chaotic starts mean more options and decisions for all the players involved. MORE
One player goads another, then touches the line and races to the other end to avoid being touched by the chaser. It’s a like smaller version of the Bangladeshi game of Kabadd MORE
Create attacking shape, where forwards understand where they are supposed to run to support the next phase of play. The groups of forwards are called pods and need to work together. MORE
Should an attack be successful at a 2 v 1 every time? At the top level, most of the time you would have thought, yet you would be surprised how often they fail.
Add in another attacker and defender, or even two attackers and one defender, and that ratio of success drops very quickly.
But it is still a golden opportunity to make ground and even score. So, you need to increase the success rate, and you do this by creating as many scenarios as you can. MORE
Dropped balls or loose kicks mean that the ball is on the ground and needs recovering. Use this session to work on the skills and decision-making around this situation.
It’s not a natural action to fall on the ball. Help the players understand how to develop this technique as smoothly as they can. MORE