Build your team’s offloading skills in a game-related way so the passer and receiver can start to understand their options.
We know a simple offloading game can devastate defences. The players need the skills and the confidence to know how to offload and when to offload.
ACTIVITY
Put two defenders on their knees about 5m apart.
Put a ball carrier in front of the first defender and a support player behind the ball carrier.
Have the attacker run at the defender, with the defender coming off his knees to tackle the ball carrier at waist height or below.
The ball carrier aims to offload for the next player. He runs at the next defender and repeats.
The tackled player aims to get off the ground and in position to take an offload, either before or after the tackled player lands on the ground. Swap roles.
DEVELOPMENT
Put a defender in each half of the box.
Have three attackers run into the box, with the first player taking the tackle and offloading.
The players then run around into the second box and repeat. This continues for three circuits.
The key is that players recycle themselves and the offloader doesn’t force a pass to a player who is not in position.
TECHNIQUE
Aim to get beyond the defender before offloading. If you can’t, turn towards your team mate.
Hold your run in support and don’t commit to left or right until the ball carrier makes his move.
"With the return to rugby, I’m really worried that my team (U13s) will have forgotten lots of things about rugby. In particular, I’m trying to work out when and how to introduce contact and tackling."
This question came from a coach in Gloucester and is typical of lots of concerns around this area of the game.
It is true that the players will have "forgotten" lots of skills.
Here's how I would approach this situation. On the next page are two tackling exercises to support training.
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
Make sure your players use the right footwork to power through the contact area and then manipulate the ball so they can offload or present the ball cleanly.
Though power and aggression are important in the contact area, the ball carrier also needs to be technically accurate to ensure good continuity. MORE
Work on good setups and movement, jumping and organisation in your lineout pods with this dynamic activity. It should mix up roles of your players.
Let players try out different roles, even if it’s not perfect. That allows players to realise what works for all those involved in the lineout lift and jump. MORE
Introduce players of mixed ability to contact by building up the skills through games and questioning.
I’ve found that using this progression of activity, the players develop contact skills together. You can adjust the pitch sizes and timings to suit your players. MORE
This session will help players highlight their core skills under pressure. It works especially on short passes when the ball carrier is running “offline”.
Offline means the passer is either running towards the intended receiver or away. MORE
