Ian Diddams reviews the latest law directives around the ruck, and looks at how you might adjust your training sessions to help your players become more effective in this contact area. MORE
Sometimes all our forwards pile into a ruck and we are short at the next breakdown. At other times, too few go in and we lose the ball. How can we get the balance right? MORE
A clearer at a ruck must look to go beyond the ball. This not only drives back defenders, it frees up the ball for your scrum half to grab and maintain continuity.
This activity helps players focus not only on clearing the ruck but encourages them to target the most important factor at the breakdown - the ball - and gets them driving beyond it. MORE
Improve your players’ ruck decision-making by giving them four different situations to react to. They have to choose the best technique to use in each case. MORE
Even when your players run predictable lines, there are still going to be occasions when they need to support the tackled player. Perhaps picking up a loose pass or a move does not quite work: The ball carrier will be momentarily isolated on the ground and your players need to be over the ball to secure it. Here is a session to practise this. MORE
Do you have a breakdown policy? If not, you should. A policy helps guide players' actions at the breakdown. Alongside accurate skill execution, it can help to win the race to the space over the ball after a tackle. MORE
Legally slow down opposition ball at the ruck by attacking the cross point of the ruck - this is the area behind the tackle and immediately to the sides. First, the defender aims to get over the ball (knowing that he might not win it but will not give away a penalty). Second, the defender drives into and angles away any attacker over the ball – the attack will have to bring in another player. MORE
This session works on players taking the ball into contact in groups of four. This is most likely in a game when you know the opposition is a good rucking team, the referee might be loose on hands in the ruck, or you need to increase your chances of ball retention. MORE
Put your slow ball ruck plays into more game-like situations. This wrap play exercise is a good starting point, and you can then use it to develop other tactics.
A wrap play turns slow ball into quick ball and allows your 9 to recycle it at pace. MORE
