A maul is formed of at least two attackers, held by a defender, with the ball off the ground.
It’s a wrestling match that comes with a risk and reward for the attacking team – go forward and tie in defenders, or be stopped and lose the ball to a scrum.
The players need to be aware of the pros and cons of the maul, and their own strengths and weaknesses.
First, your players need to have a clear direction of travel through the ball to power up the pitch. Use the activity Centre the maul to develop this tactic.
The supporting players need to know their roles around the ball carrier. Our Easicoach curriculum activity Support the maul develops those basics.
A good maul sucks in defenders and maintains go forward momentum. Your team can create a maul from the edge of ruck and this game simulates what happens next. MORE
Ever-changing mauling shapes are difficult for teams to defend against. Though you want your maul to be steady, it also has to be dynamic. This session helps players build and maintain quick mauls that can then developed into attacking plays. MORE
Once a maul starts, the opposition will try to stop it by either packing players in to drive it back or by splintering it into sections. However, if your players can drive in towards the centre of the maul, they will form an arrowhead, which is tough to stop or break up. MORE
If you are designing your plan for your team's training, you are better off focusing on an “arc” of learning for a specific area. This means spreading out the training over a number of weeks, rather than dedicating one session to this. MORE
Mauling is a powerful weapon and you don’t have to be a big side to use it. A great tactic is to set up a maul from the back of a ruck to create go-forward and tie in their defenders. MORE
Present the ball more effectively in the tackle and your supporting players will have an easier task to help to retain possession. It will also give your 9 cleaner ball to pass away from the base of the ruck. There’s a simple tactic for good attacking rugby: disorganise an organised defence. A defence is organised... MORE
Quick ball placement allows for quick rucks and chances to attack when the defence is at its most vulnerable. Use this activity to build up the essential skills. MORE
The maul is a dynamic contact situation which occurs mostly from lineouts. There are lots of “coach” theories on how to set up and drive forward from a maul, some of which you might use. Now add the science to help you work out what works best for you. MORE
