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
Need to inject some new ideas in training. Sometimes the old games have run their course. Well, for the time being anyway. Here are some fun games which are quick to set-up and, with few rules, give the players new challenges. Though they are primarily aimed at mini-tag, you can easily adapt them for older players. I think you find the energy generated quite uplifting. MORE
This session is about creating clean ball at the attacking ruck by clearing out defenders who are in low body positions. NOTE that in the video that at one point a player drives onto a shoulder but hooks incorrectly. This is close to a neck contact and should be discouraged. MORE
No team worth its salt can play with a continual stream of slow ball. So use these activities to speed up your team’s attacking play by detaining their “cheating” back-row players.
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When the weather changes, so must our tactics. Generally, whatever part of the world you are in, as the season progresses, the weather does get wetter and colder. Pitches become muddier and the ball more slippery. You and your players need to adjust tactics. MORE
Rugby is both a collision and an evasive sport. Defenders want to collide into attackers. Attackers want to evade defenders. That's why footwork is a core skill for rugby. Skipping through a few ladders might add some agility, but it's best to deal with actual, moving bodies. Sometimes it's just straight-line speed you need. Other times it's lateral or sideways movement. Often it's a bit of both. MORE
Most mauls start from a lineout. However, they can still be formed in open play, sometimes by design and sometimes by accident. The mauls laws have changed slightly over the last year, but the principles remain the same. A maul is a ball carrier and teammate being held by a defender. Note that it's not a maul until the attacking teammate binds on, no matter how many defenders are surrounding the ball carrier. MORE
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Like other disciplines, rugby has a jargon of its own.
Unless the meanings are explained they can be meaning-less.
That's why I've explained them in plain, simple English and with large, clear illustrations in my manual Rugby Tactics Made Simple.
But not only that, you'll learn how to coach the tactics with my tips. If you’re new to coaching or prefer a more simple style this is a great, straightforward introduction to rugby tactics.
"It highlights the key fundamentals of all aspects of play & gives coaches a good understanding of terminology and techniques at the highest level"- Richard Whiffin, assistant coach at London IrishMORE
Anxious about coaching rugby to children? Maybe you're already coaching, but sometimes struggling to get your points across at training?
Perhaps you sometimes simply run out of preparation time? Possibly you're feeling your sessions are getting dull?
Do you want a few new skills to boost your player's skills now? Or to help your players develop the techniques for seasons ahead? Maybe even the core skills for their whole rugby playing career?
Here's the answer... MORE
