Tips and tactics to disrupt a maul

The maul 

A maul is where one player holding the ball is held, on their feet by one or more defenders AND has another player from their own side bound onto them.

Strategy

The maul has been one of the most notable attacking weapons developed since the penalty/lineout laws have been changed. A penalty hit to the corner followed by a catch and drive has been a popular and successful method of scoring 5 or 7 points instead of the 3.

However, sides are now more willing to catch and drive from much further out, sometimes even setting up a driving maul from a scrum.

What can’t you do?

The laws say a maul must end for the attacking side when its momentum is halted long enough for the referee to blow up. This time is meant to be five seconds.

You cannot collapse the maul, so you need to halt its progress instead. There are two ways to do this. Either stop it once it is going or disrupt it, maybe by not letting it get started.

Tactics to stop a maul

A tight drive through the centre: The most basic tip to prevent a maul is to drive hard through the its centre. For some sides this may be enough to reduce the momentum.

"Tight" means players working together, preferably bound together. They take short steps, with their hips below their shoulders, feeling the pressure coming through the legs and lower back.

Join as pairs: Players should endeavour to join mauls as pairs. Again this has the aim to stagnate the momentum of the maul. A stationary maul is the key outcome. If the players hit together then this has more chance of achieving this than one player at a time.

Communication: A good mauling side is not going to drive down the same axis, especially if it is meeting resistance. Groups are going to roll off either side of the initial maul. Your scrum half (9) has to redirect your players to where the maul has taken its centre of momentum.

Tackle legs for no mauls: If a side likes to maul, then all your tackles should be aimed at bringing players to the ground as quickly as possible. Therefore all tackles should be leg tackles.

Tips to disrupt a maul

Catch and drive from the lineout: One of the most common starting points for a rolling maul is from the lineout. The best form of defence, apart from not allowing them to catch the ball, is to hit the jumper as soon as his feet touch the ground.

Another tactic is to tackle the jumper as an individual once the player has touched the ground. (See below for the interpretation of laws.) To do this, put a forward in the scrum half (9) position, so that they can drive in immediately after the jumper has reached the floor, adding additional weight and depth to the defence.

Push and pull: If it is not possible to stop the momentum, then a slightly more high risk manoeuvre is to use "push and pull". The idea is to unhinge the drive by pushing towards touch from the openside or pulling into touch on the blindside. The momentum of the maul will still be forward, but the attacking maulers could easily lose shape. The ball carrier may also become exposed.

Talk to the referee: The player with the ball at the back of a rolling maul needs to be bound on with a full arm. The defending players should keep asking the referee if the ball carrier is still bound properly. They need to be ready to pounce when and if the referee suggests not. Referees will then become more aware of the validity of the rolling maul during the game.

What are you allowed to do?

Here are some interpretations of the Laws, as taken from the IRB website.

These are two questions asked by the New Zealand RFU. This should help decide how to stop the initial maul, before it becomes a maul.

1. Team A wins a 5 metre attacking scrum. The number 8 detaches with the ball. The blindside flanker (6) binds on immediately and they drive towards the line.

A defending player drives in low and wraps his arms around the legs (knee height) of the number 8, who still has the flanker bound to him. The number 8, still in possession of the ball, is brought to ground.

Ruling: The defender has not formed a maul, nor has he collapsed a maul.

2. Team A wins a 5 metre attacking scrum. The number 8 detaches with the ball. The blindside flanker (6) binds on immediately and they drive towards the line.

A defending player, while remaining on his feet, grasps the jersey (shoulder region) of the number 8, who still has his flanker bound to him, and immediately brings him to ground.

Ruling: The defender, if he has not bound (by definition) to the ball carrier (number 8), has not formed a maul, nor has he collapsed a maul.

Since there is no attempt in either case to bind on to the number 8 then there has been no maul formed, so it is legitimate to bring the two players to the ground. This can also be used for lineouts.

This article is taken from the Better Rugby Coaching e-newsletter. Click here to sign up and get free rugby drills and skills twice a week.

Click here for an article to help your players understand the complex maul laws.