Small group overlap challenges

Should an attack be successful at a 2 v 1 every time? At the top level, most of the time you would have thought, yet you would be surprised how often they fail.

The Liam Williams 2 on 1… 🙈 pic.twitter.com/mX4p3inMAp

— shay waterworth (@ShayWaterworth) August 8, 2021

Add in another attacker and defender, or even two attackers and one defender, and that ratio of success drops very quickly.

But it is still a golden opportunity to make ground and even score. So, you need to increase the success rate, and you do this by creating as many scenarios as you can.

The principles remain the same. It’s the timing and intent that changes, depending on how the defence line up and move forward.

The key principles are:

• Attack the defence to reduce their thinking time.
• Attack the ball when you receive it.
• Pass in front of the player so they catch and see the defence.

How about “inside shoulders”, “drawing the defender”, “square hips”?

Inside shoulders means attacking the defender so they are fixed in position to make the tackle. The ball carrier runs at the shoulder of the defender that is furthest from the next receiver. This draws the defender from that spare player. It is easier to do if the hips are facing up the pitch, in other words, square shoulders.

It is not, however, these aren’t principles. Because the defenders can be arriving from many different angles.

Here’s a collection of activities to work on the principles, and develop skills and understanding in a variety of scenarios.

• Square hips, hold feet 4 v 2
• Quick Coach: Corner try
• Two plus one v two
• Change your 2 v 1 expectations for young players

Quick Coach: Corner try

in Attack, Defence, Small-sided games

Attackers aim to use feints, footwork and handling to score over one of two try lines. MORE

Two plus one v two

in Attack

Set up this problem for your players to solve and the solution might turn into a play. The extra attacker arrives from behind the front line and looks to attack different gaps. The hidden third attacker can create space for the ball carrier and front line support player as the defenders might be drawn to potential threats. MORE

Square hips, hold feet 4 v 2

in Attack, Rugby drills

Use this activity to develop of knowing about "keeping square", that is facing up the pitch, to hold defenders. Plus how to "hold the feet" to keep the right sort of depth. In a 4 v 2, especially in a very tight space, the attack will fail unless they can fix (hold) defenders and have space to pass the ball. There is little depth in the box, forcing the attackers to "hold" their runs. MORE

Change your 2 v 1 expectations for young players

in Attack, Rugby drills

The classic 2 v 1 exercise doesn’t work well with young players. Don’t give up on it though. Try out these ideas to work on this crucial decision-making area of the game. A 2 v 1 exercise has the ball carrier fixing the defender before passing to a support player. However, for young players, this doesn’t work well. MORE