Tactics

Put kicking into a game

in Kicking, Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills

With the new 50 – 22 Laws, this skill practice aims to aid a kicker with an opportunity to identify where an opposition is weakest. MORE

Attack from a standing start

in Attack, Rugby drills

Sometimes your players will receive the ball standing still. It’s not ideal, but it happens and perhaps for a good reason too. Prepare your players to come up with ways to create go forward from a standing start when faced with an organised defence. MORE

ASK DAN: Help! We are too bunched and can’t...

in Ask Dan, Tactics

At Under 10s, players struggle to recognise that a couple of passes open up the game. Instead of passing to space they simply run there. That reduces the impact of other team mates and often it’s only the quicker or stronger players who get their hands on the ball. Solve this with two long-term fixes MORE

Narrow and wide breakdown scenarios

in Attack, Rugby drills

Use this scenario to create decision-making opportunities around attacking the edge of a defence. The edge is where the end of the line of defenders exists.  MORE

Use scenarios to engage players

in Small-sided games, Tactics

Scenarios offer a great way of engaging your players in games. By putting the players in a specific point of a well known match, they get the opportunity to develop their game management. For younger players, scenarios give them the opportunity to be their favourite players of their favourite teams. For older players, scenarios give them the opportunity to challenge their decision making with regards to the score-line and also how to deal with specific threats or weaknesses in future opposition. MORE

Using scenarios to focus on ‘go forward’

in Tactics

In my previous article I introduced the idea of scenarios, why you may use them and how to use them. Here, I will be looking at a specific scenario that focuses on the principle of play ‘go forward’. MORE

Slice and block

in Attack, Rugby drills

Break down an organised defence, by focusing on the space outside their 10. Here are two plays which are easy to set up, but require a good level of skill to run the right lines and time those runs. The angles should give your team a chance to get over the tackle line, if not break the line. MORE

Break or not: What next?

in Attack, Rugby coaching, Rugby drills

Too often we try to practise backs moves until they are perfect forgetting to consider what happens next. Mix up training so you spend time on both supporting a break or realigning to play if a tackle is made. MORE

Risk and reward for jackling

in Defence

Attempting to steal tackle ball, jackling, can lead to turnovers but also has a nasty habit of leading to penalties. Weigh up the risks and rewards with your players. MORE

Three lessons from Gallagher Premiership strike moves

in Attack, Tactics

What have I learnt from the strike moves of the Premiership teams? MORE