Be a line break guru
in Attack
Know the detail behind how teams consistently break the tackle line so your team can dent the opposition defence more often. Here’s Jason Gilmore's analysis of how it happens at the top level. MORE
Train pods to break down organised defences
Against an organised defence, you can use closely packed groups of forwards to dent the line and then attack the recovering, disorganised defence. Often known as pods, this requires organisation, especially around the roles of the players in terms of carrying the ball and supporting that ball carrier. In its simplest format, after a set-piece like a scrum or lineout, the forwards who were not involved in winning the ball back after the first tackle, realign to take the next pass. This is in the expectation that the backline doesn't penetrate the line the first time. MORE
Attack back with purpose
Make more of poor opposition kicks with this session. Also, work on what your defence might do when you do make a poor kicking decision. Most matches have poor kicks. Use these training scenarios to practise your team’s reactions and decision making. MORE
Second touches: a key essential of support
in Attack, Rugby drills
Passers must keep themselves in the game, especially to support a possible offload. Second touches help players have a more defined role in the play. Second touches is a term that describes the action of a player working off the ball after a pass to receive the ball again. This is generally from a loop or run around, where the ball carrier passes the ball and then moves around a second attacker to receive it again. MORE
Think hard lines in attack to create gaps in...
in Attack
Against a defensive line, a change of angle by an attacker can create space. Help your players understand how and when to run these angles. MORE
Whiteboard rugby: What’s an X-Ball?
in Tactics
What is an X-Ball and how could this simple play be used to breakdown an organised defence. MORE
Train to transition fast to exploit weaknesses
in Tactics
Transitions are great opportunities to score or win the ball back. They’re also a dangerous moment to lose the ball. By supporting your players to better understand transitions, you can help your team be more effective when winning the ball back: increasing their chances to score; and more effective when losing the ball: increasing their chances of winning the ball back and reducing the chances of conceding. MORE
Defensive line speed for an under 9s team
Line speed, that is the defensive coming forward quickly and in an organised state, certainly puts pressure on the attack. However, it’s notoriously tough to coach, even at the senior level. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t start putting in place some organisation. Here are some ideas to work with. MORE
Reboot or kick out: Round the corner
Attacking the same way from each ruck, you set up an easy attacking pattern to work with. But does this become easy to defend too? Is it time to rethink this tactic? Lots of teams default to a “round the corner” pattern of play, which is easy for forwards to work to and gives the sense of a plan. But it’s becoming also increasingly easy to defend and reduces attacking threats and efficiency. MORE
Start to reward good defence for better defence
in Defence
Defence has traditionally centred around the objective of winning the ball back. Which is absolutely the point but, by only focusing on or rewarding a player or team for doing that we can overlook or miss so many positive bits of play that count as good defence. MORE
