If you have a good back line, and perhaps a small, fit pack of forwards, then you might choose to play a wide, high-tempo game.

Likewise, if you have a big carrying pack, and little pace in your back line, you may want to play a closer carrying game, getting your forwards to carry a few more phases before you attack with your backs. 

Either way, you need to have a plan of where to attack and when, so the players know what to expect, and their potential roles.

Wide game and split the pitch

In a wide game, your tactic may be to attack both sides of the pitch, either with a wide-then-wide-again attack, or a game where you look to split the pitch.

A wide game maintains players in the 15m channels, mixing backs and forwards to retain possession.

To play a split-pitch game, you would look to work to the middle of the pitch, so the defence has to defend both sides of the ruck. 

With their numbers split, they can’t afford to over-commit when they race up, reducing their line speed and possibly putting them on a drift defence, which gives you the opportunity to attack wide or run at drifting defenders’ inside shoulders.