Exiting from set pieces

An exit is the way a team moves out of its 22m area. Normally a team will kick from a lineout, but from a scrum, it will look to kick or pass away. Here are some crucial details for both set pieces.

EXITING FROM A LINEOUT

Many coach the ’box kick’ from either a static lineout inside the safety of the 22m, or a slightly driven lineout outside the 22m area.

This ensures that opposition forwards are bound to the initial part of the driven lineout.

It gives a ’catch-down-give’ lineout to the half-back, for a box kick. This lineout holds all participants within it.

The effective kick is either to put the ball into touch, or create a contestable 20m kick, with a good targeted chase (’Cheetahs’) in behind. This puts pressure on the opposition receiver, usually the short-side wing.

Note that the contestable kick distance of 23-24m is the average chase distance a player can travel from an onside position to then challenge the receiver.

This contestable kick should:

• Target a player known for his susceptibility under the high ball.
• Isolate the ball carrier from support players by shutting down his infield passing and running options and utilising the touchline as a defender.
• Gain territory up the field.

EXITING FROM A SCRUM

Depending on the position of the scrum inside the exit zone (the 25m area from the goal line), 80% of scrums in this area are from lineout infringements. The restarting scrum is 15m from the touch line.

From a left to right scrum, teams utilise an 8-9-12 passing sequence. A breakdown is formed towards the middle of the field. This is to set up a left or right-footed kicking opportunity.

From a right to left scrum, teams utilise a 9-10-12 passing sequence (see below), with support from 14 or 13, and 7, to create a wide breakdown and set up multiple kicking options or attacking opportunities.

Remember to keep things simple.

ONE MORE OPTION - WIDE KICK

With awareness and vision from outside players, and good communication from decision-makers, pressure can be released by moving the ball wide with a simple miss pass, or more elaborate one- or two-man plays to the outside.

Hopefully, this will bring up the opposition open-side wing, to negate an advancing long-range attack.

Once the defending player has advanced to shutdown the long-range attack, a kick can be placed down the touchline to gain territory.

If the opposition wing does not come up, then there is an opportunity to run the ball from this position.

EXIT FROM A LINEOUT

• More defensive pressure is now deployed from set piece and phase play defending teams.
• 10s are put more under pressure from the defending team.
• The chase line from the kicking 9 is closer to the gain line - this enables a much easier and quicker chase on a contestable kick, rather than a 10- 15m pass back to a relieving kicker.

EXIT FROM A SCRUM

• Attacking team, loose head side of scrum slightly up.
• Attacking 7 blocking opposition 7 once detached (positive running lines).
• Short side wing in as threat to hold defending 10 and potentially 7.
• Attacking 10 takes ball to line, to hold defending 9.
• 10 can pass in front of 14 to 12, or pass behind 12 who steps in to block defending 10 and give a short behind ball to 14. He looks to take the inside shoulder of defending 12 who is looking to cover both attacking 12/14/13.