Rugby | Defensive Patterns Drills

Set an area with two different coloured cones on the touch line in the middle, one for defenders and one for attackers. At the prompt of the coach the players run around designated cones and attack the defenders to score. Ball carrier should initiate the attack by attacking the inside shoulder of the first defender to stop a drift defence. Draw the first defender and make the pass to your next support runner who should do the same to pass to the outside runner who can go and score. Once attacked three or four times players should swap to defence but not every single time to create continuity and positive development.

2 defenders work together to force 5 players to pass and work them towards touch. The golden rule is for them to keep their spacing even, ensure that the inside defender covers the outside defenders inside, and that they do not rush up to commit to the tackle, but hover across and "swim" past the passer to reach the next and the next attacker.   If an attacker draws and passes so well that he then tries to block the defender, he needs to work hard and swim across that blocker to return to his defending role.

4 Tackle Bags. 10 Cones and 1 Ball. 10m x 30m. The first player in the line begins with the ball. As he approaches the first cone and passes to player 2 who is supporting. Player 1 carries on their run and hits the tackle bag before running backwards to player 2 original position. Player 2 on receiving the ball passes the ball onto player 3 before hitting the tackle bag and back pedalling to player 3 original position. When the ball reaches player 5, that player side steps behind the others back to position 1 where the drill is repeated.

Get all players into teams of 3 One group of 3 with bibs start as defenders  In a 10mx10m grid - the other groups line up either side of the grid as attackers. Split evenly. The defenders work together to stop the attacking side scoring and getting through  After a tackle is made or a try is scored, the attacking team pop the ball off to a team on the other side of the grid who attack straight away Defending side need to react and realign quickly to stop the next team from scoring Start as shoulder on and then can progress to full contact Defence works for 1 minute and then change Competition - Team with the least tries scored against them wins

WHY? Put pressure on attacking side.  Force ball back inside.  More numbers in defence than attackers.  WHEN? When the ball is at the edge of the field near 5m lines.  Attackers playing close to the game line.  HOW? Lead from Outside backs.  Line up outside shoulder of attackers.  Run Up and In.  Fast Line speed.  Stay connected to inside man.  Resposible for the space inside you.  Aim for Man&Ball hits or interceptions.   

The player starts on the inside of the first tackle bag. On the whistle he moves past the bag, pulling it back and toward the ground as he runs past. He then holds his position with "fast feet" on the spot until he hears the whistle and then "swims" past the next bag , and does the same.

Set up 4 grids of about 8-10m by 5m. 3 players start on the first grid, working from one end to the other, covering the 5m distance. The aim is to stay in one straight line as they go up, and also keep themselves evenly spaced Once they have achieved that, they fall back into the next grid diagonally across and back. Now there should be 6 players on the line, and they all work together to come off the line, as one. Players continue working like this, until they reach the end of the grid. Once the coach blows his whistle the line may press off.

1. Defensive Organisation  4 Defenders line up on the the cones.  When coach goes to pass the ball, when hands are on the defenders get line speed, making lots of noise and staying connected.  After each rep the players move along the cones back trackign until the reach the end, this is continuous.  2. 3 v 2  In a 5mx5m grid, 3 attackers attack 2 defenders. Same focus on the defence on when to drift or make the takle on attackers. Lots of communcitaion and line speed is key.  3. Kick out touch- Reduced Defence.  A defending player kicks the ball from the back of the pithc to attacking team.  Attacking team has more players than defensive system to induce a counter attack situation.  Players will learn to fill space with fewer numbers aswell as being a good attacking practice identifying space and overlaps. 

2 Teams. Half Pitch. Touch Game with conditions;  Attacker once touched must go down, bounce back up and drive into defender, then perform a long place.  While all defenders retreat 3m and hit the floor and bounce back up again before continuing play. 

Players line up together along the line of the 1st set of cones. On the signal of the coach all the players advance to the 3rd set of cones (20 meters away), making sure they all keep together in a straight line. The players then retreat 10 meters to the 2nd set of cones, making sure they stay in line. From the 2nd set of cones the players then advance a further 20 metres to the 4th set of cones and then retreat 10 meters back, to the previous set of cones.

Groups of 10+  3 Bags  balls  Cones   1. With bags  3 Attckers with bags are given a number, 5 defenders line up opposite within the grid.  When coach says so he shouts a number (this is the attacker that the defenders will tackle and adjust too)  when the number is shouted both attackers and defenders shoot off the line to meet in the middle (green cones)  Here a tackle is performed on the given number and players will adjuest and stay connected accrodingly.  2. With a ball not bags.  This progression makes it more realistic, and means the 5 defenders have to adjust to the differnt moves the attackers throw at them. 

A drill to practice defending in wide channels. Set up a grid that is 40m wide and 20m long, with the 40m divided into a 25m channel (red to red cones) and a 15m channel (red to green cones). There are seven attackers (blue) and four defenders (red). Only two defenders are allowed in the 15m channel at a time. The seven attackers are trying to score against the defenders, they receive 5 points for scoring in the 25m channel and 10 points for scoring in the 15m channel. (Points system incentivises scoring in the wide channels) Every time the attack score they turn around and attack the other direction. PROGRESSION: Defenders can only enter the 15m channel when the ball is in that channel.

3 attackers and 2 defenders. The scrum half passes to the first receiver of group of 3 attackers. The 3 attacking players must then pass the ball down the line as they attempt to beat the defenders.

Drill to practice defensive organisation when the kicker must put their teammates onside. Set up a grid roughly 30m long and 30m wide. Set up three players in a line out with a scrum half 2m away and a kicker roughly 10m away (red players). Roughly 20m along the touchline set up a group of players (blue) ready to receive the kick and counter attack. One player in the line out passes the ball down to the scrum half who passes to the kicker. The kicker kicks the ball upfield, and runs to chase. The players in the line out can only defend once the kicker has run past them. The group of players receiving the ball (blue) gather the ball and begin to counter attack, aiming to score on the try-line behind the defenders (yellow cones). The defenders must organise themselves to defend and stop the attack by making a two handed touch on the attacking ball carrier. PROGRESSION: Practice doing high kicks and long kicks to give the defending players an idea of how much time they will have to get organised. Overload the players receiving the ball (blue) to have more players than the defenders Allow the attack to offload instantly after the touch has been made Allow the attack more than one phase to attack so the defence must practice re-organising after a breakdown.

groups of 8 +. Cones  Balls.  Bibs   1. 1v1 in 5mx5m Grid. Players line up opposite eachother on a grid, Attacker has to score over the line (running for the corner),  while the defender has to not let him/her score on the indside of him/her. Scoring around the outside is not bad.  2. Add a 2nd Attacker. This forces the defender when to make a decision to drift onto the outside attacker. If the defender pushes to ealry they score on the inside. Too late they score on the outside (Not the worst outcome).  3. Drop Out Touch. (Drift Focus)   This game is a normal game of touch rugby, however whenever the attacker is touched the defender who touched him/her must run back too the try line and stay there until play has broken down.   

Drill to test defenders reactions to situations. Set up a 15m x 15m grid with 3 defenders (blue) and 4 attackers (red). All start on the side with the green cones, and jog towards the side with the red cones, defenders about 5m infront of the attackers. On the coaches call the defenders turn to defend and have to adjust to the attack.

4 sausages  4 Bags  The sausages and bags are lined up alternately in a line. 8 defenders start lined up outside of the tackle grid. Whistle goes, the tacklers must shuffle across as a team (in a line) to line up opposite a bag or sausage before making a hit. 

This is a quick drill to prime your players in your defence organisation on the short side and its an opportunity to ingrain you defence principles The aim of the drill is to develop your teams good habits in defending the short side whilst changing the attack picture continuously After each set, player reset Set 4 cones up in a square 1m apart 15m from the touch line, this will mark the break down Defending players line up on the far side of the ‘ruck’ and these players will be players who will ‘fold’ on the coaches call 3 or 4 players will act as attacking players 2 other defending players are positioned 5 meters back from the gain line and on the touch line. These players need to connect with the players folding around the ruck

3 attacks - 2 defenders Scrum half passes to first receiver of group of 3 3 attack 2 passing ball down line

5 attackers - 10 defenders (or 2 to 1 ratio dependent on numbers) Start slowly with ruck ball Defenders cannot steal ball Attackers recycle ball Defenders realign Coach calls tackle made Coach controls speed of ball available