Rugby: Go To Goal Touch

Sportplan rugby has played a large role in my team's love for the...
Heather, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

The following are the laws for this game:

  • Normal laws of rugby apply; a knock on etc. results in a turn over.
  • The attacking team gets 8 touches before the ball has to be turned over. Change this to suit your training goals. It would be ok to have unlimited touches, changing the defence and attack after a set period of time.
  • A player is touched only when the defender has made a two handed touch, you can change this to one hand if you wish.
  • Defenders cannot hold the attacker, nor can the attacker use significant force to push through defenders.
  • Defenders who make a touch run to the furthest in goal area and back before being back to re-join the defensive line. You will find that several defenders will be making their way forward and back at any given time.
  • If an attacking player is touched while in posession of the ball: they stop, set the ball down, stand over it, and the scrum half is allowed to move the ball again to restart the attack.
  • The defence must remain onside following a touch.
  • Only when the support player passes the ball out can the defence press up on the attack.
  • If the defence goes offside or operates illegally, the attack gains 10 meters. Don't forget to switch the teams around.
  • Tries only, no conversions - keep the game tempo high.
  • There is no kicking.

COACHING POINTS

Don't feel that you have to use all of the following coaching points. Select just a few points that are relevant to your training session, or use you own coaching points.

  • Play the game at the highest tempo possible; encourage players to attack at speed and to make decisions quickly.
  • Remember to remind the attack that while they have numbers and space, it's constantly changing and that space can/will disappear.
  • Players should make decisions, even if they are the wrong decisions. The only truly wrong decision is no decision at all. So - do they change the point of attack, do they cut across the drift etc?
  • Players receiving a pass should have their hands out and should communicate with the ball carrier.
  • Players coming onto the ball should do so at speed and with purpose, changing footspeed etc. to avoid contact.
  • When a pass is to be made quickly, the ball should be drawn across the body in one motion with the ball leaving the players hands - which follow through towards the target.
  • Communication between attackers and defenders should be effective, efficient, and encouraging.
  • Defenders need really make sure their communication is good and that they are aware of what's happening in the defensive line. Where are the gaps, are they being closed?
  • Defenders will need to drift as the warm-up progresses, who is leading that?
  • The defensive line moves at an appropriate speed to close the space between the defensive line and the attacking line.
  • Defenders accept that the ball is lost at the breakdown, and do nothing to concede a penalty - spreading to deal with the next attack.
  • Leaders in attack and defence need to be leading e.g. the direction of the attack - not only what is happening now, but what is going to happen next.
  • Attacking calls need to be made early!
  • Defenders may decide to use two lines of defence.
  • Attackers draw defenders away from the space they wish to attack.
  • Have fun with this, provide encouraging feedback.

PROGRESSION

Quick Law Variation: You might decide that the defender has to do something in-goal e.g. 10 press-ups. This will slow the defenders return to the defensive line, providing more time to the attack.

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OFTEN USED WITH...
Flip It | Warm Up

Flip It

  • Be brief when telling the players the laws of this game, it's important to get them moving quickly.
  • This is not a contact game.
  • Break your players into two teams, giving each team their own colour of bibs if necessary.
  • One team goes to attack, and one to defence.
  • Nominate a Scrum Half for each team.
  • There is no kicking in this game.
  • Normal laws of rugby apply e.g. a forward pass will result in the ball being turned over to the opposition.
  • If an attacking player is touched: they must go to ground, present the ball, two of their teammates ruck over (staying over the ball), and the Scrum Half moves the ball for the next phase of attack.
  • When you start playing this game make sure that the defence is employing your defensive pattern around the ruck. As the game develops consider telling the defenders that they must have one or more players at the back of the ruck, if they are not fast enough to do this - push them back 10 meters.
  • It’s important that defenders are employing their defensive pattern behind the primary defensive line.
  • Have attacking players do what they normally would at the ruck.
  • Depending on your goals decide on the number of touches you wish to allow e.g. unlimited is not a bad option as mistakes will be made!
  • When you feel the time is appropriate, usually during a ruck, blow you whistle and should FLIP IT – kicking in or throwing in a second ball to the back 3/2 defenders on the team currently in defence OR just kick it behind the defenders. The defensive team goes, without hesitation, into attack. The team that was attacking goes into defence and you or an assistant coach remove the other ball from play when you can. Ideally you might have two balls with different markings.
  • Don't hesitate to shape the game to focus on your session goals, and let us and other coaches know what worked for you!

Warm Up

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MORE Warm Up DRILLS

3 Touch Kick

Split your players into two teams, giving one group of players a set of coloured bibs to set them apart, and quickly tell your players the following laws: We will be playing a rugby league style touch. When touched: set the ball down, stand over the ball, allow the scum-half to move the ball away from the point of contact. The defenders should stay on side following a touch, and should not compete for the ball. Any infringements in defence should result in the defending team conceding 10 Meters or possibly giving 1 or more extra touches to the attacking team. I'll leave this to your judgement depending on your team's age, skill level, and your session target/s. The attacking team can sustain three touches before they have to kick. Their kick should be as it would be in the game: a kick to touch, a kick for territory, or a kick that can be regained e.g. a grubber kick. The defenders should behave as they would in a real game. Quick put in's from the touchlines replace lineouts. Defenders who take the ball from an attacking kick should counter attack. A forth touch results in a turn over. The Scrum Half has a maxium of 5 seconds to move the ball from the point of touch. A ball kicked directly to touch from outside the attacking teams 22, or where the ball has been taken into the 22 by the attacking team and then kicked into touch - will result in a turn over with play starting on the five meter line closest to where the kick was made. The defence should be 10 meters back. A ball kicked from inside the attacking teams 22 can go directly to touch, as long as the attacking team did not carry the ball into their own 22 before the kick. The resulting put in will be to the opposition from where the ball has went into touch. Quick put-in's are enoucraged, if not possible the ball is played from the 5 meter line with the defence 10 meters back. Give points for quick put ins that work. Feel free to play with any of noted laws, let us know the law variations that work for you!

Warm Up

Bang & Bingo

Set up: the cones as shown with a cone 10 meters each side of the posts on the try line. This will mark where the ball will be passed from (feeder) preferably from a scrum half. Divide the group into 3 and ask them to stand in single file behind each cone. The ball is fed from a position alternately from either side of the post. This will encourage the players to scan, communicate and to be expectant of the ball. The players on the cones opposite the posts will either be the 1st receiver or the BANG option runner. The BANG runner is always running an out to in, or up to in line to fix the 2nd defender. The players on the middle cone will receive the ball in the BINGO (pull back) option outside the ‘outside’ post or just in behind the BANG player. The BINGO players should run and an arced run to receive the ball outside the outer post. The BINGO player should try to straighten up prior to receiving or on receiving the ball. Progression: Get 2 players or coaches to stand in front of the posts with 2 different coloured cones in their hands on their hips. The cones will represent the ‘hips’ of the 2nd defender. The aim is to encourage the 1st receiver to scan, look, and make a quick decision (choice of pass) depending on what the defender is doing. If the 1st receivers sees the ‘inside’ cone on the 2nd defender then they must assume the defenders hips are turned OUT and make a short pass to the BANG runner. If the 1st receivers sees the ‘outside’ cone on the 2nd defender then they must assume the defenders hips are turned IN and make a PULL BACK pass to the BINGO runner.

Warm Up

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