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Rugby: Path Of Least Resistance

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Heather, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

In this example we will play one touch offload, but remember you can change the version of touch to suit your training goals, applying the same mismatch strategy.

Tell the players we are going to play one touch off-load, the normal laws of rugby apply. Any forward passes etc. will result in the ball being turned over.
When a player is touched, they must pass right away without delay. A delay will result in the ball be turned over.
Alternative: You might decide that one team will play 5 minutes in attack no matter what - and 5 minutes in defense.
They have unlimited touches, you can change this depending on your training goals.
Tell the players the defenders in the different coloured bibs don't have the ability to make a touch that counts. That doesn't mean that they don't try! If you are an attacker, and if you are touched by one of those players, keep going.
You can start the game with lots of players on the defense wearing mismatch bibs, and reduce it as the session develops.
Let them play - don't tell them what it's all about. Let them discover, remember this is the warm-up!

COACHING POINTS

Remember, you don't need to focus on all of the following:

Players running support lines in support of the ball carrier.
Ball carrier has support options close and far away. Attack the mismatch areas.
The attacking team should not feel that they have to rush everything to get the ball to the mismatch areas, they might have to take one or two contacts to get there - and that's ok.
If the attack is creating traffic, and therefore space - are they moving the ball away from that traffic and towards the space?
The communication should be: encouraging, efficient, and effective. We need to do a, b and c - this is how - great last pass by the way.
Are defenders working together to cover mismatch areas? In the real game they may be working along players that are struggling, they will also have to cover there.
Defenders need to communicate to know who is on their inside and outside, and to pull in help when needed.
Are your leaders making decisions? Who is directing the attack?
Players need to scan the pitch. Some teams have used CPC in the past - scan from corner to posts to the opposite corner.
Play this game at pace!

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OFTEN USED WITH...

Passing compass:

Have a quick demo using one group - keep your player briefing, brief.
Each pair face one another and stand side by side, about 1 meter apart - shoulder to shoulder. And about 2 meters apart - face to face.
Players should be up on the balls of their feet, jogging on the spot.
They should continually pass to each other, passing with the player in front of them.
When the coach calls out a direction the players should move as a unit maintaining the distances to each other while passing until the new direction is called.
You could call NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, or WEST. You could also have each side of your grid marked with different coloured cones and your players could move according to colours.
Movement should be controlled and not too fast.
Expand the size of the training area for greater speed of movement over distance.

Warm Up

Pass and Follow:

They pass the ball around either clock wise or anti clock wise, you can decide to change the direction youself at any point during the exercise.
After the player passes the ball they have to follow their pass, touching the cone of the player they passed to - then get back to their cone before receiving the next pass.
The tempo of this exercise should be high.

Warm Up

One v One:

Coach calls out a number/colour and that pair of players reacts, have the players decide who is the defender and who is the attack - this should change each time. One player attacks, and the other defends. The attacker will be carrying the ball.
Keep the tempo of the exercise high.

Warm Up

Quick Hands - Warm Up:

Within a group there are two groups of 4 attackers and one chaser/scrum half.
At the middle point, marked by a cones, the scrum half moves the ball to the first attacking line.
The scrum half firstly tracks the progress of the ball, as the exercise progresses - the scrum half should apply more and more pressure to the ball carrier - working up to the point of becoming a full on defender.
When the ball reaches the opposite end of the grid, the last player in the line sets the ball down.
The scrum half then feeds the ball to the next attacking line, fulfilling their own role within the exercise.
The opposite attacking line should realign in preparation for the next attack.
The tempo of this exercise should be high.

Warm Up

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