Rugby: Path Of Least Resistance

What a fantastic tool. I've found a few drills that are unfamiliar,...
Wes, 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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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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