Rugby: blitz defence

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 aim is to the defensive situation to keep changing the defence gets used to drifting or pressing. The aim of the attack is to realign using the full width, get the ball out of the breakdown quickly (no matter what position you play), seeing space, communicating options and reading the defence. Can be done with any number of players but best suited to around 7. You will need 7 cones, 1 ball, a 40 m area, attack of line and try line. Players passed the ball quickly down the line. When the ball gets halfway, the coach shouts out a number. Number reflects the number of defenders. The end player puts down the ball by pad, then the 2 defenders get onside (beyond defensive line) and defend against the other attackers. The defenders need to work together. Stay tight and use the sideline extra defender. Drifting from the inside and pushing up and out. Attack looks to use, player pace and beat the drift. Important defence talks and understand what they are doing in the changing circumstances. With 4 attackers and 3 defenders, defenders might look for a blitz defence or up then drift. Scrum-half can break so defence must defend at guard. Attack should be looking up and reading the situation. If we have an overlap then as a unit we must understand how to fix defenders. You must start to add a kicking option to advance the drill. 8 players, you can have a forward runner offering a shadow line of 10. He is involved in the passing down the line but is on a separate cone in the front of the 7. This fits in with the patterns and philosophy of attack. You might get the forward to press ups or other exercise to replicate fatigue.

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.

During a game of touch in a grid sized 30 x 30 metres the coach can choose to call <em>blitz</em>, <em>drift</em> or <em>cover</em> at any breakdown. Upon hearing the call the defenders must run and touch the relevant line before running back to rejoin the game. When the defenders are running to touch their line the attackers must turn their back on the defenders and give the ball to the coach. When the defenders are almost back in position the coach should roll the ball back to the attackers to restart the game. The coach can later develop the game by introducing a visual clue to the defenders, instead of an audio cue, thus forcing the attackers to react to an unknown type of defence.

Only let the scrum-half password defense is ready. Defense should work with 90 seconds before changing. You can develop into full contact.

2 teams.BallThis game you can pass and run with the ball in any direction. The coach will pick a direction for the team to play, the other team will try stop them from scoring. When the attacker gets touched its a turn over.Progressions; Add kicking.Attacking team have to make a certain amount of passes before scoring.

Groups of 6.Tackle Suits. Ball 1. 1 v 2 - Shoulders on1 attacker must run in the middle of 2 defenders, in a small grid. the first defender performs a chop tackle.the second defder makes a chest hit, aiming to stop the offload. 2. 1 vs 3 - ball involved - full contact. In groups of 6, have 3 attackers 3 defenders. Attackers pass a ball along the line back and forth until whistle goes. Defenders in tackle suits, line up opposite the attackers, when whitle goes the attacker with the ball runs at the defence aiming at the gaps inbetween the defenders. the defenders come up as a line. The first defender (usually inside) makes a low chop tackle, while the other second defender aims for man and ball.

2 teams.BallThis game you can pass and run with the ball in any direction. The coach will pick a direction for the team to play, the other team will try stop them from scoring. When the attacker gets touched its a turn over.Progressions; Add kicking.Attacking team have to make a certain amount of passes before scoring.

players start ontop of eachother.the guy ontop is trying to stop the boy on the bottom gettign up wrestle and by no means let the player on the floor up.

players start ontop of eachother.the guy ontop is trying to stop the boy on the bottom gettign up wrestle and by no means let the player on the floor up.

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.

continuous attack wire is handling under pressure and incorporates a large number of players. Emphasis on the execution of the skill and the timing of the past. Vital all players relentlessly, communicate and execute overlaps. The aim is to get players comfortable taking, boring and passing. The better they are, the more defence can be active and faster players should perform the skill. Hands up, timing of run, not drifting and fit speeder key.

Players can run with the ball and pass in all directions. If a player is touched while in possession of the ball, it is an immediate turnover (ball put on the floor). The team that scores, turn to attack the other way. This rewards teams scoring and means defensive side have to work to get the ball back.

Drill to practice team shapes or backs moves against a defence with less numbers than the attack.Set up a &quot;ruck&quot; with a scrum half/feeder, 3 defenders on the back foot of the &quot;ruck&quot; and 4 attackers opposite them. The attackers attack the defence, then turn round and attack back the way they have just come. Progressions: Change the set up of the attack, for example a blindside winger or full back in behindChange the number of attack/defenceChange the defensive system (e.g. hammer, blitz, ice, up and out, umbrella)

Simple 3 v 2, with two defenders with tackle bags. The attackers must pass their way through the grid, using quick passes and good handling, while the defenders work hard to pressure them.

Excellent way to involve large numbers and fitness. Develops understanding of working hard when on the floor, communication and skills in contact. 4 pads 4 balls Groups of 3 1st play hits (Drives and presents), 2nd play clears 3rd picks. 3rd player picks and get back into the middle, they then go to another free pad. Important ball carrier hits low, ball into hands and drive legs. When on floor, vital and he is active As for player should come low to high and drive defended beyond the ball Important players work hard to get off the floor. Do this around 1 min before swapping to build fitness.

Grid size is around 5x5m. You can keep changing the size of the grid. The defender must shadow the attacker as they run towards a cone (left or right) before then trying to spring over the back line to score a try. The defender must touch the cone with their hand whereas the attacker doesn't have to (giving the attacker the advantage). Attacker is looking to score between the opposite cones.

The game is to avoid contact, make sure the pads are not in a straight line to begin with. Attackers don't wait for defence to get organized. Go straight away as if turnover ball.

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 defendersAllow the attack to offload instantly after the touch has been madeAllow the attack more than one phase to attack so the defence must practice re-organising after a breakdown.

Drill can be full contact. Make sure the defender gets back to his feet quickly after the tackle to practice stealing the bal. Attacker presents the ball correctly.

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.

Groups of 6 Balls 2 attackers start with the ball the complete a simple 2v1 catch and pass. The first defender then has to scramble his way back to prevent the defenders scoring the 2nd 2v1 situation, from another defender a few meters behind.

Great the large numbers, variety of skills in small areas and can be advanced/simplified for all abilities. Groups of 3, 3 channels. 2x5 m channels 1x15 m channel in the middle To evolve drill, have paths on the floor and players to off load. Keith is depth and communication. Make sure depth and quality of handling is high. Targets, follow-through and ball put in front runner.