Rugby coaching tips for supporting and lifting
Supporting and lifting is in many ways the newest lineout skill. The change in law to allow lifting has transformed lineouts and given them far more tactical significance.
The lifter’s role is to lift and support the jumper while the jumper is in the air and bring them safely to the ground. The lifter also plays an important part in the formation of the driving maul from the lineout.
The lifting stance
- The lifter needs a wide base, with the feet a shoulder width apart (as pictured above).
- The back lifter lifts from behind the jumper, looking up the line. The front lifter faces the jumper.
- The lifter must adopt a squatting position with a neutral spine (flat back).
- The lifter needs to remember to keep their knees slightly bent and the chest up.
The lifting technique and sequence
As the jumper explodes into the jump, the lifter needs to immediately do the following:
- Get close to the jumper and make sure they have a grip on them.
- Use the jumper's momentum to drive the jumper upwards. This initiates an arm extension to lock out the arms.
- Close the gap with the jumper on full extension by taking two or three small steps inwards and towards the other lifter.
- Keep their head in a neutral position to lock the core stomach muscles at the top of the lift.
- Retain their grip following the catch and bring the jumper to the ground, holding on until the jumper is stable.
- Move early to a new position away from opposition pressure, to set up and bring the jumper on to you.
Supporting the jump
When perfecting these supporting and lifting techniques, remember the laws of the game which require that: “A player must not support a jumping team mate below the shorts from behind or below the thighs from the front”.
1. The thumbs must point in with the hands on the side of the thighs.
2. The hands are positioned to make use of the muscle definition at the top of knee/bottom of the quadriceps.
3. The elbows need to be pulled into the sides of the body.
Rear support grip
1. The thumbs must point in and the fingers point up.
2. The lifter must aim to create a seat in "nature's niche" – the bottom of the jumper’s buttocks.
3. The elbows need to point forwards and the arms kept straight.
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