Mismatch offload rugby coaching session for core skills
Mismatch offload brings together many of the basic rugby skills a player needs in close contact. These skills include scanning to see mismatches, communication to alert team mates, rugby passing skills, footwork and power to go beyond the defender.
After that there's the soft pop pass to the support player arriving from depth at pace.
What you tell your players the rugby coaching session is about
- Exploiting individual mismatches to create line-breaking opportunities.
- Offloading out of contact.
- Supporting the ball carrier effectively.
What to think about
There are different types of mismatch that can be exploited to the attacking team’s advantage.
Big against small
A small defender will almost always have to tackle low to stop a big runner. This naturally creates an opportunity for an offload out of the tackle, as the ball carrier can easily get his hands free.
Jinky against static
Big defenders are often fairly static and tend to find it hard to move laterally to tackle. If you can attack them with your elusive runners, you can force them into having to make low side-on tackles, allowing the chance to offload the ball.
Ensure your players understand the types of mismatches they are trying to create and exploit, and give them lots of opportunity to practise in live situations.
What you get your players to do
- Put a ball carrier about 2m away from a defender, with a support player 5m behind.
- The ball carrier should use footwork skills to move the defender and attack the space beside him. As he is tackled, he drives his legs and pushes his arms through to give a pop pass to the supporter.
- The supporter reacts to the situation to decide which side to run. Generally, if the ball carrier has gone left, the support player goes right.
Development
- Add a second defender behind the first and another support player. The receiver repeats the exercise with the second defender.
- Put two defenders side-by-side, about 3m apart. The ball carrier has to burst through the middle of them and offload round the back to the support runner.
Game situation
- Split into two teams of seven and select three or four of the defending team to be tacklers. Put the tacklers in bibs so they can be easily identified.
- Only the tacklers can tackle and tackles must be waist height or below. The other defenders use a two-handed touch tackle.
- If touched, the attackers go to ground and place the ball back. If they are tackled by one of the tacklers, they can offload to a support player. After 5 attacks swap the teams over.
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Click the link for an offload touch game to develop your rugby players' offloading skills.
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