Using touch rugby to improve the basics

A look at how touch rugby can allow your players to experiment and extend their core rugby skills.

The first try in 2006 Tri Nations tournament included a beautiful, looped pass from Australian centre Matt Rogers for Loti Tuqiri to score. To me, you don't tend to coach this type of pass on a regular basis, it comes from experimenting whilst playing. And playing touch rugby is an ideal way to try this out!

But touch rugby offers more than a chance to try out a few fancy passes.

Fixing a defender – the most difficult basic?

Fixing a defender means committing him to the tackle just before the ball carrier releases the pass. The receiver will then have one less defender to beat.

It is a basic requirement of rugby to take a defender out of the game, albeit momentarily, because it creates spaces. But it is a tough skill to learn and perform every time.

Touch rugby makes the problem doubly difficult because defenders do not need to shape themselves for the tackle. The distribution of weight being balanced makes it easier to defend, and so defenders are less likely to be "fixed".

Solutions

The two-handed touch on the shorts. Players cannot be touched above the shorts, making the defender bend down and commit to the tackle.
Tag rugby. The pulling of the tag represents some commitment to the tackle. Two tags pulled might be even more beneficial, and could promote two tacklers in a crowded area. In tag rugby, I suggest an "immediate pass" rule following a tackle to keep the game flowing, or a pass back into the "pocket" behind the tackled player within the count of three.

Depth: avoiding lazy flat pass problems

Touch rugby can encourage a player with the ball to run up towards the defence and, with a deft pass, release a player through the gap. This type of pass does not improve either the attack or defence, and often fails anyway.

It fails because the tacklers are not lining up to take physical contact. They are therefore more balanced, so not as many gaps appear.

But more crucially, this type of pass is lazy. Players in possession know they are not going to lose the ball. The potential receiver is not braced for contact. It would be better to pass deeper to enhance skill levels.

Solutions

To encourage depth, try the following variations to the game of touch rugby:

All passes must be made to players who are running onto the ball. If not, the ball is turned over. Players will need to lie deeper in order to run onto the ball.
A little more advanced this, but allow holding tackles by the defence. The defender can then prevent the release of the ball, slowing down the attack. Turnovers can be awarded if the ball is not released within 3 seconds.

Defence: too easy

Defence in touch rugby is easier than normal rugby because the attack cannot beat players by "bashing" through. A one hand or two hand touch allows the defender an extra 18 inches / half a metre to work in, to prevent the attacker beating them.

If the defence can be worked in a more rugby realistic way, then the benefits accrue to both sets of players.

Solutions

Use holding tackles, rather than touch tackles.
Tacklers have to do two press ups before re entering the game.
A tackle is only complete when two players have touched the ball carrier. Otherwise the ball carrier is free to continue to move.