Stop slow ball killing your game

Four key rugby coaching tips to speed up your game.

A key feature of rugby is the speed the ball is recycled. Quick ball provides you with options. Slow ball results in teams struggling to exploit possession.

Clean ball, dirty ball

Any ball that is not in contact with the opposition is "clean ball". Everything else is "dirty ball". The quickest ball is generated by having the "cleanest ball" possible. The worst is ruck ball.

So the first rule is avoid rucks.

This is, of course, something that's easier said than done. However, the techniques required to avoid contact can also be used to ensure that your team is better able to set up "cleaner" rucking situations.

1. Footwork

The first way to create quick ball is avoid contact. Your players must look to run at "spaces not faces" or "doors not walls".

Rugby training tip

Get your players practising their footwork skills to find space in a crowded channel. Then reduce the space available. Slowly increase the pressure with more players to beat. Then make the channels narrower to keep the challenge intense.

2. Good contact with the opposition

Good contact is where the ball carrier is in control. The longer they can stay on their feet, the better the position from which to drive forward and/or present the ball.

Rugby training tip

Set up a 1-on-1 wrestling challenge, with a ball carrier v defender. The ball carrier must stay on their feet. If they go to ground, they must present the ball back towards their team. Develop the game by having the players walk and then run into the wrestle situation.

3. Contact bounce

The player looks to take the contact, but immediately "bounces" off the opponent and back towards his support players.

Rugby training tip

This is best tried first against tackle shields. The shields can either stay solid, twist to either side, or even fall backwards. The ball carrier bounces backwards off the solid shield, or stays balanced and passes the ball back to a supporting player. Once the players are confident, the shields can be removed.

4. The offload – basic retrieval first

An offload is the last chance to recycle the ball before a ruck is formed. This can be more risky than a pass. An offload into the space right behind the tackle is usually safest. The support is more likely to be there and the opposition further away.

Rugby training tip

Work three players, two attackers and one defender, in a very narrow channel. Success is measured by either the first ball carrier breaking through the tackle, or the second attacker receiving a clean ball from the tackle.

If your players are struggling with slow ball from the contact situation, then I may just have the solution for you. The Ruck and How to Win It can help you sharpen your players' skills, boost your side's technical expertise and channel your team's aggression to create a successful "rucking machine".

Click here to read more about the manual and to order your copy today.