Strategies, Tactics and Tips

Your players may have mastered every rugby skill, but without effective tactics they will struggle to win matches. The articles in this section look at the strategies and tactics to get the best out of your players in particular situations. They will help you develop tactical awareness throughout the team and give you a deeper understanding of the role of strategy in the game.

Make a difference on match days - Rugby coaching tips to help you control the game from the dug out.

Rugby coaching tips to make the most of your game breakers - Some players are dynamic when faced with a broken defence and yet thrown by an organised defence. The following tips can help get them into the game.

Rugby coaching tips for tactical substitutions - Tactical substitutions are a common feature of modern rugby. Peter Tann has some tips to make the best use of these players.

Tips and techniques to analyse your game - Top rugby teams have analysts to break down every phase of the game. Here's how you can adapt some of their techniques for your team.

Tips to devise effective coaching strategies - Follow these tips to focus your planning and coaching and make the best use of your time, resources and players' skills.

Rugby coaching tips to improve game planning - Tried and tested rugby coaching tips for improving your winning chances with careful planning and tactical play.

How to prepare for last minute team changes - How do you cope when your team is set, but one of the 15 drops out with less than an hour to go? The following rugby coaching tips will help you be prepared.

How to coach a decoy runner - The following rugby coaching tips will help integrate slow players into the wide ball game.

Rugby coaching tips for helpful half time huddles - How to maximise the five minutes you have at half time to reinforce, maybe even reshuffle, your team's strategies and tactics.

Tackling technique tips to stop tries - The offload near the goal line is one of the key factors in many tries, says Paul Tyler. Use the following rugby coaching tips to improve your players' tackling skills and save tries.

The role of the fly half - Coaching tips and tactics you can adopt to create space, and therefore time, not just for the fly half, but for all your backs.

More coaching tips to create space for your fly half - Following on from The role of the fly half, this article offers further rugby coaching tips to help your fly half create space.

Rugby drills to improve communication skills in attack situations - The best rugby players at any level are never quiet in attack or defence and this is essential to team success. Use these rugby coaching tips and drills to boost your players' communications skills.

Rugby drills to help defenders communicate - Communication skills in attack and defence are crucial. The principles are the same for both but these rugby drills and tips are aimed at helping defenders communicate when they're under pressure.

Muddy pitch tactics - Rugby coaching tips on how to change your game plan when the pitch is extremely muddy.

The role of the blindside flanker - You need to blend the talents of three players to produce a back row unit whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts, says Peter Tann.

Rugby coaching tips for training in the rain - Use the following rugby coaching tips to make the most of your training session when it's raining.

How to use the smashmouth bullies tactic - A simple offensive tactic to bully your opponents.

How and when to use shortened lineouts - The when, where, how, tactics and options of shortened lineouts.

Rugby coaching tips to develop an offensive move - What to do when your opponents won't be "bullied" by the Smashmouth tactics outlined in the article How to use the smashmouth bullies tactic.

Never say never in your own 22 - Innovation in the way your rugby team plays can be held back by one crucial factor - you.

Seven key rugby tips for an intense defence - Getting your rugby team working together in defence can pay big dividends over the course of the season. Use the following checklist to organise your players.

The best attacking options from lineouts - It's vital you make best use of possession, says Jim Love, head coach of Viadana in Italy.

How to position your full back in defence - With kicking being such a feature of the modern rugby game, the positioning of your full back in defence can be critical.

Rugby tactics to beat the defence - Rugby coaching tips to help you identify your opponent's defensive tactics and refine your attacking strategy.

Rugby defensive tactics when wingers are standing back - If your winger is standing back, there are ways to identify your opponent's defensive tactics and refine your rugby players' attacking strategy.

Rugby coaching tips to improve your teams go forward - Use the following rugby coaching tips to improve your team's go forward.

Coaching youth rugby moves and plays - Youth rugby has a number of differences from the adult version and requires different strategies. In this article I look at moves and plays.

Attack strategy to create space - A rugby coaching drill to improve inexperienced players' ability to attract defenders and free up space for team mates.

Eight rugby coaching tips for scoring more tries - Bored of coaching the same old rugby coaching and plays? Then develop some imaginative new moves!

A great backs move - A move for the opposition half, but not too close to their line.

An aggressive lineout defence - Defending against the lineout maul remains a vital part of rugby coaching.

An easy rugby move to score tries - A well-executed move can win a match. But this doesn't mean the move in itself has to be complex.

Rugby coaching to get unstoppable tries - Plan for interceptions during rugby training with tips from the South African in the 2005 Tri Nations.

Rugby coaching tips to help you beat a better team - Rugby tactics and strategies to beat the best team in your league.

Beating defensive drift - Rugby coaching tips for exploiting gaps in your opponent's defensive line.

Inside or outside shoulder defence - An alternative to the J curve or inside shoulder defence.

Covering the kick off pressure triangle - A guide to the rugby tactics you can use when receiving the kick off.

Red zone madness rugby coaching session - Rugby coaching tips to get your players to score more tries.

Four golden rules of slow ruck ball - All teams have to contend with "slow ball" at the tackle area. It's how you deal with it that matters.

Rugby coaching tips to beat an aggressive defence - Use these rugby coaching tips and tactics to put the defence on the back foot.

Rugby coaching tips for turnover ball - Use these rugby coaching tips and drills to make the most of attacking opportunities and limit the opposition's threat.

Five defensive lessons from 2008 Six Nations - Learn how Welsh rugby coach, Shaun Edwards, transformed his team's defence.

Creating depth from a flat line - A problem-based approach by Colin Ireland to help rugby players create depth in situations where they start off in a flat line.

The rabbit in the blitz rugby drill - Creating the pressure needed for a rugby blitz defence, by Jim Love.

Continuous defence rugby tips - A great Ford Academy rugby training tip. Please search the site for more clips of rugby coaching drills in action.

4 v 3 moving defenders - A great Ford Academy rugby training tip. Please search the site for more clips of rugby coaching drills in action.

Cleanout rugby drill - A great Ford Academy training tip. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action.

Using defence as an attacking weapon - How defence can be used as an attacking weapon at the ruck by Colin Ireland.

Rugby tips for coaching a spread defence - A spread defence fills the pitch laterally. This rugby drill's objective is to prevent the opposition from going around the defensive line.

How to win 3 v 2 situations - Letting your players work things out for themselves is an excellent variation on the usual rugby coaching session. Sometimes it works better to give your players the chance to show you what they can do.

Keeping your defensive line straight - This rugby coaching session focuses on creating and maintaining a straight defensive line during the match.

The big hit trick - More and more sides are employing this move to create holes in the defensive line. This rugby move works by playing on the natural instinct of defenders, that is, the desire to make a "big hit" on the big runner.

The latch and drive rugby coaching drill - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action.

The kitchen sink training drill - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action.

Up 'n' backs contact training drill - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action

Horizontal scoring techniques - Use these rugby coaching tips and drills to help players score tries in the corner.

Back line alignments - Rearranging the set up of your backs at scrums can give you a distinct advantage over the opposition. Use these rugby coaching tips to help.

How to trick opponents with a deceptive ploy - Deception is a key element of successful attacking rugby. Looking as though you are going to attack one area, while actually attacking another can cause the defending team to allocate their resources to the wrong place.

Trick to break open your defence - This move works by playing on the natural instinct of defenders: the desire to make a "big hit" on the big runner.
The key is to trick the defender into making the tackle on a player who is not going to receive the ball. Instead, you work the ball into the gap left by the defender, so creating the space to release your quick winger through the defensive line.

Coping with last minute team changes - These rugby coaching tips will help you cope if your game plan changes at the last minute, for instance, if your team is set but one of the 15 drops out with less than an hour to go.

Decoy and deception rugby drills - Turn your predictable planned moves into defence-splitting game breakers with rugby training drills using simple variations to the classic scissors move.

Support play options - Make support play more than just about chasing after the ball carrier. Colin Ireland has some rugby drills, skills and tips to highlight the many roles a player may take to support team mates more effectively.

Coaching binding for locks and back row - After coaching your players in the basics of binding for the front row (Coaching binding basics), the next drill focuses on binding of the locks (five man scrums) and the back row (eight man scrums).

Coaching a circle ball play - Circle ball is a simple play to organise, which can integrate forwards and backs.

Drills to tackle bunching problems - Rugby is a game about space, finding it and exploiting it. Use these training drills to solve the common problem of young players bunching.

Coaching deceptive moves using wingers - Drill your players to use convincing deception ploys to fool the opposition.

Rugby moves to create a system for attack - Players need to know what sequence of different moves are being run. This makes it easier to run the right support lines and break down defences over a series of phases. This advanced skills rugby coaching session runs a sequence of plays to attack close to the initial point of contact then wide out.

Defensive rugby drill to combat attacks from wingers - Some teams are blessed with quick wingers. However, whether you have quick players or not, you should always make time to work out a defensive system to combat direct attacks from speedy wingers.

Rugby coaching tips to train the back row - What do you expect of your back row? An effective back row blends three players whose abilities complement one another. So, a rugby coach needs to be clear about the roles to be played by each member of the unit.

Rugby coaching tips to build a coordinated attacking pattern - One-on-one, your players may use a change of pace or a sidestep to beat a defender. But when there are two or more attackers facing a similar number of defenders, a more coordinated attacking pattern is needed. Use these rugby coaching tips and plays to build moves that suit your team's strengths.

Decision making rugby drill for forwards - Despite what the press might say, forwards need to be thinkers. They can't just run into any ruck or maul. They need to consider when and where to add their weight. The following rugby drill is designed to help them build up some rhythm to make better decisions.

Rugby footwork drill for a good step into contact - If the ball carrier is powerful in the contact area, they can offload or maintain possession more effectively but less experienced and younger players have a tendency to fall over or crumple unless they practise good body positions and use a strong step into contact. The following "big step" rugby drill concentrates on improving these footwork skills.

Rugby set plays using gates to add match pressure - Unopposed practice drills can lead to poor outcomes. This system, devised by Mark Calverley, an IRB Level 4 coach working in school and club rugby in New Zealand, closely mirrors rugby matches. It forces players to take good options and be accurate in their play.

Drill to make the most of attacks close to the try line - When your players have the ball near the try line you want them to make the most of the position, to score over the line. Which is just what this drill session is all about. It's also a great way to teach your defenders about protecting the try line from the opposition.

Rugby drills for defending at the back of the scrum - With defences and attacks now set five metres back from the scrum, the need for a cohesive defensive strategy between your back row and scrum half is vital. Use the following rugby drills to work on these skills.

Rugby coaching drill for kick offs -
You are guaranteed at least one kick off chase and one receipt in every game. Since they can define the way the game is going to proceed, kick offs are an important aspect to spend time on during your training drills.
Use the following rugby coaching tips to organise and run a 30 minute training drill session focusing on the kick off.

Lineout 3v3 rugby drill - To help you build better coordination in your lineout pods, try the following rugby training drill, working on attack and defence.

Rugby drill to coach hit and spin technique - Attack rugby is about attacking the space. However, in close-quarter situations it is not always possible to find space. Instead, attacking players need to make themselves hard to tackle and ensure they can keep the ball alive. Coach the following rugby drill to teach hit and spin skills.

Ruck through the phases with patterns of play - This rugby training drill session is designed to develop your team's play through the phases and improve your players' footwork. It's such a straight forward session to set up that you will be using it time and again.

Rush defence rugby drill - So many teams think they know how the rush defence ("blitz") works and yet it is more than just a fast rush up. This rugby training drill session looks at one version of the system, with your players asked to make more than one decision about their defensive roles.

Rugby drills to open up defences - Often the most effective ways of creating space are the simplest. "Ins" and "outs" are two great ways to give your players a chance to open up even the tightest defences.

Rugby drills to help players create pace on the ball - Using a one-element rugby drill session is a good solution for an area of the game you have identified as a problem. These drills focus on putting more pace on the ball.

Rugby drill to coach simple loops - Loops are a great way to create an "extra" man in attack. Here's a rugby drill session to help you coach the technique.

Rugby coaching session to develop an aggressive defence - An aggressive defence can often be the start of an attack. If your defenders hit quick and hit hard, they can catch an attacking team off-guard. The best way to do this is known as the blitz defence. Use the following rugby coaching session to show your players how.

Rugby coaching drill tips to build a defensive system - As a rugby coach you need a defensive system that you and your players are comfortable with. It needs to be simple to set up and run and must cover the two challenges of broken play, when there's no time to organise, and set pieces.

Rugby coaching tips for defender body positions - As well as coaching defensive tactics and plays with your team, players must also know how to shape up when facing big, powerful attackers. The players must be in a position where they can see what's happening in front of them and react to the situation. Here are three tips to improve your players' body positions when they're in defence.

Rugby coaching tips for avoiding contact - Rugby is a contact sport and there are some tactics used to break down a defence for which contact is essential. However, for many teams, the winning difference is the opposite - to avoid contact.

Rugby drill to get players attacking from a penalty - Plays direct from penalties and free kicks are more important than ever. Use the following rugby coaching drill to get your players practising this move.

Rugby drills to prepare the back line - Use the following rugby coaching drills and tips to work on moves for your back line. Ignore the gentle handling moves up and down the pitch and cut straight to the pressure situations your team will face. A key rugby coaching tip is knowing when to turn up the pressure.

Throwers and jumpers rugby drill - If you warm up your players so they are ready to time their jumps and win the ball from the first lineout to the last, you may be making the "winning difference" for your team. This rugby drill is a good warm-up for your thrower and jumpers.

Punch runner tactic - A number of sides are employing the so-called "punch runner" to give the back line more space. This is a great rugby tactic to use with Two waves tactic. Here's my take on it.

Rugby drill for throwing skills - Improve your thrower's accuracy with these rugby coaching tips and drills.

Back row moves - This 8-9-14 back row move works best from a scrum in the opposition's half, which is at least 15 metres from the right hand touchline. It might not work near their line because most teams will put in another defender to cover the blindside.

Lomu inspired backs move - This great rugby backs move is best run from the opposition half, following a scrum or quick second phase ball, when there are no forwards in the way.

Holding the line rugby drill - The initial alignment of your defensive line determines the success of the defence. So, it is vital your players understand the importance of getting into the right positions. Use the following rugby coaching drill to help.

Rugby coaching line speed tips - Making sure all your players understand the need to move forward together and at the same speed will cut down the opposition's try scoring opportunities dramatically. Use these rugby coaching tips to help your team's alignment.

Rugby coaching tips to develop defender vision - Defenders need to know where and when to look up and look ahead to make sure they are covering all the opposition's attacking options. Use these rugby coaching tips to develop your defenders' vision and awareness skills.

Rugby coaching tips to get defenders communicating - Good communication glues together the other three main factors of defensive organisation: a straight line, good line speed and vision. Use these rugby coaching tips to help.

Split once back ball lineout move - Try this lineout move for your entire pack.

Rugby coaching tips to help players cope with match day pressure - Many rugby players under-perform on match days because they are too nervous. However, you can coach them to use coping strategies to harness their energy, reduce tension and overcome fears of poor performance.

Rugby coaching tips for pre match team talks - The collective meeting before your rugby team starts a match can be spoilt by inappropriate words and ill-judged sentiments. Here are several coaching strategies to make these last moments work for you.

Rugby coaching game to exploit advantages in attack - Having rugby "game vision" means seeing spaces and moving the ball to those spaces. Players can also recognise mismatches in terms of speed and strength.

Rugby drill to get players defending against an overloaded attack - A determined few can stop many an attack. This rugby coaching session involves the whole squad and works on dealing with a large overload in attack.

Rugby coaching tips to get good feet for defence - Good defensive systems need organisation and communication, and quick line speed.

Rugby coaching tips to get a winning mental approach - Sometimes your rugby team will be playing well but cannot seem to win, despite having a strong position earlier in the game. Here are simple and workable rugby coaching solutions you can implement to ensure they remain ahead.

Go with the flow coaching session - This "go with the flow" rugby coaching game plan stretches the opposition across the pitch and creates areas that are poorly defended and can be exploited.

Finding channels for a counter attack - This rugby coaching session is all about helping your players identify the channel through which to launch a counter-attack and encouraging them to get the ball and support players into the least defended channel.

Rugby coaching video to show Exeter backs move - This rugby coaching video clip from the Power Plays DVD demonstrates how to master the Exeter backs move.

Rugby coaching London Irish video focusing on hustle and jam defence - This rugby coaching video clip shows a training exercise from the London Irish, which is designed to teach the hustle, ball and jam defence.

Rugby coaching London Irish video for attack and defence skills - This rugby coaching video clip illustrates a rugby drill in which an attacker aims to score across the far side of a marked-out square, while the defender holds his progress with a two-handed touch.

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