Strategies & Tactics
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.
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Make a Difference on Match Days
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How you can control the game from the dug out.
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Lineout Lifting
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The lineout is a key part of the game. Ensuring your jumpers and lifters work together is vital.
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The Half Time Huddle
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This is a vital time for the coach. It must be carefully thought out to leave the players revitalised and prepared for the second half.
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Kicking Off for Pressure
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It's not enough to simply kick long or short from kick offs. This article looks at the basic tactics of creating pressure from your kick offs.
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Making the Most of Your Game Breakers
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Some players are outstanding against a broken defence and yet becalmed by an organised defence. Here's how you can get them into the game.
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Defending Against the Maul
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The maul is a potent attacking weapon. It saps defence's energy and spirit, whilst giving attackers space and scoring opportunities.
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What Not to Say!
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"You've got to get your first tackle in early, even if it's late." Ray Gravell, Welsh centre of the 1970s.
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6 Super Sub Strategies
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Tactical substitutions are a common feature of modern rugby. Peter Tann explains how we can make the best use of these players.
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Stats Games & Videotape
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Top sides have analysts to break down every phase of the game. Here's how you can adapt some of their techniques for your team.
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Wrong Footing the Lineout Tail Gunner
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Study their last man at your lineout and you may find yourself changing your strategy early on.
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Chip and Chase
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Make kicking a first phase attacking option.
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5 Easy Steps to Devising a Team Strategy
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How to focus your planning and coaching to make the best use of your time, resources and players.
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Tactics to Improve Your Kicking Game
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The kicking game is too often left to chance and the whim of the fly half. Here are some tactics to broaden your options.
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Get Your Defence Up Quicker from a Standing Start
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Give your team a defensive boost with the techniques used by sprinters.
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Kicking for Pressure - Into the Wind
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Windy days can make kicking a lottery, but you can use the wind to your advantage, even if it is against you.
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Kicking for Pressure - With a Cross Wind
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A cross wind is the most common occurrence. Here are some ways to maximise your kicking game in these conditions.
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Getting the Winning Habits
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Better Rugby Coaching offers some tried and tested ways of improving your winning chances.
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A Game Plan when the Team Changes at the Last Minute
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Coping when you're team's set, but one of the 15 drops out with less than an hour to go.
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The Selfless Runner
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How to integrate slow players into the wide ball game.
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Make Every Second Count at Half Time
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How to maximise the five minutes you have to reinforce, maybe even reshuffle, your team's strategies and tactics.
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The Match Warm Up
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Getting the last moments before the game right.
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The Tackling Technique that Will Stop Tries
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The offload near the goal line is one of the key factors in many tries, says Paul Tyler. Improve your players' tackling skills to save tries.
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Kicking for Pressure - On Hard Grounds
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We challenge teams to think beyond the adage of "don't let the ball bounce" and change their attacking tactics.
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Returning Kicks
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An aspect of the game that does not always get the same emphasis as tactical kicking and chasing.
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The Role of the Fly Half - 5 Ways to Create Space (Part 1)
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The tactics you can adopt to create space, and therefore time, not just for the fly half, but for all your backs.
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The Role of the Fly Half - 5 Ways to Create Space (Part 2)
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The tactics and strategies you can adopt to create space, and therefore time, not just for the fly half, but for all your backs.
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Training the Back Row
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Ways to help improve this unit's performance.
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3 Simple Tactics for Returning Kick Offs
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Receiving the kick off is both an opportunity and a threat.
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Making Communication the Key (Part 1)
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The best rugby players at any level are never quiet in attack or defence. A two part article by Paul Tyler.
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Making Communication the Key (Part 2)
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The best rugby players at any level are never quiet in attack or defence. A two part article by Paul Tyler.
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The Winning Secrets of "Magic Space"
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Tactics to get your fast winger into the game.
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Receiving the Kick Off
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What to do when your receivers "aren't working".
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Touch Rugby – Friend or Foe?
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Playing touch rugby can pay dividends when it comes to full contact matches.
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Muddy Pitch Tactics
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Mud, mud, glorious mud, there's nothing quite like it for… changing your game plan.
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The Role of the Blindside Flanker
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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.
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Pre-Season Do's and Don'ts
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In all the excitement of pre-season training, it is possible to forget some of the principles of preparing your team for the first game, or indeed the whole season.
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Rocket Ball
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A Smart Sessions for training players to drive through contact situations
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Hit the Opposition with Lomu
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A Lomu inspired move from 50 Great Backs Moves.
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Training in the Rain
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Making the most of a session when it's raining.
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Smashmouth Bullies
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A simple offensive tactic to bully your opponents.
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Shortened Lineouts
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When, where, how, tactics and options
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Smashmouth Plan B
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What to do when your opponents won't be "bullied" by your "Smashmouth" tactics.
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Never Say Never In Your Own 22
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Innovation in the way your team plays can be held back by one crucial factor - you.
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7 Key Factors to an Intense Defence
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Getting your team organised and working together in defence can pay big dividends over the course of the season.
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Overload Attack Game
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Challenge your players' individual and unit defensive abilities.
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The Best Attacking Options from Lineouts
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It's vital you make best use of possession, says Jim Love, head coach of Viadana in Italy.
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The Outback Full Back
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With kicking being such a feature of the modern game, the positioning of your full back in defence can be critical.
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Tactics to Beat Their Defence (Part 1)
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Ways to identify your opponent's defensive tactics and refine your attacking strategy.
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Tactics to Beat Their Defence (Part 2)
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Ways to identify your opponent's defensive tactics and refine your attacking strategy.
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Pop Cycles
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A full session to boost your team's short passing skills.