Support Play

"Where's the support?" I suspect this is the most shouted phrase in rugby. Many players don't really understand what support play is all about. It is, after all, more than just running on the shoulder of the ball carrier or pointing for a team mate to move into a space.

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

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.

Six tips to winning quicker ruck ball - Quick ball means a chance to run at a less organised defence. But if your team simply can't produce the sort of ball your scrum half needs, here are some rugby coaching tips to cure the problem.

Try blind passing and silent support tactics to vary your rugby drills - Are you brave enough to try some very different rugby coaching drills and tactics?

Rugby warm-up drill to teach spatial awareness - I used to teach netball! I reckon it's better than basketball as a means of teaching spatial awareness, footwork and go forward. So you might like to try this fun warm-up drill which uses netball principles.

Tramlines rugby practice session - Getting your rugby players to practise the basic skills is an important part of every training session.

Pop Cycles - A full session to boost your team's short passing skills.

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

Coaching key continuity skills - Rugby coaching tips to help teach key continuity skills to your players.

The Dangers of the Offload - An offload is a ball that is passed after the ball carrier goes into the contact. Most commonly a player is tackled and, as they fall over, they "flip up" the ball to a player in support.

Silent Running - Making support players work harder.

Space – The Final Frontier - Players who are able to recognise and then exploit space effectively are highly valuable, but rare.

Dip and Slip for Continuity in Contact - A complete session to help your players maintain continuity.

Support Play to Speed Up Your Attacks - Paul Tyler looks at helping your support players make the best decision depending on what is in front of them.

Box drills to build close game skills - Boxes are one of the most simple and effective training tools to develop your close game skills. They are excellent for developing short passing skills, close contact skills, rucking technique and support play.The following box drill is a great way to start to build all these skills.

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.

Drills focusing on depth principles - If you've ever seen your players receiving the ball while standing still and being knocked back in the tackle, check out these tips and drills to solve the problem.

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 drills and games to sharpen midfield decision making - Here's a great session for developing decision making by the fly half and centres. Use these rugby coaching drills and games to challenge the players to decide quickly on the best pass or line to run in game-related situations.

Rugby coaching tips to help players get out of pressure situations - Try the following rugby coaching tips and game to help players find their way out of pressure situations on your own line, especially from 5m scrums or rucks.

Rugby drill to develop support players' understanding - A game-intelligent player knows why he makes the right decisions and so carries them out more often. The following rugby drills and coaching tips can help improve your support players' game intelligence.

Two waves tactic - The "two waves" tactic, where forwards run behind the backs to support an offload or break, is an ideal addition to the game plan of teams with strong offloading skills, a good support ethic, and which look to make half breaks through the defensive line... as well as for teams with slow forwards!

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