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Junior Member
 
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Last Login: 25/08/2011 19:28:44
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| The training before matches, we run "unopposed" drills. The starting squad versus the extra 5-6 guys. That's all and good for working on our attacking play, but how do we do the same for defense? How do players get the sense of defensive positioning without having much of an attacking opposition to defend against?
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 26/10/2010 15:34:25
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This is an issue I constantly find myself grappling with - due to a smallish squad.
The most effective solutions I have been able to come up with are :
1. Run 10 vs 10 - 5 backs 5 forwards - and try and get over the major points
2. Run a separate defensive practice session - where we are not especially looking at particular positions defensive rather practicing communication, shifting left and right, following the opposition rather than the ball etc etc
3. Working with the back three as a unit to cover the unique aspects that are relevant to their positions.
Not a perfect solution by any means and can take some detailed planning, but seems to be quite beneficial.
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Supreme Being
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Last Login: 02/02/2012 14:47:41
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| I think the previous post has good solutions. Here are some developments I use: 1. Most of the defensive shape needs to be held by 1-12, so that gives 13-20 to act as "attackers". 2. Take out 3 forwards, from the 1-13 (because they could be deemed to be in the last ruck). Use them and the spare players as attackers. 3. Split the scrum down the middle, with 1,2,4,7 v 3,5,6 and 8. Put 9 on the attacking team, and split the rest of the backs. 4. In a backs defence practice, run 9, 14,11 and 15 against the midfield three to check 10-13 defence. Combined with the other ideas in the previous post you are probably getting pretty close to the optimum team defence session, away from an actual game and kicking. Remember most defence happens in pockets around the ruck and midfield after the first phase. The rest of the defence can be isolated by position (back three).
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 26/10/2010 15:34:25
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Something else I usually try to bear in mind when thinking about defense is the level of opposition we play against.
If they are a relatively weak and inexperienced team, then most of the defensive work will need to be worked on from scrums/lineouts (which would only affect 6,7,8,9-13) and 2nd phase.
Teams that we usually play against usually are not able to get the ball quickly to wide areas so most of the attacking comes through the 10/12 channel and then the resulting 2nd phase.
So our defensive work focuses on those areas and the key concepts behind them. Considerable work was done with 1-6 so that they would have the knowledge of where to stand coming out of a scrum/lineout so as not to create an overlap on the 2nd phase possession.
There is little point working on defensive situations that your opposition are unlikely to put up against.
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 25/08/2011 19:28:44
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A lot of my work is training players without a lot of experience. I coach a men's side in the US and out of 25 on the rose I'd say 5 have 8+ years of playing, 10 have 4-8 years and 10 have no more than 3 years. I'm always looking for drills that are instructional, but get players running and being competitive.
I've run a couple drills, one for close in, one for the back three.
The back three drill went like this:
Field: Goal line to far 40m. Full width (60m x 60m)
Offense: 6
Defense: 3-5 + 3 back three
6 on offense starts with the ball on their 40m. 3-5 on Defense at the 50m. Back three as instructed.
Offense tries to score at goal line. Defense tries to run the ball or kick to touch to the 50m.
Two hand touch. Could be full tackle or in-between.
Offense cannot run the ball between the defense 40m and defense 22m. They must kick through that space.
Purpose: Get the back three moving as a unit, balancing the need to cover the sides, versus covering kicks.
Worked pretty well and the novice players started seeing the back three positioning.
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