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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 27/05/2010 00:07:05
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Hi All
I need some help getting my team to the next level of attack. I coach a lower level senior team in a pretty competitive division of Sydney's Suburban Competition.
My team is competitive in games but are not dictating the play, we depend on individual game breakers to score and not relying on the ‘pattern’ to get us over the try line.
Right now we are looking to score off first and second phase with the forwards running from one break down to the next. Or off the odd piece of clean turn over ball.
Our skills aren’t too bad and we probably average a couple of phases before we get isolated, turn over the ball or lose it forward/drop it etc.
My pack is pretty strong and holds their own in set piece without dominating. Fitness is comparable with the standard in the comp but there is definitely room for improvement – there always is.
The backs are the problem – an area where the entire club is a bit light on. So while I have started with pretty much the same pack each week the same cannot be said of the backs.
I want to incorporate a more structured approach to our game but nothing too complicated as we will never have the same team play as trained that week. But needs to be a 'total; approach not just 10 man etc
We have been working on using one out runners (forwards) to get us over the advantage line and this has helped but it pretty predictable as most clubs use this approach and they tend to defend well against it.
Any thoughts?
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Forum Member
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Last Login: 23/11/2011 09:52:38
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Hi Bokkie,
I think you are right in addressing this, and from a number of perspectives. Firstly the use of phased play, aimed at including the backs, will broaden your playing base and, as long as you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, may lead to a more successful way of playing. It is also possible that the backs, no matter their current level, may be feeling excluded from general play and consequently they may see their personal development suffering. It may also be that, if you are successful, the use of a more expansive form of rugby may transmit itself through the rest of the club.
It would be lovely to think that we can bring fifteen man rugby to a team and use all positions fully in attack. In reality this is a rare luxury. I would probably look to a limited set of basic plays to bring the backs in to the game. I would also keep the initial ideas to those plays that hold the ball in the area from 2m to 12m from the breakdown. You can always expand this as your backs get more confident and, as importantly, your forwards start to gain more confidence in the backs.
I would stay away from complex moves and timing devices and use a family of moves that the backs feel happy with and that the forwards can understand and 'read'. You may be surprised the first time the backs use a Rangi off second phase and end up in front of a pack of forwards relishing in the extra yard forward they have to hit up. The same would be true if you were to use the family of 'cross' (under and over) moves that would allow a quick phase to put a rampaging forward away.
I wouldn't get more adventurous that that . . . you may then find success breeds success.
Best of luck with it anyway
Pat
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Supreme Being
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My 2p... FWIW.
Pat has it pretty much sown up really but I'd add that whatever you do IMO don;t make whatever your backs "do" too formulaic. If you provide them with [1] say 4 basic moves my concern (and experience) is that they will endeavour to use them all during a game w//out consideration of how they fit with the opposition... its more a case of "we haven;t done a flapjack minor yet" so they'll run it - even though a flapjack minor brings their skinny blindside winger straight into the area defended by their biggest and most lethal tackler. There is also the tendency to call a move and then they run that move WHATEVER ELSE HAS OCCURRED. so if the move called is a S1, they still run the S1 even though the opposition outside centre fell over screaming with cramp and a huge whole appeared in front of their own #13 as they dutifully switch the ball with the 12 running back inside!
So... [1] ... maybe they can provide their own moves? Next training give them 20 minutes, and tell them to invent their own single move, to be run from a scrum say (or very slow ruck). Something they don't already do. You'll know them best - you could prompt them if they need some help e.g. use the blind side winger. You take the forwards away and do whatever for 20 minutes where you can;t easily watch what they are doing. let them have their head.
Come back together, get the forwards to be the defending backline with a coned scrum (or whatever the static restart was) and run "the new move". Its now live - against possibly weaker/slower defence than they would meet normally, to aid a success?
Now you are into your coaching stride :-) having seen the move a few times, ask the defence how they would defend THAT. Then run it - does the defence now work? Ask the attack then what they could tweak on the move to provide TWO options in the move so that they can exploit the attempted defence - and build from there. Etc.
Now - could be their new move doesn't work ... but they'll learn a lot more about themselves by this process than you practising hours of rangis with them. As for the mixed bag at training every time, you'll have the issue of the ones that missed training not knowing the new move of course - but no more so than them not having been there to practise rangis all night :-) And maybe the message is now out that if they come training THEY get an input into how THEIR game develops.
Just an idea....
didds
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Supreme Being
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| Bokkie, Agree with the above, with the key being that you have some simple moves worked out with your regular 10 and 12. The key is KISS, keep it simple stupid. I have taught my boys some simple moves that get the backs involved and leads to reliable continuous phase play. Move 1) ball is passed to 10 then 12, who runs at an angle back toward the pack. The 10 runs around the 12 in a scissor move, 12 passes to 10, then 10 takes on the defence midfield. 10 drives forward, goes to ground, forwards arrive for the ruck. Move 2) ball is passed to 10 who passes it inside to a straight running back-rower or blind-side winger. Runner hits the defence, drives forward, goes to ground, and ruck forms. Move 3) Same as 2 but ball is passed 10, 12 and then iside to the backrower or full back running straight. When the ruck forms, the last 2 forwards arrive, but do not commit and stand up flat on the offside line. The half back snaps to the nearest forward who drives low and forms another ruck. This gives any backs caught in the ruck time to get back into position. Then do it again... using moves 1 , 2 or 3 as appropriate. This way you can train your boys to confidently string together lots of phases without losing possession. They won't make a lot of ground and won't score quickly, but typically in the game, by the time they've done 6 or 7 phases, the defensive line should be breaking up so you should be able to spin it out to the 13 and wingers and give them a crack at the defence. Anyway, its working quite well with my U11 team. BTW, I would not be so negative about using 10 man rugby. Its been raining here, so I have been teaching the boys to kick for territory, and get success from pressuring and opposition mistakes. They have a clear code for where the ball is going to be kicked (A=left, B=middle, C=right), and make sure the wings are ready to chase. And its not all boring kick and chase: The boys last week executed a perfect crossfield kick, the flyhalf kicked it cross field and forward 20m, winger caught the ball on the full, and scored a try in the corner. Very entertaining.
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Supreme Being
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Last Login: 17/01/2012 20:00:07
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Some excellent suggestions there already. My tuppence worth, following the KISS principle outlined above would be to encourage your players to think of moves less as plays with a set outcome but more as sets of running lines that can have multiple outcomes. Let us take a dummy scissors pop for an example. Ordinarily one thinks of this as 10 dummying to scissoring 12 and popping to a player coming into the line (wing or 15 as to your taste). However, if we consider this as a set of running lines - how many options can we spot?
10 passes to 12
10 dummies to 12 and goes himself
10 kicks
10 dummies to 12 and hits 15 coming into the line
10 dummies to 12 and misses 15 hitting 13 (going behind 15 to a deeper running 13 for example)
What are the advantages? Firstly, the players can practice these running lines loads so they are slick. Secondly, that one set of lines has given you 4 or 5 "moves". Thirdly, this approach gives your playmaker options. He can play what he sees, selecting the right option rather than slavishly following a pattern (as noted by a previous writer).
Once players understand the concept, "all runners are option runners and may be used" etc. One can start looking at how the rest of the players can assist the 10 with the decision making process, how to call options if one is on or off etc. More sets of eyes and more people thinking about options and playing what they see is always good.
In summary, the main advantage is that one "move" contains many "options". You therefore only need a few sets of running lines with their attendant options to have a pretty useful playbook. You could start with one! Your attack will also be harder to read. Worth a go.
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Supreme Being
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| Totally agree with CJP here, KISS. It's very easy to play short 10/12 combinations, but do be aware defences will pick up on this very quickly. The key to this is really making sure your forward pods know where you are gonig, off first phase and a rough idea off second phase. We use ABC, A being 10 channel from the 1st phase, B the 12 channel, C any thing wider. Some people use different channels, or calls for the channels from left to right etc.. but the theory is the same So if we know we are going to run a switch off 1st phase our 10 will let the 9, and back row now if it will be a A or B ball, this means the forwards have an idea where the next probable breakdown will be and as such a rough target to aim for and a slight advantge over the opposition pack on 1st phase. From there, so 2nd or 3rd phase we normally play a flow pattern, so the first pod clears the second pod sweeps around to either take a short ball from 9, and inside or short outside ball from 10 or hit the probable breakdown in the next phase out, as they should in theory be runnign the corner at pace they should hit the phases hard. I also ask our blind side winger and 13 & 15 on 1st phase to try and run support lines on these switches and pops and be prepared to hit the breakdown if it occurs, as they are quick and generally that means we can get numbers to the breakdown quicker and if the ball carrier breaks they are already in support, and it also means the 10 can hit them if it suddenly opens up. From there I allow our guys to call it as they see it, as gaps will hopefully be starting to appear. It's pretty simple but it really only needs a regular 9/10 and pack to run, and the key si that the 9/10 communicate how they are running things..
It's a simple game when played properly
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