In my U11 team (comprising an A and B team), I coach the forwards.  In order to get structure and phase play, I have set a strict rule in both teams as follows: 

If the ruck/maul forms, the forwards must always try to deliver the ball to the half-back. 

With this rule I ensure that the ball gets to the backs.  I have also taught that the last two forwards arriving at the ruck/maul should stand as “pillars”, 2-3 paces each side of the ruck/maul.  This is good for defense.  In attack, if the half back deems it proper, he can “snap” a short pass to a forward for a barge run one off the ruck.   But, it forbidden to pick up the ball at the back of the ruck.  Forwards only get the ball if it is passed to them, it is alive or in the open, or at lineouts and penalty taps.

Q1:  Is this a good policy, and does anyone know of any traps/pitfalls/variations?  Will this work in U12s and up?

I have one boy, a big, fast dim-witted second rower in the A-team, who refuses to follow this rule.  His father, who considers himself an expert in all matters of rugby, is encouraging him to “play the ball in front of him”.  In other words, for an U11 boy, this translates into “get the ball, and run”.   This means the boy waits behind the ruck for the ball to emerge instead of joining, refuses to slip the ball back in mauls, etc .  He is occasionally a hero, and scores a try.  But more often he locks the ball up in the maul, or runs and gets isolated, losing possession .  I have spoken to the father and the boy, and they are apparently ignoring me.

Q2:  What should I do about this?

If you are not prepared to enforce them... don't make them.

Putting my psychologist's hat on for a moment, you have left yourself no option but to take this guy off if he refuses to follow your rules.  Of course, there will be times when he cannot follow them and needs to be the hero but on the occasions, when he 'refuses' to follow the rules, you must give him a warning or take him off.  If you are not prepared to do this... cancel the rule.

Pro bono populi rules.

There will be other members in the team who believe in following rules... do you want to be the one who teaches them that rules are for some but not for others? Or, that they only follow the rules that they agree with and ignore the others?

Your guys are at a very impressionable age!

As for whether the rule itself is sound; I am sure the other coaches will have their own opinions.  Personally, I believe the ball should get out to the backs via the fly half [but as a kicking coach, I confess to being a little bias].  However, if the backs are not capable of handling the ball and doing what they do best once they receive it [pass and run], it may be best to keep it forward .

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Biomechanist/Performance Analyst

Level 5 Soft Tissue Therapist

Certified Personal Trainer: Advanced Gym Instructor/Level 3 Fitness Assessor

The issue is, 'who is the coach?'.  No coach can be held to ransom by a parent, it is a lose/lose situation... for everybody!

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Biomechanist/Performance Analyst

Level 5 Soft Tissue Therapist

Certified Personal Trainer: Advanced Gym Instructor/Level 3 Fitness Assessor

as others have said...  if you doggedly apply a rule, you remove the decsion making process from these players and they will never learn to make the decisions.  You will end with U16s that are automatons and unable to play the game fluidly.

However, I sympathise if you have a set of players that have no clue as yet.  (the 2nd rower incidentaly is not "playing the ball in front of him" despite what his dad is allegedly "saying".  He is merely playing another dogged rule which in effect is pick it up and run with it).

So...  how to progress.  Given the above 9and aplogies of I have misread this) I see no problem with as of now

IN GAMES

Create a game plan that says "Forwards do not pick the ball UNLESS INSTRUCTED to do so by the half back"  (or acting half back).  You will need to implement back policies so that somebody covers for the half back if he is not available (winger?  nearest back?) otherwise you will turn over hard won ball, or leave the forwards in a difficult situation to avoid this. Or an emergency call that means anyone can pick and go. Unless you really have forwards that can pass well, I also suggest you leave forwards that pick in these scenarios to run with it and NOT pass. A poor pass to a #10 is worse than a poor run (IMO)

This is a short term solution

IN TRAINING

Firstly you'll need to cover off half back "cover" and/or the emergency call to cover the short term solution above.  Also half back decsion making (ie when to tell a forward to pick).

You will also need to introduce LOTS of decsion making exercises where forwards must choose whether to pick themselves or leave for the half back.  This concept can then be used in later games in the season.  Could be this gets staggered such that the short term GAME PLAN rule above becomes "no front five can pick" in the medium term (or similar).

Also you need to ensure that pick and run moves are understood by the forwards and their technique is worked on in close contact, so as to avoid turn over/non-deliberate slow ball.

The second problem is harder.  Solutions could involve inviting the dad to join the coahcing tream in a "put up or shut up" move...  but that has intrinsic dangers too. It also depends on how central then player is - you can always bench him for future games if he won;t follow the game plan (but do bear in mind he is U12 of course...).  He is also the victim of his father's influence and it must be hard for him to keep two juxtaposing views happy in this way.  The straight chat to the dad may end up being the unpalatable option :-( I sympathise.

didds

I take the point about have rigid rules and expecting the players to doggedly follow.  The players need to learn to make good decisions, and know the reason for making them.  For example, I definitely have this policy for actions of the first player to the break-down (pick/drive or clean-out), at the ruck maul (join, or stand as pillar).  I teach them what’s good and what’s not, and let them work out the rest.

However in this specific matter of picking up the ball at the back of the ruck/maul, I do not believe that just sending the players onto the field to learn from their mistakes.  This is like teaching physics by handing a student a text book and saying:  “Be creative”.  J  I see the teams that my boys compete against that are trained this way, and they play awful rugby, never get much possession of the ball, especially the backs who stand around all day watching the forwards make a hash of it. 

The idea of my policy is to make it fair now, and give lots of possession to the backs, so they can learn too.  It also promotes continuous phase play interchanging between forward and backs, shows the players the benefits of this style of play, and produces an interesting (and entertaining) game which offers a variety of learning opportunities for forwards and backs.

Based on comments here, I have decided the boys will not still be playing by this rigid policy next season in the U12s.   I will instead make it a priority to teach them to properly pick and drive from the back of the ruck/maul.  In my view it is a complex and risky manoeuvre, and I often see it poorly executed.  I intend to teach the players to make the right decision:  is the field position suitable for this move, look for the gap in the defence, ensure support is available and ready, is there a better option in the backs? (communicate with the half), etc. I intend to teach them properly, and then let them figure it out.  Not visa versa.

In the meantime, the team is approaching the finals, and it is too late this season to embark on teaching this technique.  So I have this policy of delivering the ball to the halfback, I like it, it is successful and part of a grander plan to teach the kids rugby. 

Except for the dim-witted second-rower and his dim-witted dad.  In this matter I agree with the comment that you can’t have a rule, and then not enforce it.  It sends the wrong message to the other players.  I can’t take him off the field, the team is short and we have no reserves.  So here is my plan:  I plan to have a word with the team captain who is a smart rugby player and trusts me, and I will ask him to put the hard word on the kid, to be fair and follow the same rules as all the other forwards.  If the kid cannot decide whether to follow his coach or his dad, I will bring in a third party … his peers.  Watch this space, I’ll let you all know how it goes.

I don't agree about not letting forwards pass away from rucks/mauls, it actually gives them an appreciation of the clearout that on the whole they are instrumental in........if they're not very good at passing how will they get better....... all players in a team should be able to catch and pass off both hands.  My FR's are the best passers in the team but not the quickest or most nimble.  Numbers on backs should only apply from the set piece, after that they have to be able to do it all...... even at U11/U12 as you and they don't know which position they'll play or will suit them when they've grown.

The bit about your SR could be managed slightly differently...... kids seek praise and recognition...... if you're focussing about decision making at the back of a ruck/maul, focus on this after the game in your team talk.... we always included the parents in this so they could hear what we are saying....... if you highlight the player(s) that made good decisions and big them up you will encourage this behaviour in others if the SR you mention doesn't receive it he will eventually try to get it by trying to follow what you coach.  If his dad is listening he will "hear" that his son is not getting praise.  Don't forget to really big him up when he does eventually do the right thing.

We always talk to our players U15 now about adding value........ what can they do...... what decisions can they make.....  at the ruck/maul there are a number of options for them;

1. Do they join? Yes if the ball is still being contested.  No if we've either won it or lost it.

2. Lost - defence, pillars and guards and talking/telling what they're doing.

3. Won - offer yourself as a runner to the 9 or if time to the first or 2nd receiver.  If your game plan is to move the ball away then they need to get wider - if they don't get the pass to run with the ball, they'll be needed by their teammates to secure it at the next contact area.  Getting all players involved in this will give you more options and they'll get their hands on the ball more - after all that's why they play.  If they don't get this opportunity many will just grab the ball when they can regardless of what the best decision would have been.  Is this what's happening for this boy?

Good luck.

I don't intend discouraging forwards from passing the ball for the ruck/maul.  What I am trying to do is get the boys to concentrate on the decisions they make as they join the ruck/maul (the 3 options as you have summarised well).  By leaving the passing of the ball to the half back, it removes the temptation of the 4th option, ie pick up the ball. 

Note:  If the halfback is not there, I have said the captain (openside flanker) is to take over at halfback.  If both are unavailable I know the other backrowers are pretty smart and will adjust.

The boys are learning to pass, however at age 11 they have lots to learn.  At the moment I am concentrating on getting the to run straight, elbows in, low body height, lead with the shoulder, protect the ball, present the ball after the tackle, etc.  Teaching them short "soft hands" passing, and positioning for the pass, is on the agenda for next season.

With regard to the SR, I have tried all that you have suggested, several times.  The dad simply disagrees with the policy (he has told me so), and I believe he is telling his boy to ignore me.  I can't praise him, if he doesn't ever do the right thing.  I am sure peer pressure will work.  I will advise the outcome in the next few weeks.

I don't agree about not letting forwards pass away from rucks/mauls,

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I never said that.  I said if they do not have a good pass, then don't allow it (or discourage if you prefer).  Nobody will learn anything from an attempt to pass to the #10 that dribbles along the floor, flies up the air or ends up randomly somewhere else except maybe how to recycle ball on the back foot! Naturally we should be looking to develop their passing so this approach isn't needed, but most coaches do not have the time they need to get players getting their primary positions covered let alone peripheral skills (which is why the very early years are so vital in getting everyone doing everything rather than deciding at age 8 that Fred is a prop and never teaching him a scrum half pass!).  Otherwise all you do is set players up to fail.

see the above.  They aren't going to get better by maybe having a stab at it two or three times in a match situation. They could improve if given the correct opprtunities in training.  Along with their ruck/maul decsion making and appreciation of it - even if its only shadowing the play in training  but not involved.

I don't disagree FTR!  If your squad has FRs that can scrum half pass to a #10 15m away then good for you and good for them ...  but then your squad doesn;t fall into the description I gave originally - big up!  :-)

didds

Your issue then is with the parent not the child...... I have every sympathy with you as a very difficult one...... I haven't experienced one this bad but I expect all coaches have come across this of varying degrees.  Do you issue a newsletter?  Perhaps this area could be covered which would highlight to all your parents the conflict they can unknowingly create.  Parents are focussed on their child but still want them to be part of a good team, their focus and encouragement often conflicts with this.  If you explain what you are trying to achieve and ask for their help, ie. keep quiet (as much as they can) then their child will benefit. 

Good luck.....