Ejercicio de continuidad (en inglés)

The big step

By Dan Cottrell

If the ball carrier is powerful in the contact area, then they can offload or maintain possession more effectively.

Less experienced and younger players have a tendency to fall over or crumple unless they practise good body positions and use a good step into contact.

This session - "The big step" - concentrates on this footwork.

What you tell your players the session is about

• Improving your ability break through defenders.

• Improving your continuity options in the attack.

• mproving your effectiveness in contact.

What you tell your players to do

• Be purposeful in your movement forward.

• Use your shoulder, hip and thigh to make contact with the pad.

• At the contact point take a big step to make a firm base and keep you strong.

What you get your players to do

• Split your squad into four defenders with contact shields, with the rest working as attackers.

• Position the defenders evenly on each side of the box.

• Each attacking player has to make his way through the area taking a big step into each defender and knocking them back.

• The defenders can step towards the attacker as though moving into tackle.

What to call out

• "Attack the defender"

• "The last step is a big step"

• "Feel the air being knocked out of the pad"

• "Step past the pad"

• "Be aggressive"

Development

• Add a support player who takes the pass after the defender is knocked out the way. This player takes it onto the next defender.

• Add more defenders and attackers so it becomes more like a game.

Game situation

* Play on a pitch about 20 metres wide, so there is little space to go through and plenty of contact.

* Split into six attackers and six defenders.

* If you have contact shields use these to start. If not, condition tackling to be a grab, rather than a full-on tackle. By doing this, the players will be able to break through the defence and off load to supporting players.

* Tries have to be scored in the corners.



What to think about

* Are the players balanced and powerful at contact, or when making contact do they lose power and at times fall down?

The players have to make sure their final step before contact is big and the lead foot is placed beyond the defender. This will make them more powerful and strong.

* Are players holding the ball in the lead shoulder?

The ball can be vulnerable if held in the lead shoulder, therefore get the players to practise moving the ball from shoulder to shoulder, while on the run.

Ejercicio de Ataque (en inglés)

Run throughs with real pressure

By Mark Calverley, an IRB Level 4 coach working in school and club rugby in New Zealand

Unopposed practices can lead to poor outcomes. Here's a system I devised that I think more closely mirrors rugby matches. It forces players to take good options and be accurate in their play.
The aim is produce a session to finish off our training, where we can run through our plays, without players running too far and recycling the ball too quickly, since this is unrealistic.
Setting up the pitch

I set up the pitch with a number of gates on the major lines of the pitch (see the diagram), and divide the pitch into six zones. The attacking team may only enter and exit a zone through the gates.
You can use the whole team, or a backline with two or three back row forwards. Start the ball from a circle simulating either a scrum or line out. Play out set moves or let the players use any move they want.
The ball can be set and mauled, popped up (on or off the ground), or rucked at any stage. Or the ball can simply be passed player to player to penetrate a gate. Tell the team to avoid drifting with the ball and encourage good communication and rhythm in attack.


The principle move callers (usually the fly half, 10, inside centre, 12, and scrum half, 9) should direct play. They should use the forwards to set up positions where set plays from rucks or mauls can be called and then actioned without the need to stop play and discuss what to do.
This should help the team call and perform set moves, from general play and not just from static set pieces.
Developing the session

Add defenders who can tackle, pose problems to the attack and contest for the ball.
Defenders may not contest in the shaded zones in front of the gates or three metres after the red gate.
Defenders may change the positions of the gates during the exercise, but only when the attacking team have not yet entered that zone. For instance, change the zone 5 gate when the attack is in zone 2.
Building the session towards a game

Play 15 v 6, then 15 v 8, up to 15 v 12. Keep the zones in place but stipulate how many phases as a minimum are allowed in each zone, but only as each zone is reached. Then remove the attack gates.
In a one phase zone, the attacking team will have to keep the ball alive and offload lots. In the multi phase zones they will have to ruck and maul, and draw defenders in to create space.
What should the players be thinking about?

Are they putting pace on to the ball?
Are they aware where the attack channel is and where the end of zone is?
Are they reading the play? Sometimes players will have to set up contact areas, like rucks, so they can attack the gates from the next phase, if they cannot easily and realistically attack the gate from the initial phase.
Are they supporting appropriately? Make sure that the back row knows what the moves are and where they go - zone the pitch width ways if necessary.