Scoring From Set Piece
Rugby Union differs to its other variants by the way it restarts the game either through the lineout or scrum. As a consequence teams rely so much on generating good ball from these platforms that scoring off 1st phase is becoming more and more common.
Essentially the team that scores the most tries wins… this means an attacking mindset wins most games. So, looking at the scrum, the primary focus is to be stable and in control of the ball. See the video below if you want more on scrumm technique!
The decision makers in the back line must then recognise the signals that they have good ball and be prepared to use it wisely. The way the backs attack does say a lot about the coaching and the knowledge of the players strengths & weakness - from the coahcing staff.
Everyone loves a good backs move:
There are loads of variants and moves, come up with your own… and share them with your players! So what makes an exciting backline? For me, when a team can demonstrate wraps, loops, miss moves, switches and overs/unders then you know they have been coached skilfully and technically.
Many coaches struggle with time so often leave out many of these skillsets for backs. So how can you as a coach it all in the time you have?
Play a variant of touch or a conditioned game (such as below) and give points to the teams that use the skills we want to see i.e 5 points for switch, 10 points for a loop , 20 points for an overs and unders. Get them to score the skills you want to see. You will find out a lot from this sort of game, what they can or cannot do, what they need to work on and what they enjoy to do.
