L2 - Identifying Space to Attack

Skill Practice Description • Attacking team face away from defenders before play commences. • Attackers spread or grouped in any formation. • Defenders split (unseen by attack) between pitch A & B. • Coach calls “turn” and introduces the ball to the attack who turn to scan the distribution of the defence and attack whichever pitch they choose. • Defenders on the pitch not being attacked cannot cross over to help defend. • If the attack breaks down, the defence gain bonus point. • If attackers choose to attack the area with the most defenders and still score - gain a bonus point. • Progression: • Allow the defenders in the area not being attacked to move across to support the other defence. Perhaps make the secondary defence go deeper around a cone. • Vary the space before game starts between attack and defence - more or less time for the attackers. • Allow defence to recover the ball to counter attack. Key Coaching Points • Reward close and immediate support of the ball carrier in and around contact area. • Defenders deny space and time to the numerically superior attack

QBE - Identifying Space to Attack

L2 - Attacking a Drift, Blitz and Cover Defence

Skill Practice Description • Within a game of touch the coach can at any breakdown - call blitz, drift and the defenders must run and touch the appropriate line. • The coach may also give players numbers in order to call specific defenders to leave the defence line which will create the need for defence to realign quickly. • Attackers must face the other way and attack when the ball is rolled from behind them. • On the coach’s call, the attack turn and the closest attacker picks up the ball and plays. • This ensures the coach can vary each player’s role and make the defence react. • Coach can then develop game by giving a visual clue to the defenders thus making the attackers react to an unexpected type of defence. Key Coaching Points • Visual Acuity-Looking for space. • Spatial awareness. • Highlighting defensive systems and attacking them appropriately. • Decision making. Relevance to the Game • This game is excellent for visual acuity and attacking differing defensive alignments. • Spaces are created by the leaving defenders, which the attackers have to identify

Identify Attacking Options

A few drills that will help the attackers identify space in attack and work on how to exploit it!

L2 - Back Line Attack from Set Piece

Skill Practice Description • The objective of this game is to score from first phase. • The defence start on the try line and can only advance to the five metre line (gain line). • The attack must start from the 5 metre line if simulating a scrum and vary the starting points i.e. centre field. • If simulating a lineout start, use the 10 metre line to half way. • If the attack can score from the set piece they are awarded five points. • If they score after one phase they are awarded four points. • If they score after two phases they get awarded three points and so on. • If the attack fails to score after four phases they turn around and defend. • Kicking options may be introduced. • Five attacks each team. Key Coaching Points • Appropriate passing (short, long, flat, deep etc.) • Appropriate running lines; decoy / option / creating spaces / accelerating into space. • Support and reaction. • Look-Think -Do Process • Allow the players to self correct before intervention from the coach Relevance to the Game • Accuracy in decision making scanning and decoy / option running lines

L2 - Colours Touch

Skill Practice Description • Each player is given a colour. • The coach will call out a colour at any time during the game. • The defender/s who have been given that colour need to leave the defence line, run round the nearest cone of that colour and rejoin the defence. • The attack should identify where the spatial opportunity has appeared and take immediate advantage. • The frequency of the call depends on how much the coach wants to work the players. • The coach may call for all players, both defence and attack, to run around an allotted cone colour. • Coach should have two rugby balls to ensure a fast game and a change of defence to attack at times. Key Coaching Points • Visual Acuity-Looking for space • Spatial awareness • Communication - highlighting spaces and mismatches • Evasion skills and footwork • Decision making Relevance to the Game • Spaces are created by the leaving defenders, which the attack has to identify, decide on the appropriate action and attack accordingly. • By using the second ball, the coach can also develop counter attack

L2 - Mis-match Touch

Skill Practice Description • Two or three players (depending on numbers in each team) wear bibs of a different colour to the others. • The players in bibs can participate in every way except their tackles do not count. • The objective is for the team in possession to attack the areas these players defend. • If other defenders move to cover the players in bibs, that will open space elsewhere. • The defence may position the bibbed players in order to protect them or limit the spatial options. • Any strategic thinking is to be encouraged. • A progression may be to remove the bibs and nominate players to role play as non tackles or loose tackles if playing full contact. • It is the job of the attack to identify and find these weaker areas in the defence and take advantage. • It is the job of the defence not to leave these players exposed in too much space. Key Coaching Points • The attacking team are to scan for weaker defenders. • Once identified, keep working the attack to these areas. • If the defence cover the weaker defenders the attack should scan to seek out alternative opportunity as a result

L2 - Attacking a Condensed Defence

Skill Practice Description • Two teams play normal touch rules. • 5 touch turnover. • When a touch is made, the game pauses and all defenders need to close in and place a hand on the shoulder of another defender. So all the defenders are bunched and in contact with each other. • The coach calls ‘play’ and the attack restarts. • The progression may be to leave one defender out of the bunch, which may provide a different challenge to the attack. • Then leave two defenders out of the bunch and slowly release the conditions to see if the attack can consistently identify opportunities to outflank or penetrate the defence. Key Coaching Points • Peripheral vision and general awareness. • Intuitive decision making. • Communication • Support and team work. Relevance to the Game • This game is designed to challenge the observation and decision making ability of the attack. • For the defence, it challenges the ability to cover quickly with both drift and sweeping defenders

L2 - Scatter Defence Game

Skill Practice Description • Ideal practice for when defences break up later in games or with counter attack decision making. • Attackers stand in front of a numbered cone and ball. • The coach calls a number and all attackers must run around their own numbered cone but whichever number was called, that ball becomes active. • At the same time a colour is called for the defenders and all defenders must turn and run around a cone of that colour. They must however choose different cones. • If a touch is made, the teams swap over roles. • If a try is scored, the attackers stay the same. • First to five tries wins. Key Coaching Points • Spatial awareness • Communication • Quickness of attack at a disorganised defence • Skills to attack space • Footwork and evasion skills • Scanning skills • Decision making • Importance of getting behind defenders Relevance to the Game • Great for coaching counter attacking disorganised defences from different angles. • Any player can be ball carrier and communication is vital as is decision making in identifying space and the best way to attack it successfully • Cones can be placed to shape different types of defence. Organised or scattered