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Rugby: Defensive Systems - Structure Progression.

Sportplan rugby has played a large role in my team's love for the...

Heather, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

1. Defensive Organisation

4 Defenders line up on the the cones.

When coach goes to pass the ball, when hands are on the defenders get line speed, making lots of noise and staying connected.

After each rep the players move along the cones back trackign until the reach the end, this is continuous.

2. 3 v 2

In a 5mx5m grid, 3 attackers attack 2 defenders.

Same focus on the defence on when to drift or make the takle on attackers.

Lots of communcitaion and line speed is key.

3. Kick out touch- Reduced Defence.

A defending player kicks the ball from the back of the pithc to attacking team.

Attacking team has more players than defensive system to induce a counter attack situation.

Players will learn to fill space with fewer numbers aswell as being a good attacking practice identifying space and overlaps.

COACHING POINTS

1. Defensive organisation

Scanning - defenders 2m apart - eyes up on the ball and players infront.

Defenders 1, 2 , 3 know there role. (1- ball back inside form 9, 2 - 9 sniping or runnign across, 3 - lines up opposite first attacker 10.

Lines speed - off the line agressive and fast

Connections - Imagine players are on a pece of string - no dog legs.

Communication - lots of noise.

2. 3 v 2

Similar coachign points.

Drift or Blitz defensive decisions.

3. Kick out touch.

Work on all coaching points above in match situation.

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OFTEN USED WITH...

Defending in Threes:

Set up 4 grids of about 8-10m by 5m.

3 players start on the first grid, working from one end to the other, covering the 5m distance.

The aim is to stay in one straight line as they go up, and also keep themselves evenly spaced
Once they have achieved that, they fall back into the next grid diagonally across and back. Now there should be 6 players on the line, and they all work together to come off the line, as one.

Players continue working like this, until they reach the end of the grid.

Once the coach blows his whistle the line may press off.

Match Related

Flat Defence:

Players line up together along the line of the 1st set of cones.

On the signal of the coach all the players advance to the 3rd set of cones (20 meters away), making sure they all keep together in a straight line.

The players then retreat 10 meters to the 2nd set of cones, making sure they stay in line.

From the 2nd set of cones the players then advance a further 20 metres to the 4th set of cones and then retreat 10 meters back, to the previous set of cones.

Defensive Patterns

Drift defence:

4 Tackle Bags.

10 Cones and 1 Ball.

10m x 30m.

The first player in the line begins with the ball. As he approaches the first cone and passes to player 2 who is supporting. Player 1 carries on their run and hits the tackle bag before running backwards to player 2 original position. Player 2 on receiving the ball passes the ball onto player 3 before hitting the tackle bag and back pedalling to player 3 original position.

When the ball reaches player 5, that player side steps behind the others back to position 1 where the drill is repeated.

Defensive Patterns