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Rugby: Running Lines To Break The Gain-Line

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

Heather, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

This drill coaches players the lines they should run when receiving the ball in order to maximise the chance of them breaking the gain line.

Use a tackle bag to simulate where the ruck and offside line would be.
The players line up as if they were going to come "around the corner" to receive the ball.
Players should run an L shaped running line to get across the first defender and then footwork to get through the second defender.

Progression (0.49) - Add an extra pass to the drill

For the first receiver the drill is exactly the same in terms of the running line.
Then there is a second player on his outside shoulder who uses the same running line to beat the second defender.
The first receiver has a choice (1.19) - whether to go through the gain line and pass or pass before he gets to the gainline.

What is the gain line?

The gain line is an imaginary line in rugby parallel to the halfway line that is the back foot of the breakdown or the defences offsideline.

COACHING POINTS

The focus should be on getting over the gain line.
When receiving the ball from the scrum half coach your players to get on the outside of the second defender. This way you take an extra defender out of the game.
Players should run an L shaped line and then have footwork rather than a big looping run.
Tell your players to make the change in direction as late as possible so the defence cant anticipate and line them up.
Make sure your players don’t over run the ball and that they are communicating to the player passing to them.

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OFTEN USED WITH...

Running Lines and Breakdown Continuity:

A coach or scrum half feeds a ball carrier who should be running onto the ball.
The ball carrier should run towards the tackle sausage and use footwork and a hand off to move past the tackle sausage towards the first two tackle bags.
The player should aim to hit the gap between the two tackle bags and power beyond the contact.
Those two players then drop the bags and follow the original runner in support.
The ball carrier then hits the bag, goes to ground and looks to lift the ball up to one of his support players.
The next player then hits the last tackle bag, goes to ground and presents the ball.
The next support player clears away the bag to secure the ball.

This drill works on a number of skills (running onto the ball, hand off, footwork and hitting gaps, communication and support, clearing out a ruck) in continuity which means its more game realistic and trains players to not only perform the individual skills, but also to be thinking about how the skills link together and what their next job is.

Ruck Clear Out

Creating the Overlap With a Loop:

This drill is designed to work on the loop; on of the simplest and most effective ways to create your own overlap/space out wide
Start with three attackers and three defenders using tackle bags in front of them.
Attacker 1 passes to attacker 2 and begins to loop around.
Player 1 should then receive the ball back and his next aim is to fix the third defender.
Attacker three should make his way out to the edge where the space has been created.
Attacker 1 then passes to attacker 3 who has space to get around the defence.
Using this drill will develop your players handling under pressure and their attacking vision and ability to create space

Passing

Waterfall Attack:

The drill starts with 2 attackers in blue, standing behind one another, 5m from the 1st defender/attacker in red.

The blue players attacks the red defender, once they pass him the defender/attacker joins the attacking team in one motion - therefore 2 players will be ahead with 1 backup supporter creating a 3v2 situation.
The 3 attackers now attack the 2 red defenders.
Once the attackers beat the 2 red defenders the two defenders also join the attack to make it a 5v3.

The 3 defenders at the end stay on. The 2 attackers, 2 defenders and 1 defender must be replaced by new player to keep the drill continuous and stimulating

Match Related