Bull run What you tell your players the session is about: 1 Improving their passing in a game situation. 2 Developing their decision making. 3 Improving their spatial awareness.
What you tell your players to do: 1 2 3 4
Run forward quickly on your signal. Look for space and then attack it. Support the ball carrier. Communicate with each other.
● ● ● ●
“Run forward into space” “Make an early decision where to go and commit to it” “Tell each other where the space is” “Pass the ball early to the player in space”
What you get your players to do: Divide your squad into teams of a maximum eight players. Two teams start facing each other. On your signal the defensive team turns, splits in two and runs back round two markers (the “bull horns”), placed about 10 metres away and 15 metres apart, before they can defend. Meanwhile pass the attacking team the ball. They run forward passing and supporting each other, looking for the space. Start by giving the ball early and allowing touch tackles only. As the players get competent, give the ball later and increase the level of tackling contact. Adjust the “bull horns” to suit the speed of your players. BULL RUN
Development
● Lack of decision making or leadership in the attacking team.
Pass the ball to the best leader or decision maker in your team and see if this helps. Focus the group on quickly spotting space and moving towards it. Encourage the use of communication and support runners, who could also act as decoys. ● Players that never see the space. Ask the players before the practice where the space should be. This will get them started in the first few runs. Through subsequent questioning and demonstrations show the players possible solutions to create space.
1 Start the attacking group in two waves to create depth in support and so develop pace. 2 Load the defence. 3 Set challenges for the attack, for example to score on the left, right or middle. Give the players some time to plan out their strategy to do this.
How would I put this into a game situation? Play a form of rugby league so that, after a tackle, the defence has to run back five metres before turning to defend. Encourage the attack to spot the space and target lazy defenders, so they can exploit the gaps and make ground. Ensure you carry an extra ball to use if you feel the attacking team is not starting quickly enough or the ball is tied up too long at the tackle.
What is the first thing the players do when you pass them the ball? They should move forward. What type of group movement does the attacking team adopt? Is there any structure to it? What signals are the players using? How are they helpful? Is the defence working as a group or in isolation? How does the timing of delivery to start the attack affect the outcome?
Where does it fit? Individual skills: Spatial awareness Team skills: Decision making