Staying Alive
SmartSessions Ready made rugby coaching plans
11 FEBRUARY 2009. ISSUE 109
Core Skills
Staying alive
What you tell your players the session is about
1. Looking after the ball in contact. 2. Presenting the ball effectively for your team mates. 3. Recycling possession.
“Staying alive” means keeping some forward momentum through the contact area. So rather than meekly going to ground when faced with a defender, the ball carrier fights to stay on their feet. This provides a better target for the support players and improves your team’s recycling of the ball.
Session planner
Warm up 5-7 mins
Session 10-15 mins
Development 7-10 mins
Game 15-20 mins
Warm down 5-7 mins
Activity
Kit
Outcome
Warm up
Bags and balls
Preparing for contact
Session: staying alive
A tackle pad and ball per group of three
Staying on the feet through contact and until support arrives
Development: staying alive live practice
A ball per three players
Working at “staying alive” against a competitive defence
Game: small-sided conditioned game
A 20m wide by 30m long pitch
Recycling the ball against different forms of defence
What to think about
Where it fits
Player skill: Rucking / Support play Tactical skill: Attack patterns Other Core Skills Smart Sessions covering this area: 40 Clearing and parking 60 Recycle pods 66 Leg drive
Click here to download the index
• My team find it very hard to win quick possession from rucks. We always seem to have numbers there, but still the ball is slow getting to the scrum half. Winning quick ruck ball has nothing to do with how many players you commit to the ruck. One effective rucking player will give you quicker possession than four ineffective players. Some players see rucks as an opportunity to rest. They will lean on and look like they are doing something when actually they are just getting in the scrum half’s way. Players should not get involved in rucks unless they think they will make a difference. They need to hit rucks with purpose rather than just lean and push.
Rugby coaching plans you can take straight on to the field
www.rugby-coach.com/sessions/ www.rugby-coach.com/sessions
What you tell your players to do 1. Stay on your feet in contact and drive forwards. 2. Get to ground quickly when support arrives. 3. Present the ball as far back as you can towards your team mates.
Staying alive direction of run
pass
1. Staying alive: drive
What you get your players to do Using defenders holding ruck pads, practice taking the ball into contact. 1. The ball carrier hits the pad in a good strong position and drives forward, protecting the ball. He then drives on until the pad holder shouts “DOWN”. The ball carrier has to fall, protecting the ball, and present it back towards his team. 2. Once this exercise has been perfected, add a support player. He tells the ball carrier when to go down and then stays in a strong position over the ball to protect it.
What to call out
The ball carrier must fight to stay on his feet for as long as possible and until support arrives.
2. Staying alive: going to ground
• “Keep your head up as you drive” • “Grab hold of the pad holder to keep
you up” • “Support player: watch your feet near the ball”
Development Make the exercise live. The ball carrier starts one metre from the defender (now without a pad) and has to drive into him, all the time trying to stay up. When the support player arrives the ball carrier has to fight to get to ground and present the ball.
The support player stays on his feet, standing over the ball to keep it in the ruck.
Staying alive in attack Game situation There are two different overload games you can play to develop effective recycling. 1. Six attackers v four defenders. 2. Five attackers v eight defenders. Both games are full contact, so all the tackle and ruck laws apply. The attacking team have to keep possession for as many phases as they can while the defenders try to turnover the ball before scoring. When there are more attackers, insist on quick ball at every ruck. Session created by Paul Tyler
The attacking team should have a nominated scrum half who controls the attack.
www.rugby-coach.com/sessions/ www.rugby-coach.com/sessions
11 FEBRUARY 2009. ISSUE 109
Core Skills
Staying alive
What you tell your players the session is about
1. Looking after the ball in contact. 2. Presenting the ball effectively for your team mates. 3. Recycling possession.
“Staying alive” means keeping some forward momentum through the contact area. So rather than meekly going to ground when faced with a defender, the ball carrier fights to stay on their feet. This provides a better target for the support players and improves your team’s recycling of the ball.
Session planner
Warm up 5-7 mins
Session 10-15 mins
Development 7-10 mins
Game 15-20 mins
Warm down 5-7 mins
Activity
Kit
Outcome
Warm up
Bags and balls
Preparing for contact
Session: staying alive
A tackle pad and ball per group of three
Staying on the feet through contact and until support arrives
Development: staying alive live practice
A ball per three players
Working at “staying alive” against a competitive defence
Game: small-sided conditioned game
A 20m wide by 30m long pitch
Recycling the ball against different forms of defence
What to think about
Where it fits
Player skill: Rucking / Support play Tactical skill: Attack patterns Other Core Skills Smart Sessions covering this area: 40 Clearing and parking 60 Recycle pods 66 Leg drive
Click here to download the index
• My team find it very hard to win quick possession from rucks. We always seem to have numbers there, but still the ball is slow getting to the scrum half. Winning quick ruck ball has nothing to do with how many players you commit to the ruck. One effective rucking player will give you quicker possession than four ineffective players. Some players see rucks as an opportunity to rest. They will lean on and look like they are doing something when actually they are just getting in the scrum half’s way. Players should not get involved in rucks unless they think they will make a difference. They need to hit rucks with purpose rather than just lean and push.
Rugby coaching plans you can take straight on to the field
www.rugby-coach.com/sessions/ www.rugby-coach.com/sessions
What you tell your players to do 1. Stay on your feet in contact and drive forwards. 2. Get to ground quickly when support arrives. 3. Present the ball as far back as you can towards your team mates.
Staying alive direction of run
pass
1. Staying alive: drive
What you get your players to do Using defenders holding ruck pads, practice taking the ball into contact. 1. The ball carrier hits the pad in a good strong position and drives forward, protecting the ball. He then drives on until the pad holder shouts “DOWN”. The ball carrier has to fall, protecting the ball, and present it back towards his team. 2. Once this exercise has been perfected, add a support player. He tells the ball carrier when to go down and then stays in a strong position over the ball to protect it.
What to call out
The ball carrier must fight to stay on his feet for as long as possible and until support arrives.
2. Staying alive: going to ground
• “Keep your head up as you drive” • “Grab hold of the pad holder to keep
you up” • “Support player: watch your feet near the ball”
Development Make the exercise live. The ball carrier starts one metre from the defender (now without a pad) and has to drive into him, all the time trying to stay up. When the support player arrives the ball carrier has to fight to get to ground and present the ball.
The support player stays on his feet, standing over the ball to keep it in the ruck.
Staying alive in attack Game situation There are two different overload games you can play to develop effective recycling. 1. Six attackers v four defenders. 2. Five attackers v eight defenders. Both games are full contact, so all the tackle and ruck laws apply. The attacking team have to keep possession for as many phases as they can while the defenders try to turnover the ball before scoring. When there are more attackers, insist on quick ball at every ruck. Session created by Paul Tyler
The attacking team should have a nominated scrum half who controls the attack.
www.rugby-coach.com/sessions/ www.rugby-coach.com/sessions
