Explo Exploit your playe players ideas

Tony Hanks, Ha Director of rugby, Wasps

EN ENGLAND

Re Revisit the co counter at attack

Gre Greig Oliver, Head coach, He Garryowen
IRELAND

Sharpen Baby Blacks your players defence Andrew skills

Mike Schmid, Head coach, Esher
ENGLAND

Strawbridge, Assistant coach, Auckland

NEW ZEALAND

Secrets of the Springbok lineout

W When opposed by an excellent lineout, you need to decide which areas of the lineout to defend, how t cover the vacuum at the back of the lineout and how to beat that lineout in attack. to
BY GARY GOLD, ASSISTANT COACH OF SOUTH AFRICA

In the recent Super 14 nal, the Vodacom Stormers knew they were facing one of the best lineout teams in the competition, the Blue Bulls. The nal had two of the worlds best lineout forwards competing against each other: Victor Mateld and Andries Bekker. I was acting as an advisor to the Stormers, providing analysis of set pieces, sources of tries and referee performances. Because I coach a number of these players when they are on international duty I have an excellent knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses. The Bulls had players like Victor Mateld, who has an outstanding jumping ability. With this in mind, the Stormers had to formulate a plan to deal with this threat. Identifying the most dangerous attacking lineout The most dangerous ball

in the lineout is middle to back ball. It opens up the opportunity to pass the ball quickly into the back line, or peel around the back of the line into the soft underbelly of the space between 10 and the edge of the lineout. (See

potent place in the lineout. This is where Mateld stands. If the ball is going to the middle, he (or the player in his position), is likely to do one of three things. He will jump before the throw, wait for the throw and jump or move back

trades when are defending at the lineout. They have to work where they want to jump and how to cover the other areas. The Stormers, for instance, will tend to put their best jumping resources into the middle of the lineout. In practice, they will defend against the three main jumping options (jump-throw, throw-jump and lob ball). They will then plan what will happen when and if this is not successful. Losing the ball If the Stormers lose out at the lineout, they have specic plans to cover the possibilities. No matter whether they jump in the middle or decide to challenge at the back of the lineout, they will always have a player at the back of the lineout. For the Stormers and Springboks, this is Shalk Burger. He, along with the
Continued on page 2

Tony Hanks article on scoring against the Lions.) A throw to the back of the line is the most risky throw because there is more chance of being inaccurate. So middle ball is the most likely and

for a lob throw. His skills are so good, that he will rarely be beaten on the jump throw. Allocating the right resources A team cannot be a jack-of-all-

VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 05

AUG 2010 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 5

01

Rugby is like a game of chess

Defending the lineout

You cannot cover all the threats in the lineout. Identify their most lethal threat and mark that area the most. Work out the defence plan if the ball is lost or the ball is not thrown to that area. Always cover the back of the lineout with a player on the ground.

any top coaches I speak to use the expression It is like playing chess when referring to their tactical plans. They are constantly moving their players around in set pieces and in open play to outwit their opponents moves. Gary Gold, the Springbok assistant coach, is one of the most open coaches in the world. He is happy to talk about the tactics and skills used by his players. Like in chess, everyone knows his teams strengths and weaknesses. It is how the team deploy those elements, suggesting one move and then executing another that can be the difference between winning and losing the set piece. Because he is an excellent communicator, Gary talks about the lineout in particular in its simplest terms. We know exactly how each piece in chess moves. He knows how a lineout is won and lost, what areas need to be defended and how to organise your players accordingly. The rest is up to excellent execution. He has often said that teams know that Victor Mateld will be receiving most of the ball in the lineout. Despite that, the South African lineout rarely loses the ball because they outthink the oppositions defence and execute their throw and jump to the highest standards. In fact, many international teams avoid kicking for touch for that very reason they do not think they can challenge the South African lineout. After speaking to Gary about how his team outthought the British Lions with a move at the back of lineout, it was interesting to hear how London Wasps used this experience to help their team. Tony Hanks, who is director of rugby at Wasps, not only has a number of Lions in his team (like giant lock Simon Shaw), he had one of the coaches on the tour, Shaun Edwards. The Wasps coaching team were able to draw on those experiences to see how they could defend against that sort of lineout in the future.

other players at the back of lineout, will chase out into the mideld. With the Stormers and the national team we reckon that there is a vacuum at the back of the lineout and we need to cover this. The Springbok backs coach Dick Muir, emphasises how important the battle for the gain line is. If his backline can be over this line, then the forwards are in position to attack on the front foot. Therefore we want our players out from the back of the lineout to run into their backline to hit their backs before they reach the gain line. In my experience, more teams are playing off the top of the lineout (throwing the ball down to the scrum half who then passes it away) to make the gain line. This makes the players at the back crucial. They cannot be tied up in jumping for the ball. Catch and drive lineouts are used close to the scoring areas. This ball is not good for the backs to use because the defence can mark across from the mideld. Therefore we should be prepared to stop these players by pulling down the jumper before the maul forms. Throw, jump, lob There are three main types of throw and jump combinations. Each has its strengths. A throw-jump is where the hooker throws in the ball and the jumper takes his trigger from the throw, jumping to meet the throw. The ball tends to have a slight lobbed trajectory. The jumper knows he will have to reach higher to

get the ball than a hard throw from the jump-throw. A jump-throw has the jumper going up and then the hooker throwing in the ball. The throw is a hard at throw. The jumper, like Victor Mateld, beats the opposition jumping pod into the air. His jump triggers a rocket ball throw. The lob is a variation of the throw-jump, where the ball is thrown in with a looping trajectory. The jumper steps back about half a metre and takes the throw behind the opposition pod marking him.

Why is back of the lineout ball so potent?

When the scrum half takes the ball, he is closer to the back line. Easier to peel round the back of the lineout into the 10m gap between the lineout and their backline. It is often the least well defended.

Gary Gold
Spingboks assistant coach

Dan Cottrell dan.cottrell@rugby-coach.com

Gary is currently assistant coach with South Africa. Last year, South Africa won the Tri Nations and beat the Lions. Previously Gary was forwards coach with the Super 15 team the Stormers, consistently one of the best teams in the competition. He has a wide experience of coaching, having been London Irish Head Coach from 2002-2005. His inuence can be seen on the current success of the London Irish. He is a popular guest at many venues because of his enthusiasm for the game and openness to share his ideas. He is a key force behind rugbyiq.com, where he continues to talk frankly about his coaching thoughts through his blog and Facebook pages.

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Set piece: lineouts

Throw and jump tactics

Which throw you use depends on how the opposition pod is marking your jumping pod.
1 If the opposition jumper is watching your jumper, then he will not be watching the hooker throw. Therefore you should use the throwjump. The throw comes in and then your jumper jumps to meet the ball. The reaction time of the opposition jumping is based on the trigger of the jumper going up. A good jumper will be up before this pod, so the ball will meet the jumper before the opposition pod is up. 2 If the opposition jumper is watching the hooker throw for a trigger, then you should use the jump-throw. The jumper goes up and the hard, at throw gives the opposition no chance to beat the jumper to the ball. 3 If you are facing a team with a lean, quick jumper, who gets off the ground quickly, then a lob is best. The throw goes up, and so does the opposition pod marking your jumping pod. However, the ball aims to go over the opposition jump. In the meantime, your jumping pod takes a step back and then jumps into the space behind the opposition pod. The ball drops into your jumper. Often a player like Victor Mateld is taking the ball at only three quarters of his normal jumping extension.

1 Throw-jump
If the defending pod is watching the jumping pod, the throw comes rst, followed by the jump.

2 Jump-throw
If the defending pod is watching the thrower, then the jump comes rst

3 Lob jump
Against a quick defending pod, move back a few steps and jump to meet the throw Visit Gary Gold at rugbyiq.com and his Facebook page, Gary Gold's Rugby Stuff
VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 05

03

Coaching: core skills

Sharpening the right skills that matter

Eve Every team wants to improve their skills, especially before a new season. We have concentrated our e efforts on focusing on what we need to work on to achieve our goals for the season.
BY MIKE SCHMID, DIRECTOR OF RUGBY, ESHER RFC, LEVEL 4 COACH AND FORMER CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL

I am director of coaching of a semi professional team, Esher RFC, which has just bounced back into the second tier of English league rugby. We are facing experienced and professional teams and so one of our focuses is on a leap forward in our skill acquisition for the new season. We have determined our game plan for the season and we are using small-sided games to piece together the skills and plays that make up that game plan. Pieces of a puzzle I am a great fan of Stephen Covey, who wrote The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. He said that we should begin with the end in mind. We know what we want to play like. This is made up of a large number of pieces of an interlocking puzzle. We want to work on those pieces. In the pre season period, we want to look at what parts of the puzzle we can develop early in the training cycle. We

could be working on lifting pods in the lineout, or the hookers throw, before we look at the full lineout nearer the playing part of the season. In our touch games, we will be putting into place continuity plays off the 9. For instance, we will stipulate that the rst pass from the ruck must be behind the rst runner who acts as a decoy runner. We will call this a name (which I cannot tell you of course!) in the touch game which helps ingrain the thought in the players. Therefore, though we are not at full pace, or using full contact games yet, we are introducing parts of the game plan as soon as we can. When we are ready for the full team run, or unit training, we have a head start in certain areas. Games to mimic matches We are using lots of games in pre season training at the moment. They are part of our tness regime and in part to

Alternative games
We can play games which do not use a rugby ball. We must careful it is not a game for the sake of a game. However, you must let the game happen so the players can develop at their own rates. For example, we play Ultimate Frisbee. The game requires movement, footwork, speed and accuracy. This matches the style of play we want from our players.

Cheating and mistakes in touch rugby

Cheating in touch rugby is frustrating because it undermines what we are trying to achieve. We will sin bin players for frequent offences, sometimes sending them to the conditioner for extra work. We deal with mistakes in a similar way. A forced error will lead to a turnover of the ball. An unforced error which we are keen to eradicate might lead to some more time with the conditioner. We want to create a culture of ownership where the players are responsible of their errors. The time with the conditioner might be tness based in the tness section of our pre season training or it might be specic to the mistake. For instance, a poor pass in the game might mean ten passes with the conditioner before being allowed to return to the game.

work on aspects of the game we are concentrating on. For instance, we will run a touch rugby game which works hard for ve minutes, then has a two and half minute rest. The players then do not just treat the game as a break and know they have to focus hard for that short period of time. The recovery times in between games start to match the sort of work and recovery times balances we might have in a match. The tness and conditioning staff will adjust these as we get closer to our competitive phase. The version of touch rugby we play changes all the time, depending on what we are concentrating on. We always use two-handed touch, but adjust other conditions to highlight a particular aspect of the game. Here are some examples: Ball placement: the ball carrier has to use a particular type of ball placement when he is touched. It could be jack knife type placement or a squeezeball. Patterning: the team with the ball have to use certain plays that match part of our game plan.

Defenders in certain parts of the eld: the defence is conditioned to react as it would in particular areas of the eld, like using a push defence in our 22m area. We always have a referee on the pitch. The referee makes sure that the defence is always onside. We do not play more than eight to 10 aside so there is little chance

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

The rst Three Habits surround moving from dependence to independence (self mastery) Habit 1: Be proactive Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind Habit 3: Put rst things rst The next three are to do with Interdependence Habit 4: Think win/win Habit 5: Seek rst to understand, then to be understood Habit 6: Synergize The last habit relates to self-rejuvenation Habit 7: Sharpening the saw
Taken from the book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change Stephen R. Covey (1989)

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Coaching: core skills

Using touch rugby to develop your patterns of play

Develop your patterns of play using touch rugby. In this example, the attack tries to get two passes in before contact. The clearing passer then moves the ball the same way, with two more passes. The aim of this pattern is to exhaust the defence, which is constantly having to chase over to cover the attacks. Add in other specic elements such as ball placement or short plays. Short plays could include pops and runs coming from the clearing passer. It should help the timing of the plays as well as ingrain good habits.

for rest and the players have plenty of touches on the ball. The touch games are part of the way we set our goals for the season. We want to increase our skill levels. We can also start to introduce sections of our game plan into the way we train. The games are competitive, so the players are motivated. There is a strong tness element and it is certainly a lot more fun because the ball is in hand.

Smarter concentration Rugby is a game of concentration and refocusing. When the ball is in play, players need to be focused and concentrating on their tasks and roles. When the ball is out of play, then they are refocusing. We can use training games to replicate those situations. Short bursts of game activity, say for three minutes, with a 30 second down time can
PULL

match passages of play in a match. The time when the players are not running around, they can catch their breath, discuss tactics, motivate each other and then switch back on to the game. Defence working in threes Another theme we draw out using games is working in threes in defence. The middle player of the three pulls and pushes the other two players. It works on communication and trust. Especially at the start of a season's campaign we might have new players, for example, this season we have ten new players in the squad. They need to get to know the moves and plays. Games can help redene our trust in each other. We would use a touch game of ve or six attackers versus three defenders (plus two or three other defenders on sideline that can rotate in). It would be in a box 30m long by 30m wide , but we alter the width to change the demands

on the defence. The attackers have six balls on their start line and attempt to score all six tries before the game time elapses (three or four minute games). Any attacking error made and the attacking side must restart with the same ball on their start line. Once the time nishes or the attackers score six tries, the other side attempts to beat their score.

PUSH

Mike Schmid
Director of rugby, Esher RFC

BALL

Three man defence

Play a game of 5 v 3. The defenders have to work as a three man group, with the middle defender trying to keep opposite the ball carrier. The middle defender pulls the inside defender and pushes the outside defender.

Mike is the director of rugby at Esher RFC. He is a former Canadian international who played at Doncaster and started coaching there before going to the Championship team at Esher. He has witnessed both success and heartache with the team. Esher were relegated when the Championship was restructured in the previous season, but last year they won promotion easily, only losing one game. He works in a semi-professional league where some teams are full time and others, like his own, can only train in the evenings. He is a Level 4 coach.
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05

Kicking: the punt

Kicking further with a spiral punt

By changing the angle of the ball and the foot position your kickers will be able to punt the ball further.
BY DOUG MCCLYMONT, SPORTS BIOMECHANIST, FORMER LECTURER AT THE NEW ZEALAND ACADEMY OF SPORT

The spiral kick goes further There are two main types of kick used by the kickers in open play: the spiral, torpedo or screw kick which spins around its long axis. the drop punt, which is kicked on its point and tumbles end over end. The drop punt is favoured by some kickers because it tends to y straighter and there is less margin for error. Kicking for touch is one such reason to use it. Also, some players have been brought up with this type of kick, especially from Australia and Ireland with Aussie Rules and Gaelic Football. Though there are benets from the spiral kick that might outweigh the drop punt, the changes these players might have to make might not add value to their game. But it is worth a try at least. The main advantage of a spiral kick is that it ies further, thus increasing the length of the kick. The catcher of the ball will nd the kick more difcult to eld. First, the ball is spinning

around its long axis, a torpedo shape which is harder to catch than a tumbling ball. Second, the spin imparted and shape of the ight means that the ball ies further at the last moment, often fooling the unwary catcher. With the emphasis in the game on kicking the ball ineld, pinpoint accuracy is not such an issue. The length of the kick and causing problems for the catcher are. Therefore your kickers should working hard at employing the spiral kick and learning how to kick it further. Learning to kick the spiral Though many players can naturally kick a spiral punt, there are specic actions to the kick which can be worked on to add more accuracy and distance. To gain the full advantages of the spiral kick the player must learn to spin the ball off his foot. For those of us who are right footed it is easier to impart spin in a clockwise direction, and vice versa of course for a lefty. As the ball is kicked the foot swings across from outside

Long axis spiral

LON

GA

XIS

The rugby ball is oval, and the line from one end to the other is called the long axis, like an axle. If the ball is lying on its side a line from end to end is longer than any other measurement, and is called the long axis, a line from top to bottom would be the vertical axis, and it would be the transverse axis if it went through the ball from side to side. When the ball is in the air it rotates about one or a combination of these axes and commonly we deliberately spin the ball about the long axis, in the spiral pass and in the lineout throw because we know that when the ball spins in that fashion it goes farther and resists any changes caused by the air. This resistance to change is called inertia and enhances accuracy in the pass and the throw in. When the ball is kicked with spin about the long axis it also has inertia and tends to resist change and we can utilize this characteristic to our advantage in tapping into one of the features of aerodynamic lift.

to inside and is a quite natural action. The hard part is putting the ball in the correct nose down position at contact to gain the angle of attack advantage at the end of the ight. To do this the ball must be kicked earlier in the foot swing so that both the ball and the toe of the foot are pointing toward the ground

at contact. This requires the player to push the hip forward and consciously keep the toe down until contact is made with a straight leg. Understanding why the ball ies further Many kickers want to know why the ball travels further and you need to justify your methods. Here are the reasons for the extra length of the spiral punt. When the ball spins about its long axis, it gains an aerodynamic advantage, which increases accuracy and distance. To take full advantage of aerodynamic lift and increase range/distance the ball should be kicked to impart spin. At impact the kicker should kick across the face of the ball with the top of the foot with the

Aerodynamic lift
Once the ball reaches the peak of ight and begins to fall, the nose down position is perfect to take advantage of body lift. The ball is moving forward, but in a nosedown position in the air, at an angle just higher than the angle of descent. The difference between the two angles is called the 'angle of attack' this gives the ball lift as it descends, extending the ight distance and changing the expected landing point. Flight of the ball

Direction of air ow

Angle of attack

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Kicking: the punt Kicking mechanics

Check that the ight of the ball is with the nose pointed in the direction of ight

Hip pushed forward

Keep the leg straight and toe pointed

Kick 'through' the ball with a natural outside-to-inside swing of the leg

The ball and toe are pointed downwards

How does a player push his hip forward?

Hip extension or pushing the hip forward is caused by contraction of the gluteal muscles, the muscles in the backside. Stand, tighten the bum muscles strongly and the hip on that side will push forward. It is an essential position in all kicking, especially of the support leg. It provides stability in any case but in this one keeps the foot low and the kicking leg straight.

Kick the ball earlier than normal in the swing (so the ball is still pointing towards the ground)

Doug McClymont
Sports biomechanist

ball pointed forward slightly toward the ground. The ball then leaves the foot, spinning about the long axis in a nose down position and kept in that position by the inertia of the spin. In

the rst half of the ight as the ball rises to the peak of ight everything looks quite normal. However once the ball reaches the peak and begins the fall earthwards the nose down position is perfect to take advantage of body lift, just like the shuttle or your average jet airliner coming into land. The ball is moving forward, but the nosedown position in the air, so is at an angle just higher than the angle of descent, the direction of fall. The difference between

the two angles is called the angle of attack and it is this angle that gives the ball lift as it descends, changing the expected landing point by extending the ight distance. The waiting player, who has noted the ight characteristics and positioned himself accordingly, suddenly nds himself back pedalling quickly as the ball oats past overhead providing not only greater distance of the kick, but just as importantly providing more time for a chaser because the receiver has to turn and retrieve a bouncing ball.

Doug McClymont is a New Zealander and has been a student of rugby all his life. As a coach of track and eld athletics, this fascination led him in middle age to a qualication in Biomechanics and Motor Learning from the University of Otago, New Zealand. Since then Doug has lectured in Biomechanics, Motor Learning, Physical Education and Coach Education at the University of Canterbury College of Education, for Coaching New Zealand, and at the New Zealand Academy of Sport. From there he became involved in rugby with coach education, player conditioning, skills acquisition and the application of biomechanics to rugby. He has worked with numerous teams and coaches in New Zealand at all levels from club, through provincial and Super 14, to international teams.

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07

Attacking: counter attack

Never a better time to revisit the counter attack

As kicking becomes more prevalent, counter attacking opportunities are burgeoning. Now referees h have been told to be more vigilant about the kick chase. Is this an opportunity or threat?
BY GREIG OLIVER, HEAD COACH, GARRYOWEN RFC, IRELAND PREMIER LEAGUE

There are two reasons why sides will kick more and your team will gain from the counter attack. After the tackle is made, the tackler must release the ball carrier, therefore there will be a fraction more time for the tackled player to play the ball and more time for the support to arrive. The referees will be hard on players who are in front of the kicker, which will effectively see a slower kick chase as the forwards will need to be static or move backwards before joining the chasing line. These little changes give the edge to the attacking team as time is on their side and will give the wingers and full back, and coaches, that bit more condence to run with the ball and pass, rather than kick it back. This will give teams the opportunity to explore and exploit space and make the defensive team work that little bit harder to have their rst support player in on the tackled player at contact. They will also have to put their defensive line in place on the kick chase. They may be small changes but they will make a big impact. However, they will need some principles to use this new found space. Back three in place The back three of full back and right and left winger

must work in pod of three in a pendulum formation. For example, if the ball is kicked up the middle of the eld, the full back catches and both wingers drop behind the 15 on either side, one of which needs to be close enough to lend support if the kick-hang time is good. If the ball is kicked up on the left winger, the full back drops back to the right of the left winger remembering to be in the best position, depth

Kick receive principles There are also general principles that should be introduced when the ball is kicked from the opposition, and not specically for the back three, but across all the squad. When the ball goes in the air, the defending team must work under these principles to give structure to avoid enforced mistakes. The call must come from the player

the best possible option then communicate effectively. Kick receive checklist 1 The player who calls for the catch concentrates solely on the ball 2 The next player gets into the best possible supporting position to assist the catcher in contact or receive a pass 3 The next player scans to see what is on and communicates effectively Counter from set pieces From a defensive set piece, the defending back three are positioned in a rough pendulum formation spaced out according to where the set piece is positioned and the formation of the attacking team. Kidology plays a huge role at top level rugby with teams looking for the slightest edge, however miniscule, So, for example, the blindside wing may position themselves in around the 10 then drop back when the game goes live. With the back three working in a pod of three when the kick goes in, both centres, following a speedy go forward to apply pressure alongside forwards and 10, should retreat as quickly as possible into the outside channels. This will effectively give the counter attack width, and with the enthusiasm element, the necessary depth to be effective.

The counter attack can be more successful by attacking away from the source of pressure and not taking the ball back into heavy trafc that is, by heading for the country and not the city.
and width, to support the left winger. On the ip side, the same principles apply. Pendulum points If the ball is kicked to 11, 15 runs in to be in a support position to 11, 14 runs across into a position to be able to take a pass from 15 and with depth to generate pace on the ball If the ball is kicked to 14, the same principles above apply If the ball is kicked to 15, both 11 and 14 run into a position to support 15, within distance to support as well as with depth to attack who is moving forwards onto the ball as it is more difcult to catch from a retreating direction. The sole purpose of the catcher is to concentrate on the ball with decisions to be made on, if and when to jump, and from which particular take-off foot. The role of the next support player is exactly that, to be in the best possible position to support the catcher, making decisions on whether to support in a physical nature or being in the ideal position for a pass. For the next player, the role is to be the eyes to scan for

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Attacking: counter attack

Using the principles mentioned earlier on kickreceive for catcher, rst support and second support, the counter attack can be more successful by attacking away from the source of pressure and not taking the ball back into heavy trafc or head for the country and not the city. Looking for every edge at the top level, players retreating can incorporate effective running lines to shadow advancing opposition by turning with the advancing player. This keeps them in their vision and they can shepherd these chasers into ineffective positions as not to exert maximum pressure. There is a ne line here, so all players need to vigilant as not be block or obstruct the advancing player. Tread carefully! If the kick arrives on the left winger from a box kick or relieving pressure kick, the best option is to pass ineld to the pendulum of 15 and 14 with both centres. However, if a kick arrives on the left winger from crosseld, the option may be to use the space in the near 15 metre line, only after interesting the chase by running back at them.

13

12

14

15 11

Counter options
1. If the ball is kicked onto 11 from a box kick, the option would be for the ball to go left-to-right through pace and hands of 15 to 14. Both centres position themselves in the 15m channel on the other side of the eld.

11

13

12

7 14

15 10

11 14 15 12 13

2. If the ball is kicked long down the middle from a scrum 15 metres on the attacking sides left, the option would be to go to either left or right, depending on the vision and then decisions of 14 and 11.

7 11 9 12 13 14

10

15

15 14 12 13

Greig Oliver
Garryowen head coach and positional coach at Munster

11

Greig had a distinguished playing career as a scrum half. He played for Hawick, Scotland and the Barbarians. He has had a strong coaching background at club, international and professional level. He has been academy manager at Magners League teams Edinburgh and the Borders Rugby. He was also the Borders assistant coach, the Scotland U21 assistant coach, and Scotland U20 head coach. He is now based in Ireland where he is the Garryowen head coach and a Munster positional coach.

7 11 9 12 13 14

10

15

3. If the ball is kicked in behind 11 from a set piece from the far side, the near side 15 metre line is an option to attacking either left or right as above. If the 11 has time, he can entice the chase by running back towards them and then using a switch pass back to 15. He can attack down the 15 metre exposing wide space especially if one of the centres retreats into that area quickly.

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09

Tactics: backline defence

Baby Blacks defence

You need to be exible in your approach to back line defence and suit the strengths of the team you ne coach coach. But there are principles you need to keep to be effective in the modern game.
BY A ANDREW STRAWBRIDGE, ASSISTANT COACH, AUCKLAND AND COACHING ADVISOR TO NZ U20S (BABY BLACKS)

Coach the team, not the system I coach a number of different teams and I think it is important not to impose a particular pattern, defensive or attacking, on any team. I prefer to work through a process with the players that suits their strengths. In training we will run plenty of attacking moves against the backline to develop our ideas. We are also working on our counter attacking options from a defensive point of view. Main themes and specic defensive plans Here are my main themes for all areas of the pitch and then specic plans for their and own 22m area. For instance if they have a scrum in their 22m area, then we might send up a couple of iers. In our 22m area, our wingers will be further up. From all set piece, the back line starts from 7, the openside anker. This is equally applicable from lineout or scrum. We want 7 to be very tight to 10, the y half. What 10 does in terms of how he pushes out depends on how the 7 comes out of the set piece. 10 cannot move out onto another player on a drift if 7 is slowed down. Setting up the backs At the lineout, 10 starts inside the opposition 10. With the 20 metre gap from a lineout and

15 metre gap at the scrum, the channel between 7 and 10 is vital. 10 must hold his space. Even if the 10 is not a great tackler, he should be a presence. We would make sure that 12 would cover this tackle if necessary. It is a race for space. 12 and 13 will work off 10s push. So if 10 has to stay in because 7 is struggling, then 12 and 13 will stay in. Outside 12 and 13, our openside winger will choose his positioning based on the eld position. In our 22m he will move up to be the third centre. In their 22m, he will be back for the kick. If they run, then he will join the line on an arc. This will mean that he balances his run so that he joins from an inside out position, joining the outside centre (13) as he pushes out. Painting pictures In defence, especially with the positioning of the wingers, we want to tell attacking teams: Dont kick here! This information will be fed through to their 9 or 10. However, we can suddenly change our positioning and trick them into kicking into the spaces. For instance, we might push up our openside winger into the backline. As the ball is thrown in, he drops back to cover the possible kick. The attack might have decided not to run the ball open, and either

kick or drive the ball up the middle. Training needs feedback We need to encourage players to feedback in our defensive training. We run back line against back line. When the attackers have run a move, they need to say how they felt the defence did. It works both ways. Both attack and defence can offer ways to improve. Deception lines might be adjusted, tackle technique might be more solid.

In the early stages of the defence training, the attackers can provide vital information on the strength in the tackle. Did it knock them off their feet, did they feel under pressure, how easy was it to get the pass away? If the attacker can provide this feedback constructively he is in fact improving his own understanding of the tackle. He has to understand the principles of defence to be able to make good judgements on, say, foot or shoulder positions.

Cutting across the bows

In a 2 v 2 defensive situation, it is important that the nearest defender not involved in the tackle moves quickly to compete for the ball. Often, in a drift defence, this is the defender who was marking the previous ball carrier. He needs to win the "race for space", perhaps even "cutting across the bows" of the player he was marking.

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Tactics: backline defence

Leaving their feet Open eld tackles can mean that the players are leaving their feet to make the tackle. However, the best tackle has the player maintaining his feet. Forwards especially might nd themselves exposed. Therefore we need to train for this type of tackle. To improve this technique we work on 2 v 2s. Players have to use their angles to cover the ball carrier. In all defence work, players need to work on the following principles: The hips need to be facing in the direction of the attacker. The defender needs to keep his feet alive. Players should keep themselves on the balls of their feet, so not plant and not get knocked on their heels. The role of the second defender I think the new law interpretations make the role of the second player to the tackle crucial. He has to win the race for space. There is a good chance he was marking the player who passed the ball to the tackled player. The emphasis is on the tackler getting the ball carrier to the ground quickly and this second player getting onto the ball quickly. In a drift defence, the second tackler is often an inside player who was marking the inside attacker. He has to cut across the bows of the attacker he was marking to win the race for space.

Andrew Strawbridge
Assistant coach, Auckland

Defending from a square scrum

13 12 10
Defensive roles: 7 keeps tight to 10 8 covers in behind 7 6 covers behind 9 marks 9

Since retiring in 1995 after playing 131 games for New Zealand side, Waikato, the former winger/fullback has had a range of coaching roles. He worked with the Super 14 franchise the Waikato Chiefs alongside John Mitchell and Kevin Greene and was also involved with the Chiefs Development side. In 2003 and 2004 he was assistant coach of North Harbour, he's taken the New Zealand Under20s to two junior world cups as assistant coach and for the last eight years he's been school teaching and doing part-time resource coaching. One of his key responsibilities has been a recent proposal to restructure the whole high performance aspect of Auckland rugby.

9 7 13 12 10

Defending from a poor scrum

It is possible that the scrum is wheeled the wrong way. On the left hand side of the eld, this would be where their tight head moves up on our loose head. This moves our 7 further back from their 10. If this happens, 9 now takes on the role of 7, and 7 operates like an 8 and 8 acts like 9 would. 9 chases down their 10. 7 aims to be second to the breakdown. 8 might have to sweep behind the defensive line, his depth dependent on the eld position.

9 8

11

14

13

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Defending from a wheeled scrum

10
Defensive roles: 9 moves around the other side of the scrum and takes on 7's role from a normal scrum 7 takes on the role of 8 8 takes on the role of 6 6 guards the blindside

9 12 9 7 6

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11

Management: motivation

Coaching old hands

My t team has some of the best playing and coaching experience in the world. We can learn from that and still develop the players more.
B BY TONY HANKS, DIRECTOR OF RUGBY LONDON WASPS, AVIVA PREMIERSHIP

Wasps have players who representing their country at all levels. Some of these players, like Simon Shaw, have been at the top of the game for more than a decade. We want to make the best use their experiences on the training eld, whilst also developing them. In the May issue of International Rugby Coaching I outlined three ways in which we can add value: 1. Getting the more experienced players to challenge us. 2. Help them to make the most of their experience on the eld. 3. Making them share their experiences about all aspects of the game. Work ons for experienced players Treating your players as individuals allows you to attune training programmes to that player. Just like a specic tness regime which

Beating the British and Irish Lions' lineout defence

1
12 9 1 6 14 11

During the second test between South Africa and the Lions in 2009, the Lions defended a lineout in their own 22. Conscious of the threat posed by the Springboks backline attack, the Lions positioned their openside anker (7) and blindside winger (11) in their defensive backline.

11

10

12

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Experiences of the aerial game

The current trends for the aerial game are born from discovery as much as tactical nous. We are constantly learning how to attack and defend from the kicking game and the experiences from the players and coaches who are returning from the internationals is invaluable. We have learnt how to position ourselves better and protect the ball catcher.

is different for props and wingers, this can work on the technical and tactical part of the game. We help more experienced players to think about different areas to develop. These players have a good base of skills which need maintaining, especially in terms of keeping up good habits. They are also likely have a good understanding of the style of play we use. Whilst younger player might be working on core skills, we can challenge older players to think about areas like running lines. They can look at how they move from phase to phase. They can look to reduce their mileage during the game, keeping them fresher and therefore more effective as the

game wears on. So, instead of a anker concentrating on his time on improving his tackling turnover technique which might have been one of his strengths for the last few seasons, he can consider how he can run less, and which tackle situations to be involved in. With their experience, they can be thinking about where the next attack and therefore tackle might be have to be, and move into position to be a tackle turnover threat at this tackle. Understanding their motivations No matter how experienced the player is, you still need to know what their priorities are

and work to align these with the team priorities. This is part of knowing the player as an individual. Together, you can grow the awareness of other areas to work on. By ensuring this process is thorough, it allows for clear goals and objectives to be set. It is common for the coach and athlete to have different priorities when it comes to a players development so it is vital that a platform is present for both to be considered and discussed. This will allow for better actions to be implemented. No threats from experience We have an interesting situation at Wasps where not only do we release players to international teams, we

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Management: motivation
also release coaches. Shaun Edwards is with the Wales senior team and also worked with the British and Irish Lions, Rob Hoadley works with the Welsh U20s. Your club may have players who play county, district or other representative rugby. Players will come back with new ideas and ways of doing things. We have a strong belief in what we do at Wasps, so we do not see new ideas as threats but an opportunity to consider other ways of playing or preparing. How to integrate new ideas We always ask two questions: Is there any ideas for us to consider/adopt? What can we learn from all their experiences, on and off the eld? Because we have a strong structure, we can integrate were x points down with x minutes to go, or how do you cope with a referee who is certain way at the breakdown. For example, in this years Six Nations, Wales were three points behind with about a minute to go and had a penalty under the posts. Scotland were down to 13 men and looked completely shattered. We discussed what options we might have taken and then with Shaun, who was experiences. For instance, Tim Payne, the England prop, will tell us the different solutions he has used against other players in the Six Nations, some of whom we might be facing in European or even Premiership games. The returning internationals can also talk about areas like recovery, showing younger players how to get themselves back into shape after a tough game.

The South African coaches noted that at the back of the lineout, the Lions' players tended to step in when the ball was thrown to the back. Midway through the rst half, South Africa threw the ball to back of the lineout and 9 (Fourie du Preez) ran around the back of the lineout.

11 14 6 9 1 7 12 11 12

As he ran into the vacuum between the lineout and the defending backline, the Lions' 7 went to tackle him. At the same time, the South African 12 ran hard at the 11 standing in the line, whilst the South African blindside 14 followed in behind. Despite being professional players, the defenders were faced with an unusual situation and drifted apart.

13

The South African 9 was faced with a 3 v 2 and popped the ball to 14 who ran onto score.

The Lions who experienced this play, like Shaun Edwards, were able to relate this to the players at Wasps. They were able to come up with strategies to prevent this should the tactic be employed against them.

Lions experiences
With the likes of Shaun Edwards and Simon Shaw returning from South Africa and the Lions tour, we were able to look at the ways the South Africans scored their tries. We then considered how we might defend against them. We looked again at our set ups and were able to use these examples to practise/discuss if similar scenarios occurred in our Premiership games. Editor's note: See Gary Gold's article on pages 1 to 3 on how to defend at the back of the lineout. It was Gary and the South African coaching team that devised this play.

these ideas in the context of the way we play. But it is not just technical and tactical thoughts we can gain from. Often it is how a meeting was run or a training session was conducted that we might be able to think about. Understand scenarios There are few surprises in the way people train or operate. However, there are often critical moments that happen in these top level games that we might be able to transfer into our own training/learning. Therefore we look at situations that internationals may have experienced and see how they coped. We then ask our players if it happened to us what would we do. For instance, what happens if we

in the stands at the game, the reasons for those decisions. In that game, Wales decided to tie the game by kicking the penalty and then hope to score from the restart. Another situation we have discussed was the way in which the referee penalised teams at the breakdown in the Ireland v Wales game of the same Six Nations. How would we react to the way he penalised the Welsh team? Raising the bar Returning internationals can help us raise the bar. The international players have a responsibility to set the standards in all areas, such as skills, tness, preparation, off eld conduct. As a team we can grow from their

Tony Hanks
Director of Rugby, London Wasps

Tony is in his rst full season as Director of Rugby at Wasps. He returned to the club from a spell as the Waikato coach. He took over from Warren Gatland at the New Zealand side in December 2007, when Gatland took on the Welsh job. Formerly he worked under Gatland when he was in charge at Wasps. He took on the reigns at Wasps this year after covering for Ian McGeechan who was involved with the Lions. Wasps are one of the most successful European sides of recent years. Some high pro le players leaving at the start of the season meant some rebuilding and they just missed out on a play off place in the Premiership this season.

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Book review: coaching and leadership

Practise, practise, practise...

B Bounce
H How Champions Are Ch Made M Ma

Ma Matthew Syed a
Fou Fourth Estate 296pp ur Amazon 6.50 Ama a

Matthew Syed came from an c ordinary family and claims to have possessed little in the way of sporting talent. Yet he became the British table tennis champion, holding the title for ten years, before becoming a national newspaper sports writer. So who better to assemble the compelling evidence that sporting geniuses are not born but created. Bounce shows with dazzling clarity how genetics plays a very much smaller part in the development of sporting superstars than has been previously assumed, and convincingly explains how circumstances, chance, and above all practice are the overwhelmingly dominant factors in the achievement of excellence. Syeds fascinating analysis of how he got to the top shows how these factors can come together in a random way. For no particular reason that he can ascertain, his parents bought a table tennis table when he was eight. It was set up in the garage, and was permanently accessible. Matthew had an elder brother and they played endlessly. A teacher at his primary school happened to be the countrys best table tennis coach. Matthew and his brother were introduced to a local

table tennis club. They trained before and after school, at weekends and in the school holidays. This head start for Matthew and his brother (who also achieved table tennis greatness) combined with a top coach and a strong local club, made the difference. But he was not the only one. It turns out that within a few streets of his Reading primary school no less than 11 junior and senior table tennis champions emerged from the same generation. Syed himself poses the question: what would have been the outcome if he had lived in a different Reading street, and attended a different primary school? The evidence from Syeds own story and those of many others, that it is not what champions are like that matters, but where they are from, is stunning. Although Syed has met many top

sportsmen and women, he freely admits most of the collateral for his arguments are from others. He acknowledges his debt to the researcher Anders Ericsson of Florida State University, the social commentator Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers), and authors Geoff Colvin (Talent is Overrated) and Daniel Coyle (The Talent Code). Extensive investigation The most extensive investigation into the source of outstanding talent was undertaken by Ericsson among violinists from the Music Academy of West Berlin in Germany. He divided them into three groups. Outstanding students expected to become international soloists, extremely good players destined for positions in leading orchestras, and a less able group with a future as music teachers.

The question posed was what separated the three groups? The biographical histories of the three groups were similar and showed no marked differences. They started formal lessons and practice aged eight, and all decided to become musicians aged around 15. The only real difference between the groups was simply the number of hours devoted to serious practice. By the age of 20, the best violinists had practised an average of 10,000 hours more than 2,000 hours more than the good violinists and more than 6,000 hours more than those hoping to become music teachers. This nding has become known as the 10,000 hour rule the minimum time believed necessary for the acquisition of expertise in any complex task. Syed steps back to point out that implications are far wider than simple for sporting achievement and apply to work, business, politics, and life in general. If we believe that attaining excellence hinges on talent, we are likely to give up if we show insufcient early promised. If on the other hand, we believe that talent not implicated in our future achievements, we are likely to persevere. Examples Bounce is full of examples that prove how the roots of socalled talent seen in top sports people, such as lightning reaction speeds, astonishing anticipation, instinctive

Genetics plays a very much smaller part in the development of sporting superstars than has been previously assumed

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Book review: coaching and leadership If we believe that attaining excellence hinges on talent, we are likely to give up if we show insufcient early promised. If on the other hand, we believe that talent is not implicated in our future achievements, we are likely to persevere.

movements, are actually the product of enhanced brain processes developed through practice. World-class tennis players can tell where a serve will land based on the tiny changes to the servers hips and body position. Chess players chunk the information on the board in front of them rather than perceive the position of each individual piece. These performers were not born with this ability it has been gained through experience. Syed highlights Desmond Douglas, also a British table tennis champion, renowned for his fast reaction speeds. To the sports surprise when Douglas actually had his overall reaction speeds tested, he turned out to be no better than sluggish. The ndings were such a shock that at rst no one believed them. On further investigation by Syed, who looked deeply into the players early playing history, the explanation became clear. Douglas had spent the rst ve years of his table tennis life in a cramped Birmingham classroom with so little space between the end of the table and the walls that the players developed a form of speed table tennis. Douglas spent more hours than any other player encoding the characteristics of a highly specic type of table tennis: the kind played at maximum pace, close to the table. That is how a man with sluggish reactions became the fastest player on the planet.

Deliberate Practice alone however is not enough. It must be deliberate, purposeful practice. This means not just repeating easy actions and skills, but challenging a player with new and more difcult options until they are second nature. The ascendancy of Brazil as the worlds leading soccer nation is, in the popular perception, due to the free owing style of play and skills developed in beach football. However, increasing evidence shows that in fact it is the far more widely played game of futsal contained within a smaller pitch with fewer players and a heavier ball, leading to more touches per player and greater control of the ball which is in fact the root cause. For those with an interest in the physiological side of performance Bounce provides plenty of material from psychologists and sports scientists as to how the brain moulds itself and the motor skills that it controls as a result of thousands hours of practice. Movements and reactions become hard-coded in the neural pathways of the brain, creating the impressing that highly skilled actions are innate. Syed also writes about the role of motivation and faith and belief, other key ingredients in the construction of a world-class performer in sporting discipline. The sections of the book highlighting the placebo effect and a discussion on the role

of drugs and drug abuse, are perhaps parallel debates that whilst are arguably relevant to analysis of superior performance, are not central to the main theme of the book. To that extent they seem tacked on. Bounce has nothing to say about team performance, though the principles laid out

in this book that underpin individual achievement surely must be applicable to groups of performers. For coaches of team games the inescapable conclusion is that constant repetitive purposeful practice, whether in drill-based activities or game-based play, is the key to achievement.

How they were made?

Tiger Woods got a golf club for Christmas before he was one and was positioned in his high chair watching his father Earl hit balls into a net in the garage. Aged two he was entered for a pitch and putt competition, could hit a ball 80 yards with a wood and pitch accurately from 40 yards. When he was four his father hired a professional coach to accelerate his development. Practice sessions ended with a competitive drill such as how many consecutive putts Tiger could make up to 70 at a time. Woods won his rst national major tournament aged 13. Venus and Serena Williams beneted from a devoted father who, it is said, was ipping TV channels when he saw the winner of a tennis match win a cheque for $40,000. Impressed with the money top players could earn, he and his wife decided to create a tennis champion. In fact he made two. Venus and Serena were born within 15 months of each other. Richard Williams taught himself to coach and would hit hundreds of balls to the girls, aged four and three. The longest session lasted from 8am to 3pm. Serena entered her rst competition at the age of four and a half. David Beckham would take a football to a park in east London as a child, kicking it from precisely the same spot for hours on end. He was signed by Manchester United at the age of 14. His trademark bending free kick is a deliberate technique practised over and over again. My secret is practice, says Beckham.

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Fridge notes: coaching tips from this issue

S Secrets of the Springbok lineout
Gary Gold Where to defend in the lineout You cannot cover every possible jump. Mark the most likely threat and make plans to deal with other outcomes. Always have a man free at the back of the lineout to cover overthrows and back peels. The players at the back must y into their back line from a lost lineout. Types of attacking throw and jump combinations Throw-jump: the hooker throws and then jumper jumps. Beats a team who are triggered by the jumper. Jump-throw: the jumper jumpers and then hooker throws hard. Beats a team who are triggered by the hookers throw. Lob throw: the jumper steps back and then jumps to meet throw. Beats a team with a quick jumper into the air.

Ne Never a better time to revisit the counter attack

Greig Oliver Kick receive checklist 11 14 1 The player who 15 13 calls for the catch 12 concentrates solely on the ball. 7 13 2 The next player gets 12 11 14 9 into the best possible supporting position 15 10 to assist the catcher in contact or receive a pass. 3 The next player scans to see what is on and communicates effectively. Back three work as a pendulum If the winger takes a ball, then the full back moves around to take a short pass and the other winger moves into position to receive a long pass.

Don't miss the September issue:

Super 15 head coach of the Waikato Chiefs, Ian Foster, tells us why kicking strategies have to change. You might want to review where and who you kick to. Martin Haag, the Bath forwards coach, looks beyond the basic body shapes of the front row and looks at the subtleties of striking for the ball, locks binding and reacting to the opposition scrum during the match. Former Welsh defence coach, Clive Grifths, outlines the roles of the players next to the ruck. It is not just about getting into position. They need to know what happens next. Head of English rugby league performance and former London Irish assistant coach, Barrie Jon Mather, makes a strong case for the split kick off. His research tells how to line up and where to kick it. Keith Richardson, who was the RFU Technical Journal editor, tells us about the roles of the player just before the tackle. With the new law interpretations, he gives us a different angle of attack. Mark Calverley, an IRB Level 4 coach and experienced club coach, outlines a simple plan to restart slow ball.

Sh Sharpening the right skills to suit our game plan o

Mike Schmid Use games of touch with rules to mimic styles of play. Examples of rules: specic ball placement, patterns, defence in certain parts of the eld. Use alternative games that have an element of rugby in them. For instance, Ultimate Frisbee works on speed and accuracy, plus the pace of the game we want to play. Dont allow cheating in your training games. Sin bin players and have them go to the conditioner for extra work. Use work-ons for mistakes in games. An error by a player has the player going to a coach to work on correcting that error. For instance, catching exercise for 15 seconds whilst game is commencing for a dropped ball.

Baby Blacks defence

Andre Andrew Strawbridge Your back line defensive system suits the strengths of your team. But there are some principles from set piece. All set piece back line defence starts from the openside anker (7). The 7 must be tight to our 10. If 7 is delayed from the set piece, then 10 must hold his run accordingly. Paint pictures with your openside winger. He can be back to protect for a kick. Then, at the moment the ball goes into the set piece, he runs up into the line to defend. 13 12 10 From a scrum, if there is a wheel, then it 9 is possible that 7 is 9 12 10 13 compromised. Change 7 6 the roles of the defence, 11 14 with 9 coming round to 8 cover 7 if necessary.

K Kicking further with a spiral punt

Doug McClymont Kick the spiral punt further with the right angle of the ball. Make it spin along its long axis. Shape the foot so it is an extension of the leg. The ball and foot should be at the same angle towards the ground at the moment of the kick. The swing of the leg is outside to in. Push the hip forward as the kick is made. Do this by squeezing the buttocks just before the kick.

Co Coaching old hands

To Tony Hanks Utilise the resources you have in the team by using their experiences to help your team. Challenge more experienced players to think about their effectiveness on the eld, above and beyond their core skills. Know what the players motivations are to play. Understand their priorities and see how they can t into the teams aims and objectives. Dont be threatened by experience of others. Embrace it as way of enhancing what you do. Integrate new ideas by asking: can the idea be considered for us and what can we learn by the experience? There are few surprises in the way that other teams train or play. However, we can learn much from how teams react to critical moments.

International Rugby Coaching is a monthly publication for professional, semi-professional and aspiring rugby coaches. It is available by subscription for only 97 for 12 issues. To subscribe email duncanh@greenstarmedia.net or call +44 (0)1483 892894.
Published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey GU5 0AB, UK. Editor Dan Cottrell Contributors Gary Gold, Andrew Strawbridge, Doug McClymont, Greig Oliver, Tony Hanks, Mike Schmid Design Jimmy Egerton Illustrations Mike Ronald Online Marketing Executive Lucie Lancashire Customer Services Representative Duncan Heard Publisher Toby Curthoys Managing Director Andrew Grifths Green Star Media Ltd
All rights reserved This publication is protected by national and international copyright laws. International Rugby Coaching will take legal action against any individuals or organisations found to be infringing its rights, and will make that action public. International Rugby Coaching members who have purchased this report may circulate electronic or hard copies to members of their own club or school, provided this is done without commercial gain. However, no part or whole of this report may be circulated elsewhere or displayed on any website or distributed commercially except under licence from the copyright owners. International Rugby Coaching will pay a 250 reward for information leading to the successful legal prosecution of individuals or organisations copying or republishing this information in any format, including websites and bulletin boards. Your condentiality is guaranteed.

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