Coaching Teenagers – After the Ruck
Remember these key points:
• Each session is a collaborative exercise. There must have been discussion at some stage prior to the session so that the players understand why they are doing this particular training.
• Their ideas should have been gleaned and from these the coach will formulate his plan.
• Then the process is about questioning – listening – discussing – deciding – coaching
• Players want to improve and expect that a coach can help achieve this. Use other specialist coaches where applicable no matter what the level of the team.
• Get the injured players to video key aspects. Discuss what they see.
• Players will train hard so long as they can see the purpose in any activity. The harder they train the happier they are. The more they learn the more positive they become. Positivity will lead to a strong team bond which is what they are all about.
• Keep your language and actions positive. Make up some coaching phrases to use with the aspect you are coaching.
• Take time out before training or after training to find out more about a couple of your players.
The following coaching sequences would have arisen if the players were not happy with their progress from the ruck ball and are looking at alternative methods to maintain the continuity on attack.
It is likely that they will be aware of the offload in the tackle that is becoming increasingly popular so adding this to your coaching repertoire would be very advantageous.
There will be a number of options to keep the ball going forward without having to set a ruck and these may be practiced to fit in to the pattern from certain plays or situations.
This will ensure the players are aware of what is about to happen and what they have to do.
However, it is a good idea to encourage the use of these skills at any time in general play which makes it important to practice plenty of scenarios against an opposition so the players learn the skill and understand when to use it.
It will also be important to recognise that several aspects may need to pieced together as an offload on its own may not be sufficient to penetrate and get in behind the defenders. There may need to be a short pass to a bursting player who then makes an offload as he is tackled. This will require the players around the ball practicing the skills and understanding the patterns.
• Discuss the problems and the solutions: there are so many rucks that they are becoming easy to defend and predictable. The team need a method to get in behind the opposition at the tackle and keep going forward.
• Make a plan: the team have seen plenty of offloading by the All Blacks and believe that is something they should try out.
• Break the offload down to the key components that will ensure it is successful.
Part 1: Ball carrier identifying the opportunity and learning the skills that will move him to the side of the tackler, drive him through the tackle and turn to look for his support player.
Most times the opportunity will occur in a 1 v 1 situation so the attacker only has one tackler to worry about. More than one tackler will require another pass to place the next player in a better position, or a ruck may have to be set.
Do this over a couple of sessions starting with 1 v 1 scenarios and a support player.
Part 2: Ball Carrier + Support Players: The decisions to follow immediately once the player has driven through the tackle and turned are: is a player free to take a pass as the ball carrier is still moving (less accurate but may be required if the player is already bursting on to the ball ) / is it necessary to hit the ground first and steady the body while looking and choosing the correct time to pass (more accurate) / is it necessary to hold on to the ball and set a ruck because there are too many defenders in the tackle zone.
Talk about 'I look – I see – I think – I act'. What does it mean in these situations?
The coach will have taught the skills required in each situation in the first couple of sessions. Then he needs to add the decision making aspects. Set up different scenarios so that the player practices making a pass to a player in a better position or offloading straight away or offloading once he has hit the ground and steadied or he has not left himself in a space and must set the ruck.
Make sure there are plenty of contact situations in the sessions which could number 2 or 3 until the coach is happy to move on.
Part 3: Maintaining Continuity: Once the technical skills are mastered and understood the next sessions need to reinforce ideas that place the ball carrier in a 1 v 1 situation. This will require passing to a player in a better position who can make another pass or maneuver his defender so that he can get to the side of him and drive in behind him.
The support players need to understand their roles based on what they anticipate is going to happen next. They must come from depth and based on the situation in front of them either burst on quickly anticipating a pass in the tackle or hold momentarily and start their run to meet an offload after the attacking player has hit the ground.
At the start I'd suggest the team just practice one of these scenarios.
The receiver and next support player need to be aware that the same process may take place again if he is tackled.
There will be ongoing sessions once these concepts are introduced, and occasionally there will be a need to go back to lesson one to get the technique accurate.
Make sure these patterns are practiced within the team run as well as devising drills that include plenty of contact and decision making.
If the coach is really inventive he may create situations for a mini maul; getting the hands through the tackle and passing behind the tackler while the attacker is still on his feet; he may even do a flick out the back of his hand such as Sonny Bill Williams performs just as the tackler is coming in to execute. In fact, the team may have some really interesting ideas.
Remember that these topics can be researched for the technical aspects and activities in the “Coaching Toolbox" website.