Lineout Plans

The following ideas may help you get your lineout established and have a clear picture  as to what is happening and what you hope to achieve.

The lineouts are a great opportunity to gather the strengths of your team and determine your tactics and patterns depending on what your strengths are.  Make sure you don’t offer too many options but instead begin with a basic plan and develop and fine tune it as you go.

1. Normal

An example of a ‘calling’ system.

B –    2 goes forward          Y –    4 goes forward
E –    2 goes forward          O -    4 goes forward
T -    2 delayed & 2 steps    U -    4 goes 2/3 steps back

C -    8 straight up              Odd Number – off top to 9
A -    8 goes back              Even Number – Forwards drive
N -    Over the back to 7    ‘O’ Number – Off top to Forward
(You might need this at a crucial time!)

2. Normal – Shift  (attacking options)

• Throw to 4J
• P1 rips on 4 and steps away from lineout laterally.  Flanker at 5 and 8 block on 1 and Hooker drives in on an angle into the hole.

3. Normal – Shift Option

As for Shift but 1 pops to 2 coming around instead of driving.

4. Normal – France (5 metres out)

Throw goes to 4.  As throw clears 2 he steps out of the line.  4 throws off the top straight to 2J.  P & 8 then block on 2J and Hooker drives on and over the line.

5. 5 Man (midfield options)

Same calls BET YOU CAN

Normal 5 man set up

Option 1

5 man option 1 – take down & drive and spin

Option 2

Balls to J2.  Off top to flanker.  Prop at back steps out takes out short ball. Flanker goes outside, Prop dummies to him and hits P & J1 inside.

Option 3

As for 2 except prop gives ball back to flanker who hits 6 coming from depth.

Option 4

Top from 4J to 9.  a) 10 can pass in to wing with a forward decoy runner and support forward runner.  b) 10 can passbehind forward runner to 12 with extra forward out wide behind 13.  C) use your imagination.

6. Defensive Ideas

• Crucial part is working in units. Hooker and flanker who stand at 5 work with 2 jumper.  He must cover 2 forward and delay and 4 forward.

• 4 Jumpers works with 2 Best lifters (Props).  They are to cover all 4 ball and anything at 6. This is the crucial unit.  Props must watch 4’s movement and react accordingly.  Must be alert and awake, otherwise it will not work.

• Main aim – no two handed ball for opposition.

• 7 is free to do as he pleases.  Unless they win 2 handed catch, 8 can roam as he pleases.

• Basically trying to use tight 5 and 6 and free up 7/8 as much as possible.

Short Lineouts – who is in on ‘D’

2 Man        4 J and 2 J
3 Man        2 props and 4 J
4 Man        2 props and 2 J’s
5 Man        2 props and Hooker and 2 J’s
6 Man        7 Drops out

Run a variety of lineouts up and down the sideline so that the players learn the organization and know their roles. Call “2 man”, etc