Off the Ball Decisions

One of the most difficult aspects to implant in players is helping them understand what they should do if they have completed an involvement or are not immediately involved with the ball.

Quite simply if you can get a player to look around and not just focus on the ball then a lot of good things can happen.

After an involvement the player should square up to the game (face the opposition), check on the position of the opposition and check on the position of his team mates. Some teams will call this TUB'ing. (Look at THEM – Look at US – Then look at the BALL)

By following this process then better decisions can be made. Firstly, does the player head to the ball or does he take up a position based on where he is going to be most effective in an attacking movement or a position in the defensive line where he will be most effective.

If this thought process is hammered home and the team understand the attacking concepts and defending patterns, then the team will improve dramatically.

Off the Ball Plan

• Primary Contest: Tackle/ruck
• Get up and square off
• Decision time: head to the ball or take up a good position
• Good position: width/depth
• Align to ball player /runner
• Communicate position. Organise or be organised.
• React to the play. Get involved.
• Play the play.

A simple example might be: The ball is kicked in behind the left winger from a midfield scrum and the team have to turn and run back to retrieve the ball just inside the 22.

The fullback is first to the ball and is assisted in the first instance by the wing running back and the centre. The most likely next players to arrive are the loose forward and the No 8. This means there are five players recovering the ball. This should be sufficient.

The question is, what are the options once the ball is back in to the halfbacks hands. If the group of forwards running back check on the positioning of the first five they will get an idea of what his intentions are. Based on this they need to take up positions that are going to be useful in the next phase.

The close lock and prop could run and tuck in behind 10 as ball carriers or chasers if he kicks it. The far lock and flanker could run straight back down the field and line up with 10, 12 and the wing to give them at least five attackers if the ball comes wide.

The front row will make decisions based on what they see once they lift their heads out of the scrum. Another forward in the backline to counter attack would be handy.

Much of the decision making will depend on what the team patterns are that evolve but if players learn to find a good space on the field then attacking from anywhere is a possibility.

Quite often a couple of players can be given instructions to play in certain parts of the field which will help with the decision making process.

Try this and see what happens.
In the instance that the ball is turned over by the team who had kicked it in the first place it is important that the defenders are covering the width of the field and not all heading towards the ball. If the team above had headed to the places mentioned they would also be in a much stronger defensive position if the turnover occurred.