Open Field Play

PLANNING & IMPLEMENTING: 2- The Psychological Edge. “Open field Play” - Ian Snook

The Psychological Edge

What is the major strength in your squad which if developed fully will give the team the greatest psychological edge in every game? You should work hard on making this aspect the focus for the team; something they know they are really good at, and if carried out properly will give a good chance of victory.

Ideally this will be based on a confrontational zone or it may be based on a tactical, speed and skill area. Once you decide what this aspect of play is going to be you need to establish the basic skill set and then develop it to a degree so that it creates pressure on opponents and provides attacking opportunities for yourself.

Open field Play

If you believe your team possess sufficient fitness and speed; you have talent in the back row and backs, and you have a couple of good decision makers, then you may wish to play a fast and open game that keeps the ball as a moving target. Open field play will be seen as your ‘point of difference’.

Start by discussing with the players what this actually means and ways in which they are going to achieve this aspect to their game. They must be able to visualize themselves working really hard off the ball; the variety of continuity techniques depending on numbers at the tackle and where they are on the field; where they should be supporting at any given time; the importance of seeing loose ball, turnover ball and quick phase ball as scoring opportunities; the fact that the ball will move a lot quicker from side to side and they must be able to anticipate and not be reactive; that set play ball may well be used by the backs in the first instance; plus any other aspects that they bring to your attention.

Once the team has a clear picture of what they want to achieve here you need to plan the necessary skill and tactical requirements and the mental processes which will click this part of the Game Plan in to action every week. Remember, this is now part of your 80/20 plan, so there needs to be time devoted to these practices at most training sessions.

Mental Preparation

At club level getting the ‘buy in’ to using this plan from all the squad will determine whether or not the philosophy will succeed. Every individual, including the slow and less skillful, must know what your expectations are and how each of them can play a role. By making sure every player works hard on their fitness and the patterns are continually reinforced during the week, you will ensure there is a ‘belief’ in place.

Developing the Plan

The key to your plan being successful will be in your ability to determine how you will use the key individuals in the plan. Just as the forwards expect to know their technical and tactical requirements at scrum time, the same applies in open field play.

As an example your first five eighth might be your main decision maker and the player with most vision. Therefore at phase play, instead of receiving the ball from the halfback with a mob of forwards waiting to be fed, he may well be placed as second or even third receiver with two forwards who can catch and pass, with those instructions, lined up inside him. He should then receive the ball in the middle of the field where he has had time to scan and decide, and act appropriately.

There may well be the obvious patterns where the hooker has waited at the lineout point along with a rangy second rower; the blindside flanker has joined the wing on the far side after the first ruck and will track the fullback and wing; the blindside wing has joined his wing mate on the opposite side of the field, and so on. What you are trying to achieve is to have more attackers than defenders out wide so you can get in behind the defence in the first instance.

Once you have created this problem for the defence the plan for your team is to keep the ball alive. A ruck is your last option. Support players need to respond quickly, come in from depth, get to the ball carrier at pace, and attack players need to understand they cannot ‘die’ with the ball. Players need to be taught to make decisions based on what is in front of them with passing and supporting being the initial response. Skills such as pop passes and creating indecision of the tackler by changing direction and changing pace must become common usage. Every player needs to understand and be able to carry out the ‘fast – balance – explode’ nature of support play and any contact situations. These are all on-going coaching requirements.

Players will instinctively need to understand that turnover ball, loose ball and quick ruck ball is always moved quickly from the initial point. This may be two passes laterally or may be getting in behind the starting point as fast as possible. Keep referring to your key concept of ‘the ball being a moving target’ and let them come up with some ideas that are going to create pressure on their opponents.

Practice Ideas

Once you have discussed how you are going to implement this strategy during a game such as a turnover ball situation, a quick tap penalty or a quick ruck in midfield and a change of direction, a good idea is to choose just one starting option and set it up on a full field with your full fifteen. If you have defenders you should use a handful for a start and progress to a maximum of twelve if they are available.

Players need to understand the scenarios and what their role might be. For example: a loose ball is picked up in midfield. The first player makes a quick pass to someone close who is the steadying influence. He makes a longer pass to a player in a better position and away from the pressure area. As soon as the players sense this is happening the closest players to the ball, say four or five, will get in to good receiving and support positions. The remaining players will scan and choose a good position on the field depending on where the opposition are placed.  Certain players will have certain roles. The far wing may well get right over to his sideline. A big forward may tuck in a couple of metres behind a back in midfield. A fast flanker may take himself wide and ready to burst on the shoulder of a back who is already out there.

The team concept will be to initially try and get in behind the opponents and then get fast ball back and across the field, with a key player such as ten making sure he has the ball in his hands at some stage so that he can continue the play in an appropriate way. At any time there will be five players working hard with the ball and ten players working themselves in to a good position on the field.

Once you have developed a few of these concepts in much the same way as you do with your set piece and starter plays, then each training you should provide fifteen minutes with ten versus ten or have four groups and five versus five. This will be a great fitness activity and also create a need to ‘look’ and ‘think’.  You can make a rule such as ‘there can be no rucks’; ‘the ball cannot be at the static for more than three seconds’, and any other ideas which forces the team to work hard and think hard. It can be done.

These are only a starting point and require much work. If the concept is only practiced occasionally then don’t expect too much in return. Good luck.