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Position Specific – Halfback

A coach has much to do beyond a game plan if he is to provide guidance for each individual in his team. There is the physical development which as the player gets older needs to be specific to the position of the player, the technical knowledge, understanding and practical application of game aspects and the psychological skills that help develop confidence, concentration and attitudes beneficial to the game such as aggression and mental toughness.

In this article we will consider the technical and game understanding requirements for a halfback.

When you are selecting and then coaching your halfback in isolation he will need to be evaluated on certain aspects of play.perenara.jpg

We will look at Aaron Smith from the Highlanders and TJ Perenara from the Hurricanes in the halfback role.  Both players had similar game time during the 2015 Super Rugby competition, Smith clocking up 1,193 minutes and Perenara 1,185 minutes.

Their stats make interesting reading which would indicate that the aspects of the game that Smith has to offer ahead of Perenara are not measured by stats but by the influence he has over how the game is played.

When you consider that the halfback has more touches in a game than any other player his challenge is making good key decisions that will determine how well the team plays. He must make the choices and execute the skills and tactics under pressure which requires quick thinking, fast passing, elusive running, aggressive tackling, and forward motivating, clever kicking. There is much to do.

You can decide for yourself what Smith does that Perenara does not do as these questions are not necessarily answered in reading the stats. My guess is that he passes quicker and further, hits the correct player more regularly, is a sharper runner when he does 'go' for it, and coordinates the play between the contact and the phase play with more awareness, and arrives quickly.

Speed of action would appear to be his main strength which keeps him at the top of the tree.

Smith only makes 75% of his tackles and Perenara makes nearly 94%. Smith turns the ball over 30% more than Perenara.  Perenara scored 11 tries to Smith's 7, made 25 more carries and ran twice as many metres.

Perenara nearly had double the offloads, clean breaks and defenders beaten and made 150 more passes during the season. Smith did have 10 try assists to Perenara's 8 but most significantly he kicked 156 times in open play to Perenara's 60.

Most coaches will still consider passing as the key element to a successful halfback but there is so much more than just referring to a pass. The game nowadays demands that the halfback has a variety of skills and understandings as he grasps the ball from a set piece or a phase play.

Ideally he will give a long and quick pass without hesitation that will provide time and space for his first receiver. This may be at ruck, scrum or lineout.  This is the basic passing skill with no big wind up and no steps. (Techniques can be found in 'The Coaching Toolbox'.) The sharper and longer the better.

Another scenario at the ruck will require the halfback to get his feet in a strong and stable position and reach in and pull the ball from a tangle of bodies. As soon as this is required it sets up another decision as to whether to pass or run and threaten the first couple of defenders before passing or continuing with the run.

If he is to pass he may well need to step back and clear the debris before making his pass which then requires another decision as to who should receive the ball considering the extra pressure that can be mounted from the opposition.  Does he pass to the second or third person out or does he pass behind someone?

These decisions and actions are the key to a halfback’s success. For a halfback to automatically make the best decision most times requires a lot of repetition in game-like situations and this is much of the fun of coaching – devising mini games in a competitive environment that will force the halfback to scan before he arrives and make a quick and successful decision and action. There will be plenty of mistakes and that is all part of the process.

The technical aspects can be practiced under the duress of setting targets before moving in to the unopposed and then the decision making.

There are other aspects of the game that must be practiced as well. The speed and angle of run so as to be a threat, the variety of kicks to attack and clear defensive spots plus the skill aspect of kicking. There is plenty to do.

Of course the halfback is a key player in general play. He makes the best decisions by TUB'ing as he is running in phase play. (Them-Us-Ball.) This is all about looking and thinking as he is on the run so that he knows the decision he is making upon arrival at the ruck or he joins the attack or defence at the best possible place in a particular situation. This is crucial and practices must be devised to ensure this is happening.

To be able to do this the halfback needs to be as fit as the fittest loose forward in any team. He needs to be powerful and explosive if possible.

Tactically he can be helped by his coach by setting up situations on the whiteboard before practicing them on the field. What will you do from a scrum if this defensive pattern is used?  Where will you hit the first receiver if the ball is off the top from the front of the lineout? What might happen on the blindside if we have our first tackle at the No 10's channel? Where will the wing go in this situation? Where will the fullback go in this situation?  What would you do at a ruck in this situation? Who needs to know? How will you get the message to him?

The full repertoire of a halfback is demanding so it is important that the coach develops the aspects that the player is good at and works the game around these for a start. Then the coach needs to choose what is important for the team and start working with the player to improve these parts.

A check list could look something like this:

  • Passing left and right / off the ground / in traffic asmith.jpg
  • Running / to threaten at the ruck / working with the No 8 at scrum / changing pace & angle
  • Handling / ball off the ground / receiving at the lineout / include movement to ball and positioning
  • Kicking / in to space to retrieve / out of defence / high to attack
  • Communication / encouragement / verbal transfer of decisions
  • Decision making / ensuring continuity and coordinating the options / applying the team tactics
  • Support play / scanning / number of involvements / speed around the field
  • Contact / carrying the ball in attack / skills as the support player / tackling and recovery
  • Positioning in general play / attack / defence / repositioning
  • Set piece accuracy / ball in to scrum / positioning at lineout


PERSONAL STRENGTHS: The coach needs to discover what his player is really good at that if developed will give him a skill that places him in a different category than his opposite.  Perenara's support play put him above most other halfbacks and Smith's speed around the field, speed of pass and ability to threaten have made him a leading world player.

A check list could be drawn up by taking a topic and researching the requirements on The Coaching Toolbox. There is a season’s work here. Start simple and keep revisiting and developing the aspect of play not only over the season but in the following seasons.

This is just a summary of what a halfback needs to develop to improve. You must research each skill by viewing it on television, a video, reading and researching the detail, or talking to an appropriate person. Preferably doing all of these would be the ideal.

Good luck.