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Strike Plays at the End of the Lineout

Attacking the space between the last player forming the lineout and the player in the first defensive position, normally a first-five or winger, is a great way to get in behind the opposition by striking from the set piece.

Once the attacking team have penetrated in to this zone then all sorts of possibilities open themselves up dependent upon how the opposition react.

Ideally the attack will maintain momentum via passing, either before the tackle or off-loading in the tackle; recycling quick ruck ball leading to a pick and go, running the blind or having your key runners in the wider spaces and providing flat and fast ball.

Strike Plays at lineout time require a few key components if 1 on 1 situations similar to the scrum are going to occur.

The key aspect is to create situations whereby the defending player at the end of the lineout is taken out of play as much as possible.

There are three components which can be applied to achieve this.

1- Throw the ball to the back of the lineout so that the players in that zone are required to participate in the defending (lifting / holding for the drive / holding until the ball leaves the lineout).

2- The alignment of the first receiver when they are receiving from the distributor is as flat as possible.  This will also mean that the defender is running sideways to chase after the ball and not forward which allows for an inside pass and a change of direction from the receiving player.

3- There can be a decoy runner in the channel outside the ball carrier which will hopefully hold the defenders in that channel and the back player from the lineout will be forced to tackle the original ball carrier.

If your team has the ability to put all three together then there is a good chance there will be success at the strike point assuming the passing, timing, angles, appropriate depth, support and coordination of all the pattern occurs!

The idea is to open up the channel at the back of the lineout as much as possible by having a flat, widish, hard running attack, with the penetrator coming from the blind spot (inside the defenders) or as a runner changing their angle and going back against the defensive running line.

There may also be another pass required to a second penetrator who has burst up on the shoulder of the dummy penetrator.

Back play can be difficult to coach. In order to be successful backlines have to put defence under pressure. To do this, players’ have to put themselves under pressure by performing near to the defenders.

Players can only acquire the timing and confidence necessary for this by practicing under pressure similar to that they will face in games.

PLAYS [ These are plays from All-Player lineouts]

(Make up your own names)

1- Use of forwards to make the strike

Aim: To initiate forwards running at the end of the lineout to threaten and penetrate in behind the first defensive line.

Best: Anywhere in the attacking half

Explanation: Ball is thrown to a back jumper leaving the tail end person free from lifting / two chosen runners from the front of the lineout will begin to wrap around the back whilst the tail end player will drop wider from their starting position / the ball will be tapped to the first wrapping runner who will accelerate on a wide arc and then straighten towards the tail defender / they will have a runner on their inside who has been wrapping with them and a runner on the outside (tail player) / either of these runners can receive the ball / both runners should be prepared to pass (if necessary) to a support player who is tracking behind them / the inside player will have a nominated forward and the outside player will have the blindside winger who has come from a blind spot behind the initial ball carrier / the first back should stay wide to keep the defenders wide .

Variations: A- making a choice as to whom the initial ball carrier passes to: inside player; outside player; behind/ in front of the inside player who is on their shoulder to a bursting runner on a different angle; behind/in front of the outside runner who is close on the shoulder to a runner changing the pace and the angle.

B- Continuity via passing, passing in the tackle; quick ruck ball with pick and go; quick ruck ball with halfback running open or blind; quick ruck ball with players having an attacking plan in open field play.

2- Use of backs to make the strike

Aim: For the ball to be received flat and wide forcing the tail end defender to run as fast as possible across the field towards the ball carrier.

Best: Anywhere from the teams own 22 depending on the team patterns and playing concepts.

Explanation: The further back in the lineout the throw can be taken the better / pass from 9 to 10 should be long and flat / 10 should attack his opposite number initially / they should then take off on a lateral run towards the next defender hopefully taking their player with them / when the space begins to open up 12 or 13 will cut back on a scissors movement in to the space which 10 has left / the runner on the scissors should be running in balance on receiving the ball so that they can change direction before accelerating or can make another pass / the tail end lineout player will wrap outside 10 calling for the ball whilst the blindside winger will hover on the inside shoulder of the runner cutting back in ready to accelerate in to a space as they receive the ball / a couple of forwards close to the ball carrier should wrap and leave a space for the pass to the winger / the remaining forwards should be in support of the winger or the cutting runner if they continue on.

Variations: A: 10 could run straight and hit the inside shoulder of their defender with players in close support (could have a designated flying winger) looking for an early inside ball or a pass in contact / maintain the momentum with passing if possible / the idea would be to make the tail end forward to have to run sideways to take them out of play and get a pass away as they arrive at the tackle.

B: 9 could pass and wrap hard around 10 with 10 looking for them and passing inside to the winger / the winger should sense where the tail end defender is and aim to be inside them / look for continuity options from there.

The channel at the end of the lineout is a great one to explore possibilities. Get your thinking hat on!