Total Rugby

8/2/2019 Total Rugby

1/24

Total Rugby Technical www.irb.com 1

Inside: Defence made simple 5-7 The Tackle Maze 8-9 Backline defence 10 The accidental rugby team 11 The basic principles of rugby 12-15

Continuity of possession v Continuity of play 16 The Lineout 18 The man with the whistle 21 Refereeing the lineout 22 One bar training 24

continued on page 4

A Brave New World

English Edition ISSUE 11

continued on page 2

Six Nations 2006: Half-term reportby Corris Thomas

The first column

The roll-

out of the

IRBs 30

million

strategic

investment

programme

is now in full swing and 2006

is an important year in terms

of implementation of high

performance projects across

seventeen Tier 1 and 2 Unions.

In addition to infrastructure

programmes at Tier 2 level, such

as playing fields and facilities

for new academies, several new

competitions will be launched. The

aim of the strategic investments

is to increase the standards of the

game worldwide at all levels and

we are already looking at the

Tier 3 Unions to identify the best

candidates that we believe can

make the step up to Tier 2 level.

Over the last few months I

have been on the road together

with the IRB Development

Manager, Bruce Cook, and our

High Performance consultant,

Daniel Collins, meeting with

many of the Unions targeted

by our strategic plan, in order

to fine-tune and finalise the

projects mentioned above.

We will announce shortly the

full details of the new IRB

competitions in North America,

Southern Africa and the Pacific.

Well bring you more news on

all this, and other aspects of our

plans in future editions of Total

Rugby Bulletin, which is just

another component of the IRB

commitment to help Unions

improve standards and quality.

Mark Egan is the IRB

Head of Rugby Services

with Mark EganAt present in rugby there is a Law moratorium that

dictates that there can be no changes to Law until

after the next Rugby World Cup. This ensures that

players, coaches and referees do not have to undergo

any period of education and adjustment that would

adversely affect the lead up to the tournament.

However, this does not mean as a governing body we

are not reviewing the Laws, especially in light of the

way the game is evolving at the elite level.

by Greg Thomas

The game is quicker, players are

stronger and faster, contact is more

aggressive and physical and the

advancement of skill levels is putting

strain on the Laws themselves in

terms of the contest for possession.

A Laws Project Group has been

formed by the IRBs Rugby

Committee to undertake a critical

review of the tackle, ruck and maul

laws with a view to trialling and

evaluating new versions of these laws.

Led by Council member, Bill Nolan,

the group includes former World

Cup winning Wallaby coach, Rod

Macqueen, former Spr ingbok coach,

Ian MacIntosh, former Scottish

coach, Richie Dixon, former

French player, coach and IRB

Regional Development Manager,

Pierre Villepreux, IRB Referee

Manager, Paddy OBrien and IRB

Development Manager, Bruce Cook.

The fundamental reason for the

study is that the IRB has proactively

recognised that these areas of Law

are proving to be the most difficult

So far, (after 9 matches) the 2006

Six Nations statistics suggest that

of the six participating teams

Irelands overall approach is

hugely different from the style

employed last year.

In 2005, they obtained less possession

than any other team; they made

fewer passes than any other team;

they made fewer rucks and mauls

than any other team; they kicked

more than any other country and

their forwards passed less than

any other team. Only 9% of Ir ish

passes were made by the forwards

in total 49 for the whole of the

championship. This year, although

the number of passes made by the

forwards has remained comparatively

low in fact it has increased slightly

the Irish seem to be applying a

radically different approach:

Ireland are now the highestpassing team. (In 2005: 106 passes/

game; in 2006: 166 passes/game)

Ireland won 25% more possession

than last year - so that only

England has obtained more in the

thee games so far.

They are now the second highest

rucking team as opposed to the

last in 2005.

Last year, Ireland were the highest

kicking team this year they are

the lowest.

It must be a lineout... Springbok lock forward Victor Matfield makesa point eagerly followed by the IRB team: (from l-r) Paddy OBrien,

Bruce Cook, Bill Nolan and Rod Macqueen.

Ireland change style!

Ireland change style...


2/24

Total Rugby Technicalwww.irb.com2

1866: Laws of Football at Rugby School

described a tackle as maul outside the

goal line. It takes place when a playerholding the ball is held by one or more

players of the opposite side and if he

cannot get free of them or g ive the ball

to some other of his side (not in front

of him) who can run with it, he cries

have it down.

1871: First Laws of Rugby Football (Law 18):

In the event of any player holding or

running with the ball being tackled and

the ball being fairly held he must at

once cry down and there put it down.

1905: A player must be considered as

tackled if he, on being grasped by an

opponent, falls and the ball whilst in

his possession touches the ground.

When a player is tackled with the ball,

it (the ball) can only be brought into

play with the foot.

1912: A tackle is when the holder of the

ball is held by one or more players of

the opposite side so he cannot at any

moment, while he is so held, pass or

play it.

1937: Law 16: A tackle occurs when the

holder of the ball in the field of play

is held by one or more players of the

opposing team so that while he is so

held the ball comes in contact with

the ground, or there is a moment he

cannot pass or play the ball.

(a) After a tackle the ball must be

brought into play with a foot;

(b) When a player is tackled but

not brought to the ground he must

immediately release the ball so

that it falls to the ground between

himself and his opponents goal line;

(c)The tackled player, if lying on

the ground, must immediately

release the ball, roll away from it,

and get up before playing it with

his foot.

A Brave New Worldcontinued from page 1

Potted history of

the Tackle Law

to interpret in a practical manner. The game

is continuing to evolve following a decade of

professionalism and the IRB is being honest and

transparent in undertaking an evaluation of the

Laws and the current position of the game on the

world stage, said Bill Nolan.

We are looking at the game in a new light with

the idea of making it simpler and easier to play

and referee, and to ensure rugby is understood and

enjoyed by the increasing number of spectators

that are being attracted to the game. In the past,

we have tinkered with existing Laws but in

Stellenbosch we started out with a blank canvas,

looked at new Law variations and studied the

cause and effect of the changes.

As a world governing body we are committed

to reducing the number and complexity of the

Laws and to reduce the cannots and promote the

cans to create a positive philosophy. However,

everything that is being done must, and will, relate

to the Playing Charter that has been endorsed

by our Member Unions, that recognises rugby

as being a game for all shapes and sizes, added

Nolan.

Another significant goal of the Project Group

is, according to Bruce Cook, To remove the

subjectivity of the Laws and the decision-making

of the referees, so that the players determine the

outcome of the game.

The Project Group had its first working session at

Stellenbosch University in February and it started

afresh with these technical key components of the

game. Utilising the Laws laboratory facilities at

Stellenbosch University, the Group formulated a

series of exper imental Law variations (ELVs) that

were trialled during the week-long study.

The Group utilised four teams throughout the

week in a competition environment in which

the ELVs were evaluated. Each game consisted of

two 25 minute halves and each team played three

matches over the week, with a 1 versus 2, and 3

versus 4 final on the last day based upon a win/loss

record. All matches were videoed and analysed

with review sessions taking place every morning

before the matches kicked off in the afternoons.

These ELVs will undergo further tr ials over the

coming months in the Universitys inter-house

competition. One top tier match each week will

be videoed and analysed using the IRB statistical

software Fair Play. Feedback from players and

coaches from other selected matches will also be

recorded each week. The Project Group will revisit

Stellenbosch at a later stage of the competition.

Bruce Cook stated, We are very conscious that

there must be a genuine contest for possession.

At present our analysis shows that defending

teams only have a six percent chance of winning

possession at contact. Our week in Stellenbosch

showed that the ELVs did allow for this to be

increased to around 20 percent but we envisage

this would reduce in time as teams become more

adept in their attacking tactics, ball retention skills

and defensive work.

The Laws Project Group in Stellenbosch: front (l-r) former Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen, Group Chairman Bill Nolan of Scotland,back (l-r) IRB Referees Manager Paddy OBrien, IRB Development Manager Bruce Cook, former Scotland coach Richie Dixon, former

Springbok coach Ian MacIntosh, former International referee Freek Burger, former France coach and IRB Regional Development Manager

for Europe Pierre Villepreux.


3/24


1958: The requirement to play the ball with

the foot after tackle is removed. (a)

When a player is tackled but not brought

to the ground he must immediatelyrelease the ball; (b) The tackled player, if

lying on the ground must immediately

release the ball, roll away from it and get

up before playing it.

Potted history

of the Tackle Law

1985: A tackle occurs when a player

carrying the ball in the field of play

is held by one or more opponents so

that while he is so held he is brought

to the ground or the ball comes into

contact with the ground A tackled

player must play the ball immediately

or, if unable to play it, must release it

immediately and get up or move away

from it. He must not play the ball again

or interfere with it in any way until he

is on his feet. Any other player must:

be on his feet before he can play the

ball

not fall on or over a player lying

on the ground with the ball in his

possession

not fall on or over players lying on

the ground with the ball between

them or in close proximity.

2006: Law 15: A tackle occurs when the

ball carrier is held by one or more

opponents and is brought to the

ground. Naturally, the fate of the

ball is paramount in the thinking of

the lawmaker. A tackled player must

immediately pass the ball or release it.

That player must also get up or move

away from it at once.

Compiled from the works of Sir Percy Royds and

Cyril Gadney.

The contest for possession is aided by these

ground-breaking ELVs. For example, at the tackle/

breakdown the only penalties, not withstanding

foul play, will be for offside and not entering

through the gate. Players are free to contest the

ball whether on their feet, on the ground, and

with their feet or hand.

The ball-carrying team will be rewarded for

staying on their feet and if they go to ground it

will no longer be a safe haven. Linear support at

depth will become important as will the ability to

get the ball away from the contact zone.

We found that the amount of penalties awarded

were greatly reduced but the fact that players

are free to contest for possession in a more open

manner is counterbalanced by the fact that if

a team takes the ball into contact and the ball

is not made available the defending team is

awarded a free kick. Rod Macqueen stated,

It must be stressed that this project, the resulting

recommendation of ELVs, and their continued

evaluation, is an ongoing programme, still very

much in its embryonic stage. One that will be

monitored continuously by the Laws Project Group

(LPG) via a clearly defined process of evaluation

through demonstrable practical experiments and not

hypothetical outcomes.

Other Law changes already being trialled around

the world include the use of 12 replacements,

Under-19 scrum laws at senior level and in-

goal touch judges. These will also eventually be

included in the process.

The ultimate aim of these experimental laws is

to allow for more creativity by the players and this

week there were encouraging signs such as clarity

of decision-making, less confusion among players

at the breakdown and reduced law subjectivity,

added Macqueen.

Greg Thomas is the IRB Head of Communications.

At the workshop in Stellenbosch both the tackle area (top) and theineout (right) were under scrutiny.


4/24


Last years Six Nations was indeed

fascinating, with the winners, Wales,

playing the game in a strategically

different way. The 2005 tournament

analysis showed that:

Wales forwards made far more

passes than any other country

More Welsh forwards than backs

scored tries

The whole team passed at a

higher rate than any other

country

They scored more tries from

inside their own half than

England, France and Ireland

together

Scored more tries from

opponents handling errors than

England, France and Ireland

together.

Although the Welsh have maintained

the same strategic approach to the

game this season, they have been less

fortunate as they have lost two out of

the first three matches.

Wales forwards have still made

more passes than any other team

- despite having noticeably less

possession than some of the other

teams

The Welsh half-backs still make

proportionately fewer passes than

any other teams

The Welsh team pass at a higher

rate (ie more passes per minute)

than the other five teams.

This year though, turning possession

into points proved far more difficult,

while defence was more permeable.

In 2005, Wales scored a try for

every 5 minutes of possession. Now

that has nearly doubled a try for

every 9 minutes. At the same time,

their opponents are now scoring

at a higher rate than last year. In

2005 it required almost 12 minutes

possession to score a try against Wales;

this year it takes only five minutes.

Unlike Ireland, who radically altered

their approach, very little seems to

have changed with England since

last year. In 2005, they had more

possession in every game; they made

more passes than any other team;

they made more rucks and mauls

than any other team; they kicked less

than any other nation.

In 2006, after three matches it looks

as if it is business as usual:

They have obtained the most

possession in each of their three

matches - 60% more possession

than their opponents

They have made more passes per

game than four of the remaining

five teams

They have had more rucks and

mauls than any other team and

have kicked at a lower rate than

the rest.

Scoring against them is also very

difficult. In the three games so far,

England have conceded just 2 tries.

This means that their opponents have

needed 21 minutes possession to

score a try.

After a dismal 2005 season, Scotland,

under new coach Frank Hadden,

have surprised the world with

their newly-found confidence and

hardness. Last year they rucked and

mauled at a higher rate than any

other team; their forwards were more

likely to pass the ball than any other

team apart from Wales; however, their

defence was fairly porous, conceding

a try for every 4 30 possession

obtained by their opponents; in

attack they needed twice as much

possession to score a try than the

team that won the championship.

In the three matches to date their

rucking rate has been lower than

average; further, their passes have

reduced dramatically when compared

to the last three matches last year.

From an average of 181 per game,

the figure so far this year has dropped

by almost 40% to 115.

Scottish forwards are still more likely

to pass the ball than any other team

apart from Wales:

What has changed - and improved

-significantly is their defence.

Whereas last year, their opponents

managed to score a try for every

430 of possession, this year it has

more than doubled to just over

10 making them the second most

effective defending team

Tries remain difficult to come by

- just as last year. It still requires

around 12 minutes possession for

Scotland to score a try.

Last season Italy conceded more tries

than any other team (10 tries in the

first half and 12 in the second):

They passed only fractionally

more than Ireland

They rucked only fractionally

more than Ireland who were last

They were the least effective team

in keeping out the opposition

who scored one try for every

413 possession.

This year, winning possession has

remained a problem. So far, they have

obtained almost 60% less possession

than England; their rate of passing

and rucking is less than any other

team and they kick at a greater rate

than any other team. There has been

a noticeable change however. Despite

obtaining relatively little possession,

Italy defended effectively until late in

the game. Unlike last year, when 10

of the 22 tries scored against them

were conceded in the first half, this

year it is just three out of eleven.

In 2005 Six Nations, Frances defensive

effort was second to none as they were

the most effective team in keeping out

the opposition, who needed 1430

possession to score a try.

2006 has seen certain changes in the

French approach:

There has been a modest increase

in the number of rucks per game

They have however made more

open-play kicks than any other

team

They have increased their rate of

passing as well as increasing the

number of passes by some 20%

They have scored more tries than

any other team and have required

just over 4 minutes possession to

score a try a higher rate than

any of the other five.

So much for this stage of the

competition - the above analysis

has been based on the nine matches

played so far. The other six may

develop new trends or may even

reverse those identified so far.

Corris Thomas is IRB Game analyst.

Scotlands massive defensive effort has paid dividends.

Ireland change style continued from page 1


5/24

www.irb.com 5Tackle : Le plaquage

Defence made simpleRugby is a difficult game to coach, but I think we

sometimes make the task even more difficult bycomplicating what by and large is relatively simple.

A team will have possession of the ball roughly

50% of the time while the other 50% it will be

in the possession of the opposition, which means

that our team will have to play without the ball.

This is a fairly simple fact but where we go wrong

is by spending the majority of our coaching time

working on what to do when we have the ball and

not enough on what to do when we dont have the

ball. So the game is 50% attack and 50% defence.

In the following article we will refer to the 50% of

time when our team does not have the ball and will

try to make defence as simple a skill as possible toexplain.

Defence has three main aspects:1. Technical2. Tactical3. Attitude

by Mark Donato

1. TechnicalThis refers to the technique of

making a tackle as an individual and

the skills required to deliver it in a

match situation. There are several

types of tackle:

Front on leg tackle

Side on tackle

Tackle from behind

Grade 2 and 3 Hook and Handle

Tackle

Ball Stripping Tackle

Gang Tackle.

Each one of these tackles has key

principles and I will use the Side on

Tackle as an example of what the key

principles are:

Position your running line inside

the ball carrier

Run in a strong body position

with a slight flex at the hips

Head up, back straight

Sight the target area between the

knee and the hip

Drive with legs to make firm contact

with the shoulder on the target

Position your head behind the ball

carr iers body

The game is 50% attack and 50% defence

Fullbacks, wingers and No9 in

cover defence.

The coach should then develop

specific, game related skill dr ills for

the side on tackle for the above

positions.

2. Tactical 1st Phase defence for the backs

from scrums and lineouts

Defensive lineouts

Defensive scrums

Defending opposition right side

scrum attack

Defending kick restarts

Multiple phase defence

Defending quick opposition ball

Defending slow opposition ball

Defending our turnover ball.

The above components can be

defended against using a number of

methods, including:

Man on man defence

Slide or drift defence

Inside out defence

Outside in defence

Bullet or rush defence.

Man on Man Defence - defenders line

up directly opposite the opposite

Hit with the shoulder positioned

towards the ball carrier

Tightly and quickly wrap the

arms around the ball carriers legs/

body/hips

Pull in hard with the hands

towards your chest while lifting

the ball car riers feet/body/hip

and continue driving him to the

ground

Get quickly to your feet and

recover the ball.

Similarly the remaining tackles also

have key principles to follow and the

coach should instruct accordingly.

The coachs responsibility is to

establish a specific coaching drill for

these tackles and make them as game

specific as possible. The coach can

then also make them position specific

by watching a video of his team

and seeing what positions or players

utilise what tackles. In the example

above ask yourself what position

makes side on tackles more than

others. The answer could be:

Flankers and No8 from the tail

end position from lineouts

Flankers and No8 from scrum

Inside centres in slide defence

number and stay fixed on that player

until he/she moves outside the

defended channel.

Slide or Drift Defence- once the player

marked has passed the ball, the defender

shifts/drifts on to the next opposing

player. The entire line must also drift.

Inside Out Defence- occurs when the

line remains tightly fixed close to the

ruck and the players move up in a

line with the outside players slightly

behind the players on the inside.

Outside in Defence- occurs when a gap

is left on the inside of the field closer

to the ruck or maul and the players

move up quicker on the outside.

The players on the outside are ahead

of the players on the inside driving

the opposition to play the ball back

towards the inside of the field.

Bullet or Rush Defence- the players

move as quickly as possible in a line

towards their opposite numbers. This

is best done when slow ball occurs

for the opposition. The players can

also move up so quickly that they

stand between the opposition players

in their line.


6/24

www.irb.com6 Tackle : Le plaquage

The defence system or systems that

are used are dependent on the quality

of your own team as well as thequality and the playing style of the

opposition. No method is better than

the other and it is quite frustrating

to hear one particular method being

emphasised at the expense of the

other. Coaches should coach the

method that is best for their team

or best suited for a certain type of

opposition.

The following example of an inside

out defence with strong markers is a

particular method of organising your

defence system from a full lineout. It

is not the only system available and I

cannot say it is the best system. It is

however an effective and simple system

to coach particularly if your front five

are fit and smart enough to comply.

From the diagram we have assumed

that the opposing (attacking) team has

run the ball up towards the channel

that our No10 is in and our No8 and

No10 have made the tackle. We have

put the following factors in place.

Locks No4 & No5 have gone

to the far side of the tackle or

ruck and are the marker 1 and 2

on our left side. It is best for the

locks to work the far side from

the original set piece as they are

expected to be more mobile than

the front row.

Props No1 and No3 have gone

to the close side (from the

original set piece) of the tackle

or ruck and are the marker 1

and 2 on our right side. It is best

for the props to work the closer

side from the original set piece

as they are expected to be less

mobile than our locks.

The No9 works towards 5

metres behind the ruck or tackle,

into a sweeper and organiser role.

Their primary role is to organise

the defence and ensure that

all players are in their correct

positions. If players are caught

short for any reason the No9

then joins the line.

The hooker, No2, stays on the

side that the set piece came from

and covers the attack back down

that side in the next phase. If

the attack does come back that

way they eventually work their

Defence made simple continued from page 5

3. AttitudeRugby is a go forward game, a

contact sport in which the role of

the defender is not only to stop

the ball carrier but to gain ground

by driving him/her backwards or

sideways in the tackle. By driving

the ball carrier backwards in a good

tackle or tackling the attacking team

beyond the advantage line, you (the

defending team) are actually going

forward.

The concept We can go forward,

without the ball, must be coached

into your players from the outset.

This requires the right mental

attitude, which in the game we call

controlled aggression.

The defender needs to think that he

will not only stop the ball carrier, but

basically drive him/her backwards in

the tackle. I often think that defence

is a submissive word that induces

the wrong state of mind in players.

I often use what the American

Football call offensive defence. It

does describe much better what I

am trying to coach. As a coach of

a senior side, beware of age group

rugby where safety is paramount, you

must emphasise the offensive aspect

of defence.

way closer towards the markers

allowing the more mobile players

to defend further out.

The back row try and get

into marker 3 and control the

defensive line movement going

forward. It is their responsibility

to control the speed of the

line and drift or man on man

defence.

At the tackle it is the

responsibility of the original

markers (Nos1, 3, 4 & 5) to get

into the marker position at that

next ruck. Their job is to keep

folding the same way and allow

the rest of the team to defend

on an inside out principle -

which means ensuring that the

opponents have no space to

come back on the inside and

must pass the ball out wide to

beat the defence. We will then

know that the edge of the ruck

and the ball coming back on the

inside is completely guarded.

This defence is trying to force

the opposition to pass the ball

wider with this type of defensive

alignment. Statistics show that

with every pass that is made

the mistake rate goes up and

the advantage line is further

away from the ball allowing the

defending team to take more

space.

1 3 4 5 7 12 13

11

15

14

62

R

9

Defence System A Strong Markers and Inside Out Defence

Lineout from thisside of the field

MARKER 1 & 2LEFT RIGHT

SWEEPER &ORGANISER

In this diagram you will see that

the wingers are slightly back

and have greater space between

themselves and the defender

inside them. This allows for the

inside players to drift across

the attacking line. The wingers

require great discipline not to

tackle, otherwise the advantage

of drift is taken away.

The fullback No15 stands more

behind the marker 3 on the

folding side. (The folding side

is when a team continues to hit

the ball up without changing

direction) and covers the broken

tackle across the attacking line

and also the last attacking player

in the line.

The major secret to this

defence is discipline and not

committing too many defenders

unnecessarily to the tackle or

ruck situation.

It is also important that the space

outside of markers 1 and 2 is

wide enough not to allow a long

pass being made that takes out

most of the defenders.

No14 stands behind 6, ready

to cover across for 15. He only

comes back to his normal

position if the ball comes back

that way.


7/24


Types of tackle

Front on Leg Tackle

The most common tackle made. It

is the first tackle most players aretaught and subsequently master

- performed front on by tackler

around the ball carr iers legs.

Side on Tackle

Performed on the side of the ball

carrier, the tackler is usually a

flanker attacking from either the

scrum or lineout.

Tackle from Behind

Performed from behind the

ball carr ier, it is used once the

opposition breaks the front on leg

tackle.

Grade 2 & 3 Hook &

Handle Tackle

This is a front-on

tackle but not made

around the legs. The

tackler takes on both

the ball carrier usually

around the upper half

of the body and the

ball itself. Grade 2

tackle means that the

ball carrier is driven

backwards preferably

behind the advantage

line. Grade 3 means

the same as Grade

2 plus the tackler

must get to their feet

quickly and take the

ball from the tackled

player.

PROGRESSIVE COACHING MODEL.

DEFENCE

FUNdamentalTraining toTrain

Training toCompete

Training toWin

7-12 years orFirst year inrugby

13 & 14 years or2-3 years inrugby

15 years, 2nd XV&16Bs or 3 yearsin rugby

1st XV & 16ASenior

IndividualTackle Skills.

Front on. Side on. Tackle from

behind.

InsideShoulder.

Man on Man. Drift. Positional

responsibility. Time and

Spaceconcept.

Communication& nomination.

Organisationfrom firstphase.

Grade 2 tackle.

Multiple playdefence

pattern. Grade 3tackle.

Turnoverresponsibility.

Systems.

When talking to the individual player

you must emphasise:

Tackling is a physical contest

and in a tackle you must

consider yourself an attacking

player rather than a defender.

Throughout the years of watching

and playing Rugby League I came

across players with nicknames that

said it allthe Axe, Cement,

Hit Man. This is the attitude that

the coach must foster in the team.

You can do this by creating special

awards for the biggest hit of the day,

the most tackles, the gutsiest hit (little

man on big man) etc. I have always

seen rugby defence epitomising

bravery.

As the technical and tactical skills

develop and improve, the confidence

of the players and of the team in

defence grows. This is when the

coach becomes a psychologist, as

he slowly develops in his players

the confidence to be aggressive in

the tackle, while controlling their

aggression.

Safety is crucial at all levels in the

game and no coach shall allow

what is basically a skilled delivery of

defensive mechanism to degenerate

into mindless violence.

The age group progression chart

below has been taken from our

Unions (Falcons) Progressive

Coaching Model. We utilise this model

to assist our coaches in understanding

what we should be coaching our

players at what age levels.

Mark Donato, who played both Rugby

Union and Rugby League in his native

Australia, is currently the defence coach for

the South African Currie Cup Falcons. He

is also the Manager High Performance &

Coaching for the Union. He has previously

coached rugby in Australia, USA, Ireland,

England and Zimbabwe.

It is a most memorable event in a

rugby match when a team stoically

and doggedly keeps out the attacking

team in the final stages of a thriller

that sits in your memory for years to

come.

Ball Stripping Tackle

Is made when the tackler wraps

both their arms around the balland strips the ball away from the

attacking player. The emphasis is

on ripping the ball away.

Gang Tackle

Is made by two or more players. Its

aim is to prevent the ball carrier

from passing the ball, go to ground

or present the ball favourably to

their support players. Normally

one player takes the player around

the chest and the other around the

waist, driving them backwards.

Gang tackle

...in a tackle you must consider yourself an attacking player rather than a defender.


8/24

www.irb.com8 Tackle : Le plaquage

The tackle incorporates the most basic principle of the game - thecontest for possession - in a sport where the prizes have never been

greater. An average of 5 to 6 players are now arriving at the tackle

zone in an attempt to seek or destroy, in what often appears from

the outside to be a wild frenzy of activity.

The Tackle Maze

Clues to the referees decision making

The modern breakdown is a highly

competitive, dynamic and physical

confrontation that at the top level is

contested by the fittest, strongest and

most skilful players in the world. This

can take place on up to 150 occasions

in a single match and the role of the

referee in adjudicating the tackle is one

of the key features of a successful game.

This is amongst the toughest mental

challenges a referee faces as a myriad of

potential decisions unfold in a number

of constantly evolving scenarios.

Checklists for the tackle exist for all

stakeholders to refer to. They are the

cornerstone of the protocols that are

used to explain the ordering of the

decision-making process and they are a

vital tool to approach the maze. I have

been asked to identify clues which help

the referee to process that information.

The vital framework of this process

is the principle of the contest for

possession and to recognise that

every tackle is unique. Some tackle

situations will be over almost

instantly with the referee a simple

observer, whilst, at the other end

of the scale, some tackles become

unplayable, a situation that can only

be declared a draw, with possession

going to the side going forward or

the attacking team. In between these

two there are countless situations

which, given the complexity

and sheer competitiveness at the

breakdown, need to be instantly

quantified and decided upon. The

challenge to the referee is to be

accurate, consistent and play his part

in the game. What are the clues that

will help the referee reach the correct

decision at any given time?

The first clue begins with the

manner in which the ball carrier

takes the ball into contact. Even

before the contact, the referee can

begin to gather information as

to what will happen next. If the

ball carrier is strong and he/she is

running straight he/she will probably

be able to present the ball to secure

continuity of possession and/or

offload to his/her support player(s). If

his/her progress is compromised by

the tackle or by poor skill , or body

position or even field position, then

the referee will have had the hints

that the subsequent phase is going to

require his/her full attention. If the

referee is to buy decision-making

time he needs to have his/her senses

alerted at this pre-contact phase

while assessing who is the likely

winner of the contact situation.

The second vital clue is the location

of the ball. If the referee can see

the ball throughout the action he

can then adjust his/her mental and

physical positioning and help to fill

in the picture. For example, if the

ball carrier is successful in contact

and is able to recycle the ball, then

as soon as the referee sees the ball

emerging he/she can lift his/her

head, ideally step back and open up

his body angle. This will allow him/

her to readily absorb the next set of

information as arriving players join

the contest and the phase changes

from a tackle to a ruck situation.

Much has been said about the

referees positioning at the tackle, and

without doubt accuracy is the key

factor. When we talk about referee

positioning at the breakdown he/she

has to arr ive close enough to follow

the plot of each tackle. The first

offence needs to be identified. It

may not always need to be penalised

depending on possible prevention

or advantage, but it does need to be

recognised and, if need be, penalised.

Penalising the second, third or fourth

offence is poor refereeing. Distance

to the point of breakdown is critical

to decision-making here if the

referee gets too close he/she will

miss the big picture, if he/she is

too far away he /she will miss the

infringement(s) and credibility is lost.

The referees fitness allows him to

arrive with a clear head, hopefully as

still as an archers before he shoots.

If he starts his run to the breakdown

from a poor position he will be

compromised when he arrives, even

if he is a very fast runner. Similarly

if he arrives first and is unable to

decide what he is looking for then

little is gained. Seeing the ball at

all times, or the ability to mentally

imagine where the ball is, allows the

referee to orientate himself in the

midst of the contest and arrive at the

correct decision.

At this point it should be recognised

little positive will happen without the

tackler releasing the tackled player

and then moving out of the way. In

all games a return to basics is needed

if in any doubt and the shifting of the

tackler has to be emphasised if the

game is to work.

Referees positioning at the tackle - The referee has to arrive close enough to follow the plot of each

tackle. The first offence needs to be identified. Chris White.


9/24


by Chris White

Communication is also vital at thebreakdown. Players will often ask the

referee before a match to tell them

when they can and cannot contest.

The best players will already know

their rights and obligations at the

point of breakdown and will also

read the referee quite early on and

operate accordingly. The referee can

help at the breakdown whenever

and wherever that is possible and

desirable. This can be before, during

and after the tackle, but not at all

times. However the referee may

well decide that too much talk is

counterproductive, becoming a kind

of white noise, whilst at the same

time condoning offences that will

not help the game.

During the contest the referee must

be specific and brief in what he asks

for, for example, White 3 move or

Tackler release. At the same time

he must strive mentally to record and

memorise what is occurr ing around,

in order to achieve consistency. Once

a sanction has been given, the way the

referee delivers his/her message is vital

to what happens next in the tackle.

If a player has offended he/she needs

to be identified, the offence needs to

be clearly and quickly outlined and

if possible the solution offered. If this

is achieved, and for plenty of reasons

this is not always possible, the referee

will make huge strides in controlling

the rest of the match, 6 White off

your feet at the tackle. Stay on your

feet next time please. or Red

10 - in the side of the tackle. Use the

gate next time, thank you.

The tone of delivery is also crucial.

Shouting, talking to the floor, or

gabbling will not help. Signalling

clearly first and then speaking will

often produce the right timing.

However there will be occasions

in highly charged matches where

speaking first is vital as the players

in the immediate vicinity, often

with their heads down, need to

hear the call and get the message

simultaneously. The degree of

difficulty at the tackle will vary with

a range of factors of which timing is

one. The aphorism life is a matter of

perfect timing may well have been

coined with the role of the

referee at the tackle in mind.

Split seconds are paramount

and make the difference

between success and failure.

The decision-making or

communication of the referee

only has to be half a second

out of sync and that accuracy and

consistency will suffer.

Within this context, demands are

changed by different skill, strength

and speed levels. For example, in

lower grade rugby the tackle is made

by one man around the legs and the

attacker usually falls forward and is

able to place the ball backwards. In

professional rugby a ball carrier is

often hit by two defenders and the

timing and intensity of the tackle is

altered considerably. The issue for the

referee is to be able to recognise the

differences whilst applying the same

principles of Law.

The implication is that as referees

move up the levels of the game

they need exposure to the increase

in speed and intensity, for example

in contact sessions. Ironically semi-

opposed contact is often quicker than

the real thing! Perfect for overload

training! If the referee is struggling at

the tackle in a match, he has to buy

himself mental time and space and

try to step back and go for basics. Has

the tackler really moved off? Is there

a clamp going on? Are players are

off their feet and if so, why? Is it

poor skill levels, bad conditions, over-

exuberance (the bane of the trial

match) or plain illegality?

And here is an area for which all

the stakeholders in the game have

responsibility. If players are poorly

coached, ignorant of the Law

requirements or unwilling to comply

then they must accept responsibility

and bear the consequences. The

preamble of the Laws states clearly

that it is not solely the responsibility

of the referee but also those who

coach and play the game.

Other factors that affect the

refereeing of the tackle include

poor lighting for evening kick-offs,

where the ball is lostin shadow. Poor

weather and ground

conditions will also

compromise the

efforts of everybody

at the significant

transition phase from

the tackle to ruck.

Invariably the referee will

have to get closer (the

referee must be aware of

the safety factor when

moving too close to

players) to the action

and probably increase

his mental work-rate.

Skill level will also

affect communication

in the sense that the referee will need

to communicate more at lower levels

to help structure the breakdown and

contribute to the game. Similarly

the tactics of a close, driving, forward

orientated match will demand far

greater intensity from the referee in

the process of decision-making.

Finally we should recognise when

the tackle is going well in a match

situation and carry a positive mental

image to reinforce this goal. Here,

there will be a real contest for

possession, with excellent skills

displayed in attack such as ball

retention and offloading, as well as

quick and skilful defence competing

for the ball legally on its feet. All of

which will provide opportunity for a

fast moving and dynamic game. The

transition from tackle to ruck phase

will provide both quick ball and

legally slow ball. Rucks and counter-

rucks will emerge and space will be

created around the field.

Advantage, when it is played well,

is often a highlight for a referee;

not to mention the turnover ball

at the tackle. Top level teams crave

for space and time and the turnover

ball gives them both against briefly

disorganised defences as the game

comes alive. Turnover ball won

legally happens when players comply

with the law which enables the

referee to solve the maze.

RFU referee Chris White is a member of

the A IRB International Panel.

Safety at Tackle

Tackle is an area of intense

physical contact, where

the safety of the players

is essential. At the r isk ofstating the obvious, a brief

but not comprehensive list of

some dangerous acts by the

tackler is itemised below:

Tackling the ball carr ier with no

attempt to grasp him/her. The

tacklers act of spearing/charging

the ball carr ier with the shoulder

is, technically, not a tackle; but it

is unsafe and must be penalised.

Tackling the ball carr ier above

the line of the shoulders. Simply

said, the head and neck are

fragile parts of the body and

any action that delivers a blow

(or even a tug, such as a collar

tackle) to these parts of the body

is dangerous.

Lifting the ball carrier off the

ground and then slamming him to

the ground. That is dangerous play.

Tackling a player without

the ball, including early or

late tackles. Sometimes the

dangerous (late) tackle follows an

attempt to charge down a kick.

by Don Morrison

But the ball carrier can also be

guilty of dangerous play. The ball

carrier may try to ward off the

tackler by using his free arm for

protection. This is fine as long

as the arm does not include an

elbow, a fist or a jab with the

base of the palm. Tackles, by

their very nature, may result in

injury. Sometimes the injury is

the result of hard but fair play.

Not all safety issues are black and

white, which means the referee

must exercise judgment and

blow the whistle accordingly.

Don Morrison is a former USA

International referee and an IRB

trainer for NAWIRA.


10/24


Backline defenceWe can talk about backline defence but I prefer to call it team

defence for obvious reasons. In my book every player has a role

to play in making it difficult for the opposition to attack, while

enhancing the defensive capability of his team. The three factors

that make a defensive system effective are: applying pressure (bycontesting possession), going forward and support.

by Darryl Suasua

Pressure: Applying pressure

to the opposition to create

turnovers is what defence

is all about. However,

the defensive pressure is

determined by what you and

your forwards are able to

achieve in contesting the set

phase play.

Going forward: in an

organised system cuts down an

oppositions time and space.

Support: within the system

ensures no holes for escape.

Contest Possession

Firstly and fundamentally it must

be accepted by all players that the

entire team has a role to play in

how effective the backline defence

is going to be. At the primary phase

- be it scrum, lineout or restart - the

forwards will impact on the way the

opposition will attack. The quality

of the ball the opposition wins is

determined by the effectiveness of

your forwards as they contest the

primary phase. In other words the

harder your forwards make it for the

opposition to win quality ball and

the more they disrupt the primary

phase, the better the chances of your

defence to cope with the attack.

It is quite clear that focussing at

scrummage time on the opposition

feed can impact on the type of ball

the opposing scrum-half is able to

deliver to his backs to attack. This is

why concentration on the essential

tasks during the primary phase is

vital. Quite often, the loose forwards

focus on what they will do once

the opposition has won the ball,

rather than concentrate on their

contribution to the initial scrum.

The defensive hooker needs to

focus on scrummaging only, while

the attacking hooker needs to give

attention to the strike.

Contest at the lineout will also

impact on a teams attacks. Disrupting

the feed could make the difference

between successful defence and

failure. If the attacking side are

expecting ball off the top of a lineout

and the defending forwards can force

an inaccurate feed then the back

attack will need timing adjustments.

If a team is looking to launch off

a lineout maul and you are able to

force the ruck and stand forwards off

the side of that ruck, then again you

force the opposing back attack to re-

think options and timing.

Go Forward

The next point of focus in defence

is the ability to go forward in an

organised fashion to prevent territory

being gained, with the advantage

line being the determining factor in

how successful a defence has been.

It is simply a race to beat the attack

over the advantage line. Remember,

the objective of the attack is to cross

that advantage line by breaching

the tackle line. In defence, the first

objective is to cross the advantage

line and then stop the attacking backs

on the tackle line.

In terms of a go forward defensive

pattern there are a number of options

that can be employed: man on man,

man on man drift, one out defence,

one out drift, umbrella defence

bringing the outsides up first etc.

The key here is that each individual

understands their own role within

the pattern and they stick to it.

A breach of the defensive line will

be caused either by a missed tackle

or by a defender who is out of the

defensive pattern. Regardless of the

pattern employed, I believe a key

objective of the defender is not to

be beaten by an opponent on the

outside.

If we can force the attacking backs

to chop back inside then we will

be forcing them to step back into

defensive screens from supporting

forwards. In designing a system

or selecting a system to use, it is

important to take into consideration

the profile of your team. The big

hitting South Africans use an

umbrella type defence, hitting

opponents from the outside. The

faster, yet not so bulky Australians

tend to use more of a drift defence

where they usher their opponents to

the sides of the field.

Support

Defensive support is very important

within any of the systems employed.

As I have already mentioned, each

player must clearly understand his

role within that defensive system.

In terms of alignment there are two

points that must be covered off.

Firstly, it is the players alignment

with the defenders from his own

teams system and secondly, it is the

players alignment in relation to the

attacking player you are defending

against - your opposite number.

A common error is that defenders

watch the ball (ball-watching) and

move as soon as they see the ball

emerge from a set piece or phase

play. This may make the individual

defender rush out of the system

causing the defensive alignment to

lose shape, which in turn will create a

weak point in the defensive line.

The next part of support comes at

the tackle point. The support tackler

in a strong position may assist in

driving the attacker back, have a go

at stealing the ball or simply make it

difficult for the ball carrier to recycle

quickly. In terms of training, it is

quite useful to devise drills that focus

on the role of the support tackler

and how they can slow down or steal

opposition ball.

Darryl Suasua, the former coach of the

World Champions New Zealand Black

Ferns team is a NZRU Resource coach,

Counties- Manukau NPC Skills coach

and an IRB Trainer.

...the ability to go forward in an organised fashion... is a determining factor.


11/24


Womens rugby: The accidental rugby clubAbout two years ago the daughters of two Letchworth Garden City

RFC coaches used to train occasionally with the boys and dreamt

of forming a girls team. Today the club has a thriving girls section

playing fixtures against teams from across Eastern England. How

was the girls section formed and how could you make it happen inyour part of the world? John Birch, one of the founders, shares his

experience:

Establishing a foundation

The most difficult thing when you

want to start a g irls rugby team is

the actual beginning. Establishing a

girls team at Letchworth had always

been a kind of ill-defined aim, in a

vague sort of way but it was an aim

that never really got anywhere. The

breakthrough came when we were

offered the chance to manage a girls

team at the countys Youth Games.

This suddenly gave a focus, a target

and an official status, links into local

schools, and a girls tag rugby squad.

County Youth Games are common

across England and most include

girls tag rugby. In other countries

you may need perhaps to start and

run your own tournament; maybe as

an inter-schools event or some kind

of competition involving the local

Scouts or Girl Guides troops. But that

initial objective and purpose is vital

it captures the imagination of schools,

parents, girls and your own club.

Baiting the trap

Starting with a simplified, low-

contact version of the game - tag

rugby, touch rugby is essential.

Not only will this get players playing

virtually straight away, you are

also much more likely to get the

cooperation of schools, parents, etc.

who might be otherwise put off by

such a dangerous game.

Strange as it seems, the very schools

that send their girls abroad on skiing

trips to throw themselves down

mountainsides with bits of wood tied

to their feet get so very concerned

about possible injury on a rugby field!

but start sneaking in some contact

very early on.

There is a line of thought which

says, Introduce contact slowly. Dont

frighten them away. However, we

at Letchworth had a different view

and made it clear from day one

that tag or touch rugby are means

to an end not ends in themselves

and got the girls hitting bags from

day two. The idea of thumping the

teacher (or at least the bosh bag

they are holding) appears to have a

certain appeal. Cant think why

and as for those previously thought

as less athletic - give them a taste

of scrums, mauls, and rucks and

suddenly (perhaps for the first time in

their sporting lives) they are heroes!

Within a month theyll want to play

nothing but contact.

Play games

Seems obvious but many new

clubs seem strangely reluctant to put

their charges onto the field too early.

We found that about 4-5 weeks was

all that was needed to make a team

competitive and the tight time

frame did wonders for sharpening the

girls attention.

Attracting new players

The best recruiting sergeants are the

players themselves. As a rule, you can

get one new player for every 4-5

existing ones. Encourage the girls

to regard their sisters and cousins as

potentially useful members of the

U14s squad, rather than annoying

inconveniences. Point out that it

affords them the opportunity to

practice their tackling at home

Publicity pays

Most local newspapers are so

desperate for copy that they will

print an account of paint drying

- if well wr itten. Getting your girls

activities covered is normally pretty

straightforward, and well worth it.

First it obviously attracts new players,

but even more importantly it does

wonders for the self-belief and

confidence of the team.

The teenage years are the age of

questioning and doubt. And if they

are doing something unusual and

girls playing rugby is unusual they

need to know they are doing the

right thing. And that is where the

odd article here and there scores. A

passing mention of their name in

an article will get them reaching for

their scrap-books; photographs will

mean that all their friends at school

will start asking them about the

game. The lift you get in the team

the day after the newspaper comes

out is palpable. And, if yours are not

the only girls team in the area, it

even adds a little spice to inter-club

fixtures.

And dont forget the electronic

media because your girls wont.

Your club website should have a

section devoted to the girls team

with a report on every match,

features and photographs. Most

certainly some of the girls are keen

to have a go.

And finally

In all the excitement a coach must

also remember that:

a) You do have a family who may

wish to at least say hello at some

point

b) The chances that they want to

discuss the make-up of Sundays

back row are pretty slim

c) You are not being paid to do this.

You are probably being paid to

do something else, so set your

priorities accordingly

d) Sleep is a good thing. Try to

include some in your diary.

Pioneers of womens rugby at Letchworth Garden City RFC the U17s team at the Beckenham

Festival (top) in action (above).

John Birch coaches at Letchworth Garden

City RFC.


12/24


The basic principles of the gameIn his article on the basic principles of the game, Jean-Luc

Barths, Regional Development Manager for French-speaking

Africa, revisits key concepts dating back to other major Frenchtheoreticians of the game, particularly Ren Deleplace and Pierre

Villepreux: GOING FORWARD to put pressure on the opposition;

and creating CONTINUITY of play through effective SUPPORT

in all aspects of the game, with or without possession of the ball.

1) Go forward

2) Support

3) Continuity

1) Go forwardIn all team sports in which the objective is to score points by reaching a

target of some kind, the most fundamental principle is to move forward to

get closer to the target. In the particular case of rugby, the target for the team

in possession (the goal-line) is very wide (up to 70m), which directly affects

the various ways the game is played. If tomorrow the lawmakers of the game

were to decide that tries could only be scored between the posts, the shape of

the game would change significantly.

The Laws allow the defender to make direct contact with the ball carr ier, so

players in both teams can go forward, the attacking team in an effort to score

and the defending team in order to prevent the attacking team from scoring.

Simply moving forward does not mean that it is always possible to score - or

to prevent a score - however, it does enable one team or the other to advance

beyond the gain line and shift the point of contact with the opposition back

into the other teams territory (Figure 1). In the end we shall see that the

Laws of the game and the space available in the field of play give rise to

several different ways of moving forward.

GAIN

LINE

TACKLE

LINE

In Figure 1, team A has carried the ball across the gain line and thereby pushed the

tackle line the point at which the defender makes contact with the ball carrier back

into the defending teams territory.

Figure 1

1.1 Pressure

Whenever there is opposition, each team sets out to dominate their

opponents. This means pressuring the opposition, forcing them to play

from a position of weakness, limiting their action in time and in space, and

putting the opposition on the defensive. Teams have particular strengths or

weaknesses, so it makes sense to pit strengths against weaknesses. Pressure can

be applied through good tactical decisions (keeping the ball and the players

moving in space) or through superior physical strength (wherever there is

physical contact between the teams, both individually and in numbers).

1.2 Going forward with the ball

The team carrying the ball will try to go forward to score or to exploit gaps

in the defence thereby enabling them to go forward again and eventually

score. Recognising the specific Laws governing off-side and the forward pass,

and the size of the playing surface (up to 70 metres wide and 100 metres

long), there are several options for moving the ball forward in the various

phases of play.

1.2.1 Types of play

There are several ways of moving the ball forward:

getting the ball out wide

penetration in numbers

tactical kicking.

With the exception of the set phases of play, when the defence mirrors the

formation of the attackers, the tactical decision how to move the ball forward

should be determined by where the opposition is at any given moment. For

example, we should get the ball out wide when the opposition are mostly

grouped in one part of the field, not simply because we decide ahead of time

to go wide with no reference to the disposition of the defenders.

Characteristics of each type of play:

Getting the ball out wide This means that the team in possession moves

the ball across the field, looking for ways to go forward, cross the gain line,

and eventually score.

The objective will be to:

- outflank the defence by playing wide (going round the outside of the opposition)

- penetrate through a gap in the defence (by moving the ball out, then

penetrating through a gap, Figure 2)

Figure 2

PLAYING WIDE PENETRATING MOVING THE

BALL WIDE

1) Go forward


13/24


- stretch the defence across the field to create wider gaps through which to

penetrate.

This type of play will be used primarily against a defensive alignment concentrated

in one part of the field and not well organised across the field.

Penetrating in numbers This type of play moves the ball straight down the

field, across the gain line, and eventually over the goal-line.

The objectives are:

- to drive forward through the gaps in the defence

- to force scattered defenders to move in to stop the drive so they can then be

outflanked in the next phase of play.

It is most often effective when the defenders are scattered all over the field, out

wide and deep, but with gaps between the defenders.

Tactical kicking Kicking moves the ball downfield, across the gain line.

The objectives are:

- to get the ball into space behind the defensive alignment

- to regain possession downfield.

It is mainly used to counteract a very strong defensive alignment across the field

but with deep open spaces behind. These three types of play can be used in the

three phases of play.

1.2.2 Phases of play General play, which is the movement of the players and the ball after set play

breakdowns or phase play, rucks and mauls, when there is no whistle and play is

still going on, the players are moving, but the ball is not

set play, lineouts, scrums, kick-offs and restart kicks, when the referee has ordered

a stoppage in play, the ball is dead and the players momentarily stop moving.

The choice of the type of play will be made:

In general play the players will need to be able to read where the opponents are

positioned if they are to make the best tactical decision about where and how to

attack (Figure 3). To be able to do this during the game entails focussing practice

on the development of tactical awareness (ability to read and understand play, and

respond appropriately during the game) as well as individual skills. Of the two,

tactical awareness is the more important.

At the breakdowns (phase play), the location of the ruck or maul in relation

to the gain line will determine which team has the upper hand. This in turn

conditions what happens next, although the final decision should always be made

relative to the defensive alignment, as in general play (Figure 4).

D O1 O2

A X1 X2 X3 X4

X1 IS THE

BALL-CARRIER

Figure 3

The location of the players and the potential overlap on the outside suggest getting the ball

out wide

by Jean-Luc Barthes

Figure 4 ATTACKDIRECTION

B1

B2

B3

GAIN LINE

B1 The breakdown occurs across the gain line, so defenders have to retreat,

support is going forward. The best option is to release the ball quickly and

move it away to the outside in the same direction play is moving.

B2 The breakdown occurs on the gain line; the choice of play depends on

where there could be an overlap, but the ball should be released quickly.

B3 The breakdown is behind the gain line, support players have to retreat

whereas defenders can move forward. The ball should be released slowly in

order to allow the support players to reorganise, and enable a clearing kick

to relieve pressure.

2) Support 3) Continuity


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Total Rugby Technicalwww.irb.com14 Total Rugby Technical

For example, when the breakdown point is short

of the gain line: most of the support players are

ahead of the ball carrier and they have to run

back towards their goal-line in support, whereasthe defenders can move forward. In this case, a

kick may relieve pressure. If the defending players

are moving forward in a random, disorganised

way, and there is space near the touch line,

playing wide will be a good option for exploiting

this open space while maintaining possession of

the ball (which is not the case when the ball

carrier kicks the ball away). A sound tactical

decision will only be made if the players first

reflex is to look at the defensive alignment before

deciding what to do next.

In set play - players align opposite one

another before the restart of play. There is no

obvious overlap, so the first movement by the

team in possession will be to create an overlap

somewhere on the field.

So decision about the type of play to be used for starting the move is made

before play restarts. This will be a strategic decision rather than a tactical one.

As soon as play restarts, the defending players move and we are back in a

tactical decision-making process (Figure 5).

The basic principles of the game (continued)

1.3 Going forward without the ball

If we accept that the attacking team is the one which is going forward

towards the opponents goal-line, then the team without the ball is attacking

when they go forward in defence and exert pressure on the team in

possession. The objective is to prevent the opposition from scor ing by closing

the gaps, and regaining possession in order to counter-attack.

The team in possession can still pass the ball (moving it out, penetrating in

numbers, or kicking), so defenders have to organise themselves to deal with

any of these three types of play.

Defensive alignment:

A first line of defence to counteract the opponents passing game, including a

significant number of players to defend across the field and target the ball carrier.

A second line of defence to cover the short kicks and defend against the players

who break the first line of defence, including a few players in cover defence who,

most of the time, will move parallel to the first line.

A third line of defence to cover the long kicks and defend against the players

who get through the first and second lines of defence, including one or two

players well behind the two other lines of defence who move, in most cases,

parallel to the first two lines.

Figure 6

ATTACK

DIRECTION

BCPOINT WHERE

BALL STARTS

OS

DS

IS

As soon as the ball begins to move we should be able to see:

BC ball carrier

IS (inside support) the last player to pass supports on the inside (deep enough in

relation to the BC to be able to burst through on the inside of the BC or to go in

on the BC if he is stopped).

OS (outside support) goes outside the BC in order to stay wide, draw the defender and

stretch the defence (only going in on the ball if there is danger of losing possession).

DS (deep support) the second last passing player (or any other player) in support behind

the BC. He stays inside the ball carriers inside shoulder so that he has the option of

coming through on the inside, going directly in on the ball or going on the outside.

2.2 Support without the ballDefenders have to organise themselves in three lines if they are to defend against

the three types of play. Once a player is no longer needed in one particular line

of defence, he goes where he is needed. For example: once the ball is passed

across the field it serves no purpose for the defenders on the inside to remain in

the first line of defence, so they drop back into the second line to scrape and

support their team mates still involved in the front line of defence.

Figure 5 ATTACK AND DEFENCE AT SET PLAY

2) Support2.1 Support with the ball

Sometimes the ball carrier will be able to go forward alone, but, most of the

time he will have to rely on support to keep the ball moving forward. When

its not possible to go on his own, the ball carrier may pass the ball to a team

mate in order to keep the movement going. Support needs to be organised

around the ball carr ier in such a way that the ball carr ier always has several

options (Figure 6).

Support needs to be organised around the ball carrier in such a way that the ball carrier always has several options.


15/24

Total Rugby Technical www.irb.com 15Total Rugby Technical

PASS

PLAYING WIDEPLAYING WIDE

PENETRATING IN

NUMBERS

PENETRATING IN

NUMBERS

DIRECT INDIRECT

Figure 7

RUCK OR MAUL

3) Continuity3.1 Continuity in attack (with the ball)

Even when the ball carr ier is going forward with organised support and the

players are executing a particular type of play, at some point this type of play

may no longer be effective in moving the ball forward.

Depending on where the opponents are, the attacking team must thenchange their means of attack and try to find another more effective pattern

of play.

We could call this a transition, designed to keep the ball moving forward.

When the transition is made through a pass, we could call it direct, and

when the transition occurs by means of a ruck or maul we could call that

indirect.

The pass is preferable because it doesnt give the defence time to reorganise

and get back into position. Indirect transition must be as quick as possible so

they should be quick rucks or mauls (where a minimum number of players

are involved).

3.2 Continuity in defence (without the ball)Going forward without the ball to prevent a score being made means closing down

the open space and regaining possession of the ball. Once possession is regained,

continuity of play is maintained by immediately setting up a counter-attack.

The type of counter-attack depends on where possession has been regained:

- Type I counter attack from the first line of defence

- Type II counter attack from the second line of defence

- Type III counter attack from the third line of defence.

The specific location of team mates and the opposition players in each of

these situations determines which way to counter-attack.

To score To prevent scoring

1) Going forward Creating spaces Closing spacesRegain possession

The aim: to put pressureusing the three types of play inrelation to the defence patternin the three types of play.* Global move* Fixing phases* Static phases

Global move:* Invividual and collective

landmarks for players movesin relation to the ball move

* Keep going in the same moveand with the same ball speedpass before tackle.

Organisation in lines to clashwith the three types of play in thethree phases of the game.

Fixing phases:* Choose the form (maul, ruck)

choose to restart

Static phases:* Strategy - choose how to start

the move* Choose how to structure the

set pieces

2) Support Organising the support in typeof play

Organising the support in linesMoving from a line to anotherone

3) Going on Choices of play in the move* Favouring the direct ones* Indirect ones - favouring quick

rucks or mauls

After turnover - counter attack on

* Line 1* Line 2* Line 3

Jean-Luc Barthes is the IRB Regional Development Manager for French-speaking Africa.

The basic principles

- Move the ball away from the point

of contact in order to try to shift

the pressure away from the side of

the field where the ball was coming

from.

- The player who gets the ball back

passes straight to a support player

on the outside (OS in Figure 6); if

a defender prevents the pass being

made to the outside the pass is to a

deep support player (DS in Figure

6) who then attacks on the outside.

It is essential that the player who

regains possession of the ball doesnt

run with it but simply acts as a pivot.

This requires a quick reaction by

all support players in order to:

- Create options around the player

who regained the ball (players

coming from inside)

- Create options on the outside of

the player who regained the ball

(going wide).

Possession regained deep in

cover defence (the third line of

defence)Characteristics:

- Outnumbered

- Depth of the counter attack varies.

Principles:

- Quick assessment of whether it is

possible to counter-attack or not

- Fix the first defenders

- Decide where to direct the

counter-attack in relation to where

the opposition is, and how much

space there is in which to counter-

attack.

Possession regained in the first or second lines of defence

Characteristics:

- Numerous players around and

heavy pressure.

- Opponents converge towards

where the counter-attack starts

which means there are few players

left out wide.

Principles:

- Go forward as quickly as possible

by passing or kicking.


16/24

www.irb.com16 Continuity : Continuit : Continuidad

Continuity of Possession v Conti

Principles of RugbyTechnical Checklist

Rugbys Charter, our foundation

document, describes the Principles

of Rugby as they relate to playing

and coaching, and to the creation

and application of Laws, in respect

of:

Conduct

Spirit

Contest and continuity

Sport for all

Maintaining the identities

Enjoyment and entertainment.

Within these, it provides a

framework for a technical checklist:

Contest for possession

Continuity of play: attack and

defence

Multi-faceted game, and

Rewards and punishments.

You can find this on the IRB website

at: http://www.irb.com/about/charter

CONTINUITY OF PLAY

CONTINUITY OF POSSESSION

CONTEST FOR POSSESSION

The diagram shows the two extremes:

THE GAMEWE WANT?

Continuity of PlayCHARACTERISTICS

CHANGES IN POSSESSION TURNOVERS CONTESTED RUCKS / MAULS LONG DRIVING MAULS CONSERVATIVE PLAY KICKING CREATION AND USE OF LATERAL

AND LINEAR SPACE LOW SCORES A GAME FOR ALL PLAYER-DIRECTED PLAY

Continuity of PossessionCHARACTERISTICS

NON-CONTESTED PHASE PLAY FLAT LINE DEFENCE ELIMINATION OF LATERAL SPACE BIG HITS KICKS DECIDING GAMES HIGH SCORES LOSS OF GAME IDENTITIES PREDICTABILITY COACH-DIRECTED PLAY

Continuity of possession - minimal contest. One team retains possession

unless it loses the ball at the tackle or makes an error.

The IRB holds a Conference on the

Game every four years to monitor

whether or not the game being played is

in fact The Game we want. This used

to be annual, but is now quadrennial

following the Mens Rugby World

Cup. Twenty-seven months have passed

since the 2003 RWC Final, and twenty

remain until the crowning of the new

champion in Paris, October 2007. So

a mid-term review is worthwhile. It

is natural to focus on the top levels of

rugby because that is the game we all

read or hear about, or see on television,

and because the RWC is the producer

of money that Unions all around the

world rely on. But it is important to

remember that 99% of rugby is not

international or representative level.

The focus of this short article is to

review developments in the Game as

they are affected by the relationship

between continuity of play, continuity

of possession, and the contest for

possession. The relationship is important

because it determines the characteristics

of general play between set pieces

and also has implications for safety,

involvement by coaches, and for the

sponsors and broadcasters who want

to be associated with an attractive and

engaging product.

Continuity of Possession where

there is minimal contest, and one

team retains possession unless it

loses the ball at the tackle (one of

the consequences of this extreme

is big hits), or makes an error such as

a knock-on or forward pass.

When the contest for possession

at maul, tackle or ruck is minimal

- so that in the diagram play slides

to the right towards continuity of

possession, the defending team will

concede the ball at mauls, tackles,

or post-tackle rucks. The attacking

team is permitted to keep the ball

Continuity of Play where

there is maximal contest for the

ball, where both teams are likely

to have possession of the ball

between whistles, and


17/24

www.irb.com 17Continuity : Continuit : Continuidad

uity of Playby Tom Jones

with minimum challenge as the

defending team concentrates moreon realignment so that it can make

the next tackle. Predictably, the

original attacking team will score.

The only question is when, and how

long will it take? When, however, the

contest for possession slides to the

left on the diagram, the defence will

be very combative at the point of

contact and at subsequent rucks and

mauls, so that there will be changes

in possession and turnovers. Play

will be less predictable, with ebbs

and flows, upsets and more space

for attacking teams to use because

the defenders must gather together

to challenge for possession. In each

situation, the whistle will blow if

a team makes a mistake, if a Law is

broken, or when points are scored.

But what a massive difference there

will be to the shape of game!

The early days of professional rugby

saw a game in which the contest for

possession seemed to be less important

than it had been historically. This has

changed. During the 2004 and 2005

Tri-Nations tournaments, the team

that secured most possession from first

phase finished third overall.

Indeed, in 2004, South Africa won

the tournament having secured the

least first-phase possession of the three

teams. This suggests that increasingly

there is a contest for possession at the

breakdown, and that turnovers lead

Continuity of play - maximal contest for the ball. Both teams are likely

to have possession between whistles.

to scores. It also means that South

Africa attacked effectively. Anecdotally,we seem to have emerged from an

era in which continuity of possession

has dominated the thinking of the

technicians.

The re-discovery of driving mauls

is welcome, so that lateral and linear

space is created. Teams which, after

causing turnovers, are best able to

react to defensive patterns and to

make quick and sound decisions, are

winning games. Overly planned play

is declining, flat line defences are

being breached and thus re-evaluated,

and there is reduced premium on

short range pounding close to the

breakdown. Evasive, rather than

confrontational running is on the

increase.

There are real - but not new -

messages for coaching in all of this.

Coaches, who are able to help players

to develop their abilities to look,

see, understand, decide and to act

effectively; and to combine this with

surety of possession at the restarts,

and to contest possession, will be

successful. At the post 2007 RWC

Conference on the Game, there will

be an evaluation of where the contest

is positioned in relation to continuity

of play and continuity of possession.

Perhaps change wont be necessary?

Tom Jones is the IRB Regional Development

Manager for NAWIRA

Coaching NewsEddie Jones on IRB duty

Former coach of Australia, Eddie Jones, is undertaking a review of

coaching in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga as part of the ongoing IRB strategic

development programme that is being managed by the organisationsPacific Islands Advisory Committee (PIAC). Eddie has always been

regarded as a forthright and strategic thinker. His review of the existing

coaching structures and processes in the Pacific Islands will give the

Unions a benchmark of where standards currently sit and provide a

bluepr int for moving forward, said PIAC Chairman Bob Tuckey. The

Pacific Islands are a hotbed of rugby and a renowned nursery for some

very talented players. It is great that the IRB is assisting the Unions

through such a substantial investment that

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