Drift defence: Cover all bases

This session develops players’ drift defence techniques. Most defences will be outnumbered at some stage if the team covers kicks into the backfield. Therefore, players will need to drift to cover possible overlaps.

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 10-15
Warm down time: 5-8

What to think about

Drift defence is a setpiece system but it is also an essential open play defence. The outside player should call the drift (he can see if there is an overlap!) but the inside players have to push the outside players out. Players have to decide what communication to use (calls) and when they want to move out. Also, your team will need to decide whether they will use a hard or soft drift. A hard drift closes down space in front, while a soft drift comes up slower, giving up ground, but less likely to be beaten on the inside or outside.

set-up

1. Come up together and move across together.
2. Don’t turn the shoulders, - keep them facing up the pitch.
3. Don’t step back to make a tackle, trust the inside player.

What you get your players to do

Set up two sets of four cones about 10m apart, with the cones offset as in picture 1. Start three ruck pad holders on a cone each and three defenders on cones at the other end. Tell the ruck pad holders and defenders to come forward. The ruck pads can move up and across in any direction, aiming to beat the defenders. The defenders aim to tackle from the inside (that is with their right shoulder if they are running up and right). Swap starting points to offer different situations.