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LOGINOdds and evens
Your team works hard in attack to create broken play situations where the opposition defence is not well organised. Yet, it is possible to train so hard that you forget to develop the next stage of the attack. Odds and evens works on players scanning the field and taking advantage of possible mismatches and gaps.
Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 10-12
Development time: 10-12
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 5-7
What to think about
Most of the spaces found during these exercises will be through the middle of the playing area, and not on the outside. This creates interesting reference points for the attack because they are passing into defensive traffic. The ball carrier will always attract defenders. He must draw them on by moving forward fast, but have the ball available to pass. For example, he must not tuck the ball under one arm. Sometimes the ball carrier can take contact but turn as he does so, rolling with the tackle and popping a pass to a close support player. Note that research suggests players like Dan Carter will scan what’s in front of them three times as much as amateur players.set-up
- Look up as you are getting into position.
- Attack spaces quickly.
- Support close to the ball as well as away from the ball.
What you get your players to do
Spread out coloured cones along opposite ends of the square (as in the top picture). Split your players into groups of three and put two groups inside the square. Have one group pass the ball around whilst the others try to intercept.
Shout out a colour and the team in possession run to stand on the respective coloured cones. The other team stand on the white cones at the sides of the square. Count down after you have called the colour, after which the attackers aim to score at the far end of the square from where they are standing. Use touch or full tackling.
Development
- Adjust the player numbers in the square so it might be four against three. Sometimes there will be an overload for the defence but still space in the middle for the attack to exploit.
- Set up the side cones to create different gamelike scenarios, like playing from the side of a ruck. Consider putting one of the defensive cones on the same line as the attackers’.
Related Files
Game situation
Split your players into four attackers and a feeder against three defenders. Set out some coloured or numbered cones near one end (as in the bottom picture). Start the attackers and defenders in the middle and shout out which cones you want the defenders to run to. In the meantime, the attack run back to their own try line and receive the ball from the feeder, before scanning for gaps and attacking. Play normal rugby rules but do not allow rucks.
What to call out
- “Run backwards to get into position”
- “Don’t run away from the ball carrier in traffic because he cannot pass “through” defenders”
- “Communicate quickly where the mismatches are”
Dan Cottrell
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