Who's the daddy?

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Any All Black player is confident enough to take the ball into contact and retain possession if there is nothing else on. They make ground and present the ball effectively. Use this session to improve your players’ techniques to make vital yards in tight areas.

Warm up time: 5
Session time: 5-8
Development time: 6-9
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 7

What to think about

Any player, whatever position, must have the mindset to be “strong” on the ball when they are outnumbered and cannot get a pass away. It is about mental attitude to fight forward, keep possession and not give up the ball, either to an opposition player or from a knock on or penalty. Each player will have different techniques, depending on the relative sizes of attacker and defender. Push the players to perform under greater pressure by changing the parameters, like spacing and starting points. See this session as a challenge where success is measured in attitude as well as hard yards.

set-up

Stay on your feet, keep moving forward, keep strong in contact.
Fight for possession. Be the winner in contact

What you get your players to do

Put an attacker at one end of the box, a defender in the middle and a defender on each of the try line corners. As the attacker moves forward, release one or both of the try line defenders. With the middle defender, they aim to stop the ball carrier’s progress. Use full contact and play for five to ten seconds before stopping. See if the ball carrier retains possession, scores or is turned over.

The attacker aims to get as far down the box as possible without losing the ball.

Development

Put two ruck pad holders in the middle of the box and a defender on the try line. The attacker runs through the middle of the pads, and aims to beat the third defender. This defender moves forward only once the attacker is through the pads. As a development, add a supporting attack player, who can arrive after three seconds or as you think is necessary.

Related Files

Advanced-278-whos-the-daddy.pdfPDF, 146 KB

The attacker goes through the pads. Once through he has to beat the third defender.

Game situation

Put an attacker in the middle of the box, with a feeding player at the side. Put two defenders on the try line. The feeder passes in the ball. Once he has passed, he runs around the corner cone to support the ball carrier. In the meantime, the defenders target the ball carrier. Adjust the starting points to offer different scenarios.

The receiver aims to score over the try line. The feeder runs back and around to support.

What to call out

“Aim at the sides of defenders”
“Short steps through contact to keep on the feet”
“‘Who’s the daddy?’ attitude”

Dan Cottrell

Dan is a practising RFU Level 3 coach and coach educator. He coaches with the Bristol Bears DPP programme, is head coach of Bristol Schools U18s and the Rugby Performance coach for Bristol Grammar School.

He was head coach of Swansea Schools U15, Young Ospreys Academy, assistant coach with the Wales Women's Team for the 2010 World Cup, director of rugby for Cranleigh School, Surrey. He played for Bath, Bristol, Esher and Clifton, South West division, Gloucestershire and Surrey.

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