From classroom to the field: Retrieval Practice

How might we, as coaches, use Retrieval Practice on the field?

Before training: Consider what prerequisite knowledge players will need in order to be successful in this session.

For example, if players are new(ish) to tackling, and your session involves contact, what would be a suitable warm-up? If you have identified the tackle-and-ruck as an area for development in your session, what prior knowledge will players need to draw from to be successful? Or, if your team is continuously being penalised for being offside at set pieces, what cues might you need to provide in your session to trigger their memories of offside lines?

During training: Think about how you can provide players with the opportunity to retrieve the aforemetioned pre-requisite knowledge they need to succeed.

Let’s look at our examples from above and some potential solutions. These are merely suggestions, though – there are many other techniques that you are probably already using that might work far better.

Example 1 - if players are new(ish) to tackling, and your session involves contact, what would be a suitable warm-up?

A coach could ask players to pair up, provide ‘hip height, shoulder and wrap’ cues (see above illustration) and then ask players to practise tackle technique in pairs.

Example 2: if you have identified the tackle-and-ruck as an area for development in your session, what prior knowledge will players need to draw from to be successful? 

Before a tackle/ruck drill, the coach might ask: "What does a successful tackle-and-ruck look like?". The coach might then ask players to pair up and discuss the answer.

The coach could circulate the conversations and, if they are not happy, they could stop the conversations to provide cues such as ‘tackler release, on feet, and contest’ before asking players to discuss in pairs again.

Example 3: If your team is continuously being penalised for being offside at set pieces, what cues might you need to provide in your session to trigger their memories of offside lines?

A coach may simulate a scrum, lineout or ruck situation and place a cone at the appropriate offside line.
The coach might then ask: "Why have I placed these cones here?". This will help players to recall their knowledge of offside lines and apply them to the drill. The cones are also a handy cue until players no longer need them.

After training: As a reflection, consider the following: What did players struggle to grasp? What have they not mastered yet? Is this fundamental to success in the next training session/game? What will they need to have mastered from prior training sessions to be successful in their next session/game?

Summary and tips

• Consider the prior knowledge of your players and the pre-requisite knowledge needed for success in your upcoming training sessions and games.
• Create scenarios that involve players actively recalling prior knowledge that they will need to apply in your training sessions.
• Provide cues for any players struggling to recall the prerequisite knowledge.
• Reflect on what your players could/couldn’t do and did/didn’t know, so you can plan for targeted recalling of knowledge in your next session.
• The more frequently you ask players to recall prior knowledge, the more likely they are to remember it next time and attach new knowledge to it.