Forgotten secrets of the rugby attack

Entering from the shadows

With all the decoy runners and miss passes currently being used, attacks have forgotten about the “extra man”. He enters the line late, from out of the shadow of a team mate, close to the playmaker and some distance from the most likely defender.

If the playmaker draws his defender and holds him on his inside shoulder, the defender finds his running line is impeded by the playmaker before and during the pass. The extra player runs off the defender’s inside shoulder arriving late so his entry is unexpected.

The nearest defender will be positioned to defend the next attacker in the line and will be at least a good passing distance from the extra man.

If he doesn’t come in to tackle, the extra man can just keep going. If this defender now comes in to tackle the extra man, his attacker will be left free and the extra man can pass to him.

This article is from International Rugby Coaching.