“Onsides!”

WHY USE IT

Less-experienced players don’t tend to work as a team in defence; they just think about tackling. Start the process of connecting defenders together with this exercise.

set up

A 12m x 3m box, one ball.

HOW TO PLAY

Stand with at least five defenders facing you in a line. Give each a number. Have an ‘attacker’ (shown as P on the illustrations) behind you. When you shout a number, the corresponding defender runs forward and touches the static attacker (as per the first illustration). In the meantime, you run to another place inside the box, stop and shout “Onsides!”. The defenders run back to get onside, as in the middle picture, with the attacker running back in behind you. With them in place, call out another number and repeat the process, as per the bottom illustration. Develop by making the attacker run forward with a ball before they are touched by any player. Add in more attackers, with you releasing a ball for the attackers to play from. Perhaps make one player the captain of the defence and responsible for making sure their team is onside and correctly spaced.

COACHING POINTS

• Fill out from the coach, so there is an even spacing.
• Outside players should help the inside players get into position.
• Call that they are onside and in position.