Running lines after the break

Large tackle tubes are useful for tackling and decision-making.

I use an exercise where the tubes act as masks and channels.

The ball carrier scans for a gap and then either passes for a player to run through the gap or runs through the gap themselves. The other attackers have narrow spaces to get through before supporting any break. 

This replicates a game situation where there is plenty of unwanted traffic once a break has been made. You can run the exercise in two stages, with the players getting used to spotting a gap in the first stage. The second stage adds another decision.

Often line breaks fail because players cannot adjust their running lines from the first break. 

STAGE 1 

1. Put three tackle tubes in a line about two metres apart, with one defender “hiding” behind each bag.
2. Get the defenders to secretly decide which two of them will go out into the gaps between and around the tubes.
3. Set up a starting point to the side of the tubes to represent a ruck, which can be another tube on the ground or some cones.
4. Spread out four attackers opposite the gaps between the tubes and a player with a ball by the “ruck”.
5. The attack cannot take the ball into the gap between the ruck and the first tube. Make the ball carrier at the ruck pass the ball out. At the same time, have the defenders step into a gap.
6. The attack has to pass to the player in the gap.

STAGE 2 

1. Have another two defenders about five metres behind the line of tubes, with one defender another five metres behind them.
2. Adjust these distances depending on your team’s skill levels.
3. The first two defenders come forward when the ball carrier “breaks” the line.
4. If the attack breaks this line, then the next defender comes forward.
5. Adjust the starting points for the defenders so that they can be coming in from the side, from behind or from further away.