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LOGINDisrupt opponents with an 'attack dog'
Sevens defenders must judge when to cut off the attack’s options and ’go get’ the space. JAMIE BARNWELL, of MLR team FreeJacks, puts this into a game.
This ’cut off options game’ is a great way to enable your players to identify when to apply pressure to prevent a territory gain and slow down the opposition’s ball.
Going forward, or ’go getting’, reduces the attack’s time, space and available options.
The game focuses on the defence fulfilling their primary roles at rucks and then spotting opportunities when they have identical, or greater, numbers to get off the line quickly.
They will try to reduce the opposition’s time and space, aiming to cut off any attacks going wide and forcing them back inside towards defenders and contact.
How it works
Set up a 7v7. The attack has two phases to score - this can be increased to a maximum of four phases.
The attack chooses the starting point on the field, which can be anywhere in their own half.
Start from a ruck position with the ball carrier on the ground, a support player over the ball and a 9 in place ready to play the ball away. Number the defence 1-6, with one sweeper, who does not have a number.
Start the game by calling out two or three of the defenders’ numbers. Those players must rush to the breakdown and do three push-ups. When you shout “Play!”, the attack starts.
The sweeper cannot come into the defensive line until the ball has been played.
When touched, the ball carrier can make an immediate offload or go to ground and present the ball in another ruck, with one player over the ball in support and another to play the ball away.
Any defensive players who touch the ball carrier must immediately get down and do three push-ups. If two make the touch, both do three push-ups.
Example 1
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If you call three players to the ruck off the start, the defence will be low on numbers once they have filled in their key roles first. This means no ’go-get’ is on and they will fall into their push defence, which means giving up space and pushing the attack out. They only ’slide’ once the ball is the air
The first player from the ground covers the clearing passer (scrum-half) first before drifting on to the first receiver
Example 2
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If you call one player to the ruck, the defence can send in the ’attack dog’. They aim to take both player and ball - but it is not an exact science, because the attack might still be able to shift the ball to the winger, so the ’dog’ might have to drop off
The ’attack dog’ goes in to cut down options, but might have to drop off if the attack manages to get the ball away quicker
The first player from the ground covers the clearing passer (scrum-half) first before drifting on to the first receiver
Coaching Points
- Encourage defenders to recognise when they have equal or greater numbers on their feet than the attackers, which signals the moment to ’go get’.
- Also encourage defenders to ’go get’ when they have superior numbers and the attack is up against the touchline with only one way left to play. In this situation, the second player from the end is regarded as the most important, and potentially effective, defender when pushing up together in a defensive line. They are called the ’attack dog’. Their job is to move up slightly quicker than the rest of the line to cut off the possibility of an attack out wide and force the attackers to go back infield and take contact. This is considered a win for us.
- If the ’attack dog’ feels they are getting caught up in no-man’s land, their job is to then go back ’soft’ and reconnect with the winger to defend the outside attacking option. This type of real-time decision-making is an art, not a science, and requires plenty of practice.
Click here to see the game in action!
Jamie Barnwell was previously head coach of the Bermuda rugby sevens national team. This article is based on a blog on his website, Jamie’s Rugby 7s Playbook: Tactical Mastery
Jamie Barnwell
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