Criss Cross Offloads

admin    Handling     ball carrying arm, Carry, Communication, hit and spin, offload, offloads, support, Tackle

INTRODUCTION

This is a neat drill that keeps everyone constantly working and see’s the players learning how to go into contact in a way that allows them to spin off the defender, keeping the ball carrying arm away and then works on the ability to offload to a man following up in support.

This drill requires Marker Cones, 2 Tackle Shields and a ball.

read more

Support Line Drill

admin    Handling, Warm Up     Catching, Coaching, Communication, Decision Making, drills, kicking, League, lines, Passing, Rugby, runnes, support

INTRODUCTION

This defensive drill works on a number of the core defensive skills as well as getting your defenders working together as part of a defensive unit. This drill will also work on player fitness when done continually for a set number of minutes.

Dummy Runner or Option Runner

admin    Free     attack, Coaching, Communication, Decision Making, Defense, dummy, games, Handling, kicking, League, option, Rugby, runner, support

When I started coaching I got into the habit of asking players to be a ‘Dummy Runner’ in certain situations and very quickly they became used to being that ‘Dummy Runner’ which created problems further down the line. As the team progressed we then started getting the half backs taking on the line and picking the correct option which then caused a problem with our Dummy Runners.

What had happened is that the players had got used to running the lines but didn’t expect the ball but the halfs where giving them the ball because they where actually the correct option as they had a gap infront of them. Argutments ensued and the whole issue had to be addressed and thats when I realised a mistake had been made that slowed down our progress.

As an example take a look at the X Ball Video

This video is a basic introduction to the X Ball which introduces the players to the lines of runnall ing but we dont talk about running the X at the line and picking the correct option.

The X ball simply sees the widest runner go straight and then run across the front of the inside man who runs a line behind him. When I first started teaching this move I taught it that the Front runner was a dummy runner who never got the ball when  in reality as you see by the second part of the video the front runner should be an option.

The reason is simply that you never know where the defenders are going to go and they could spot the man going behind and all slide towards him leaving the front man going through a hole, simply you then want your half back to hit that runner and put him through the hole.

Thoughts or comments? Please register and then post them.

Explaining overs and Unders

admin    Decision Making, Handling     attacking, coaches, Coaching, Defence, defenders, drag, Handling, hold, inside, League, outside, overs, Rugby, runner, shoulder, step, support, unders

INTRODUCTION

Ultimately when coaching Rugby League, you want your players to create an overlap or to drag defenders out of position so that a hole is created in the defensive line for someone to go through!! Overs and Unders are a way of creating these holes for people to go through.

Both are coached in a very similar way, an unders line See’s the support player run towards the ball carrier and overs the opposite way. The video below shows you the unders line being run twice and the overs line once.