Game Plan:
..the question.......What would you advise as the best approach going into a game with a very mobile pack and excellent backline against a team with big hard running loose-forwards.
The opponents forwards are heavier but not as mobile while our backs also have an edge on the opponents with regards to speed and handling ability.
What tends to happen is that the opponents bring the game closer to our forwards - to enable them to play with their forwards.You, obviously, need to keep the game fast, wide and open. I'd suggest back row open moves linking with centres, 10, 12 switches to your 7, coupled with rapid 2/3 man rucking to tie their back row up and then getting the ball out and wide to the backs.
Avoid set pieces and make your forwards play any contact as fast as possible.If your forwards are good handlers, use them as backs in the first instance to open up the defence and suck in that back row. In defence, use your forwards to spoil their possession as much as possible, and cut off their back's link with their forwards
goals/planning
Question: How do team goals, strategy and tactics determine what a coach should be planning for next weeks' practices?Some general comments:
In my opinion, one of the most important lessons a coach (of any sport) must learn is the fundamental differences and important connections among 1. Team goals, 2. Strategy, and 3. Tactics
When these terms are clearly understood and reflected in a clear annual (or multi-year) plan, can a team expect to move forward. The coach's chief purpose is to successfully manage the plan.
1. Team Goals. These will vary by team (even within a club) but it should reflect the aspirations of your club...aspirations, not unattainable dreams. Goals can be as specific as position in the league standings or more general, possibly pertaining to the style of play your team uses (e.g., we want to be the best team at open field playor we want to develop a style that involves all 15 players
2 3. Strategy and tactics. I place them together here because they are often confused with one another and used interchangeably.
Strategy can refer to an overall team strategy (style of play?) or to a specific match strategy.
The important distinction between strategy and tactics is that the former is a general statement that reflects the team's plans, whereas the latter might be viewed as the techniques used to successfully implement the strategy.
An example that relates these concepts:
A team's goals might be to
1. Compete successfully in the upper echelon of its league;
2. To do so while developing a style of 15-man rugby;
3. Improve individual skills.Strategically (either match or overall) this team might decide play an open style of game whereby backs will ruck and maul as needed and forwards will link up and participate in backline manouvers.
Clearly, a strategy outlined here supports goal number 2, above. There are many ways to be successful in rugby, and this team has decided that an open style of play, involving all players, will allow them to meet its first goal.
This team has also decided that its third goal (improve individual skills) is to be reached because it is a necessary step in developing an open style of play.Tactically, this team will probably reduce common ploys such as kicking for position (unless it is an obvious thing to do), and possibly using backrow moves from the scrum only to facilitate open play (i.e., to move defenses to set up open play).
Clearly, the coach's job for this team is to outline an annual plan that will support goals, strategies and tactics.
Practices will inevitably include individual skills, but for this team they will also focus on developing skills in open play. Backs will have to be taught to keep the ball alive and reduce their attachment to kick for touch.
Forwards will have to be taught proper running lines and to be able to use support rather than to look to set up a maul or ruck. Everyone will have to have a better idea of covering for individuals who get caught out of position.
A coach's job will be to determine, based on the strengths/weaknesses of the team, what components are necessary for practice to support these decisions.I would like to have some examples of your team goals and the strategies and tactics that support these goals.
Finally, comment on how these decisions shape what you, as a coach, plan for your practices. Also comment on, if applicable, how have you dealt with a situation where your overall strategy has had to change mid-season, and how did this impact your team's performance?
ATTACK
Aim of attack is to penetrate the opponents defense to score Penetration may be immediate,eventual back play comes from hitting the right lines , the right depth , and putting the pass in the right place to play a fast game you need to control the def.. if the player goes too far he gives the control to the def
THE WIDE GAME .
.....get the ball to the wide channels and organise support there decision making is made at the sides not the mid field. play a wide stretching game , pushing the ball across the field without looking for to much penetration attack wide channels and get support there provided you are consistently able to reproduce ball , the pace of the game is impossible to live with must retain possession..tight 5 do most of the running because backrow have a defined role staying infield to sustain attacks each time they move infield create mismatches ...attack from depth.. 10 ..winning quick ball..take flat... slower ball..take it deeper but still move it wide as the first option
TACTICS
I disagree with some of the tactics you suggest against stronger opposition. 'Kicking to the box' and using the sidelines will only give away posession.
Kicking at all does mostly one thing...give it to the opposition. The modern game gives an advantage to the throw in the line-out and the stonger the team the more this is so.
You suggest not challenging in the line-out, and I agree.
Driving gives the opposition bad ball.My suggestions results in a boring game to watch, but is similar to The all Blacks a few years ago.
Concentrate everything on keeping the ball once you have it. Slow down the game. Slow mauls, taken in time after time, frustrate the opposition and put your team in control. Two or three well rehearsed moves from defined field position can then exploit your strength and surprise the opposition.'Tackling like demons' saps energy and allows large scores in the last 20 minutes.
Players have to be disciplined to do everything in groups, and backs must be experts at setting up mauls and rucks, with gaining of yards secondary.
In defence I think they should drive the rucks and mauls, without committing too many bodies.
Getting the opposition on the back foot when attacking helps you move your tackle line in front of your forwards to run the shorter distance. You need noisy half-backs and a full back to stop forwards overcommitting in numbers
tactics 2
Assuming that skill level is similar how would you prepare *your* slower, weaker and smaller team for such a match. First of all I completely agree with comments about not putting the emphasis on winning -- I think the big picture is far more important.
Aim to play your best, above all have fun, and within that context winning often takes care of itself. However, on the specifics of games in which you appear outmatched, I would suggest as a coach in the preparations to try to work most of all on defensive play, and also how to disrupt and control the tempo of thegame.
For defensive things, first of all obviously there are the essentials like alignments and systems. Make sure everybody has role to play, 15 people tackling like demons (but in an organised fashion) will help keep the score close.
However, you might even go to a more extreme position -- doing unorthodox things to make sure you've got people in position to make tackles.
For example you might go so far as to tell your players not to commit rucks and mauls [even if the opposition are going forward in them], tell your fullback to be positive about stepping into the line as a tackler (at least if they end up kicking, it is down to the bounce of the ball), don't challenge in the lineout but look to tackle, and maybe even drop a flanker out [even from your lineout] into the backline (not just to tackle but to try to turn over lose ball).
Look at how the opposition are most effective at scoring, and try specifically to counter that [make them at least go to plan B
In terms of changing the tempo of the game, there are all kinds of things to try, just think about what style they may have trouble dealing with and potentially might suit the players you have available [but you might also want to do what they will not expect of you]:
You might try to unstructure the game, tap all you penalties, run back every kick, shorten lineouts [more so they have to think, rather than a means to win ball], moving backs around with players out of position or in unconventional alignments, unconventional kickoffs, fling the ball back in the tackle rather than taking contact, anything out of the ordinary.
Don't let the opposition settle into their game. Or you might look to apply pressure -- kick and chase, target pressure on their halfbacks, close things down as quickly as possible. Make things scrappy and hope to frustrate them.
Finally you might try to take the pace out of the game. Take your time over everything, work the sidelines, kick to the box, drive every maul,perhaps even in the extreme some teams might give away penalties rather than turn over quick ball.
If you don't let the game flow at all then you might be able to stay organised, which will probably help defensively.