Lanzamiento al line out (en inglés)

Developing lineout throw accuracy

By Jason Lewis, a former PE teacher and now Development Manager for the WRU, and Dan Cottrell

Use your rugby posts to improve your thrower's accuracy.

Start by marking the maximum jump height of your jumper on an upright post. Next, place three cones at distances of 5, 10 and 15 metres along the try line.

From each position the thrower must take 10 throws, each time attempting to hit the mark on the post.

The sequence can start on the short 5 metre cone, building up to the 15 metre mark.

As an alternative, you can call out which cone the player needs to move to so they work on their set up prior to throwing.

Top tip

It's good practice to agree on a number of throws with the player before starting, and to set a success target for throws at each cone and for throws overall.

Suggested targets to set are:

* 5 metre cone - 90% (9 out of 10).

* 10 metre cone - 80% (8 out of 10).

* 15 metre cone - 70% (7 out of 10).

These targets give an overall 80% success for 30 throws.
What to call out

* "Check your set up. Are you square?"

* "Follow through and finish high."

* "Make a "window" with your hands."

Development

Try combining this activity with running or upper body exercises to replicate the demands of the game.


Put a player in front of the posts holding up a ruck pad so the thrower has to go over the bag, to practise the "lob" throw.

Ejercicio de continuidad (en inglés)

The big step

By Dan Cottrell

If the ball carrier is powerful in the contact area, then they can offload or maintain possession more effectively.

Less experienced and younger players have a tendency to fall over or crumple unless they practise good body positions and use a good step into contact.

This session - "The big step" - concentrates on this footwork.

What you tell your players the session is about

• Improving your ability break through defenders.

• Improving your continuity options in the attack.

• mproving your effectiveness in contact.

What you tell your players to do

• Be purposeful in your movement forward.

• Use your shoulder, hip and thigh to make contact with the pad.

• At the contact point take a big step to make a firm base and keep you strong.

What you get your players to do

• Split your squad into four defenders with contact shields, with the rest working as attackers.

• Position the defenders evenly on each side of the box.

• Each attacking player has to make his way through the area taking a big step into each defender and knocking them back.

• The defenders can step towards the attacker as though moving into tackle.

What to call out

• "Attack the defender"

• "The last step is a big step"

• "Feel the air being knocked out of the pad"

• "Step past the pad"

• "Be aggressive"

Development

• Add a support player who takes the pass after the defender is knocked out the way. This player takes it onto the next defender.

• Add more defenders and attackers so it becomes more like a game.

Game situation

* Play on a pitch about 20 metres wide, so there is little space to go through and plenty of contact.

* Split into six attackers and six defenders.

* If you have contact shields use these to start. If not, condition tackling to be a grab, rather than a full-on tackle. By doing this, the players will be able to break through the defence and off load to supporting players.

* Tries have to be scored in the corners.



What to think about

* Are the players balanced and powerful at contact, or when making contact do they lose power and at times fall down?

The players have to make sure their final step before contact is big and the lead foot is placed beyond the defender. This will make them more powerful and strong.

* Are players holding the ball in the lead shoulder?

The ball can be vulnerable if held in the lead shoulder, therefore get the players to practise moving the ball from shoulder to shoulder, while on the run.

Ejercicio de Ataque (en inglés)

Run throughs with real pressure

By Mark Calverley, an IRB Level 4 coach working in school and club rugby in New Zealand

Unopposed practices can lead to poor outcomes. Here's a system I devised that I think more closely mirrors rugby matches. It forces players to take good options and be accurate in their play.
The aim is produce a session to finish off our training, where we can run through our plays, without players running too far and recycling the ball too quickly, since this is unrealistic.
Setting up the pitch

I set up the pitch with a number of gates on the major lines of the pitch (see the diagram), and divide the pitch into six zones. The attacking team may only enter and exit a zone through the gates.
You can use the whole team, or a backline with two or three back row forwards. Start the ball from a circle simulating either a scrum or line out. Play out set moves or let the players use any move they want.
The ball can be set and mauled, popped up (on or off the ground), or rucked at any stage. Or the ball can simply be passed player to player to penetrate a gate. Tell the team to avoid drifting with the ball and encourage good communication and rhythm in attack.


The principle move callers (usually the fly half, 10, inside centre, 12, and scrum half, 9) should direct play. They should use the forwards to set up positions where set plays from rucks or mauls can be called and then actioned without the need to stop play and discuss what to do.
This should help the team call and perform set moves, from general play and not just from static set pieces.
Developing the session

Add defenders who can tackle, pose problems to the attack and contest for the ball.
Defenders may not contest in the shaded zones in front of the gates or three metres after the red gate.
Defenders may change the positions of the gates during the exercise, but only when the attacking team have not yet entered that zone. For instance, change the zone 5 gate when the attack is in zone 2.
Building the session towards a game

Play 15 v 6, then 15 v 8, up to 15 v 12. Keep the zones in place but stipulate how many phases as a minimum are allowed in each zone, but only as each zone is reached. Then remove the attack gates.
In a one phase zone, the attacking team will have to keep the ball alive and offload lots. In the multi phase zones they will have to ruck and maul, and draw defenders in to create space.
What should the players be thinking about?

Are they putting pace on to the ball?
Are they aware where the attack channel is and where the end of zone is?
Are they reading the play? Sometimes players will have to set up contact areas, like rucks, so they can attack the gates from the next phase, if they cannot easily and realistically attack the gate from the initial phase.
Are they supporting appropriately? Make sure that the back row knows what the moves are and where they go - zone the pitch width ways if necessary.

Típico sistema defensivo (en inglés)

There is a "must-have" defensive system to run from your own try line.

Successfully defending pressure on your own try line can be a game turning moment. The opposition become disheartened and your players grow in self belief.

There are four key areas to defend, each with specific responsibilities.

1. The "post" who stands just more than an arm's length from the ruck to avoid being pulled in. This player tackles opponents into or behind the ruck.

2. The "guard" who stands outside the "post" and tackles opponents towards the ruck.
These two defenders must take a stance with their outside foot forwards and inside hand on the floor, thus maintaining a low, square-on position.
3. The "key" who stands further out from the "guard". Again, his job is to tackle opponents back towards the ruck. Importantly, he also calls the defensive line forwards when the ball is picked from the ruck.
4. "Man in the hole" who covers the gap behind the ruck as secondary help for the "post" players. He acts as the "eyes" for the defence and calls players over in wider defensive positions.

Kicking , estrategias (en inglés)

* Strategy *

The kicking matrix

By Dan Cottrell

The ELVs have made the kicking game a more important aspect of a team's tactics. Here we outline a simple way to plan your kicking strategy.
There are four main tactical kicking positions in a team: 9, 10, 12 (or 13) and 15. Before you plan where and when you are going to kick you need to judge these players' kicking ability.

For each player measure the accuracy of the kicks and the length. You can then plot where each can reach on the pitch - the "landing zones".
Next split the length of the pitch into five sections and then each section into three segments (see the pictures).

From each position the maximum length of each kick will be three sections away. Short kicks are letters A, B, C, medium kicks 1, 2, 3 and long kicks X, Y, Z.

Now you can map out your kicking tactics. For instance, if you are in your own 22, on the left hand side, a box kick would be into A, a midfield chip and chase B, a cross kick 3, a midfield bomb 2 and a long ball, perhaps into touch, X.

Match this system against your kickers and put into your game strategy. In the game, your play makers can call a landing zone, so the players know where to run and what to expect.

Ejercicios de Defensa

1.- Defensa con Desplazamiento: Los jugadores A, B, C, D, se alinean entre los conos, “A” maneja la orden de “Poste” y “Breack” o “Arriba”, todos suben alineados y por su andarivel, al llegar a la línea de conos (2), “A” ordena “Desplazar” y todos chocan el “escudo” en forma escalonada, de abajo hacia arriba, desplazándolo un par de metros, luego retroceden por el andarivel siguiente, “D” sale y entra al primer lugar “E”. Sigue la secuencia, luego sale “C” y entra “F” y así sucesivamente.



2.- Defensa con Desplazamiento lateral: Se forman líneas de 5 jugadores, arrancan con “D” como “poste”, canta “breack” y suben, al llegar a (2), desplazan lateralmente hasta que “A” se reposiciona frente al primer escudo de la izquierda, señalando al frente, a la voz de “poste” y “breack o arriba” todos suben a golpear y desplazar los escudos.



3.- Ídem al anterior: se pone cuatro jugadores al frente, 1,2,3 y 4, que atacan al reposicionarse la defensa.



4.- En (a) 12 Jugadores se mueven en distintas direcciones pasando la pelota, a la orden del Entrenador, todos corren y se reubican en los lados del cuadrado formado por los conos en (b), de tal forma que queden igual cantidad de jugadores en los lados.
a.- Primero se deben comunicar y organizar para ubicarse en igual numero en los lados.
b.- Se coloca una pelota en uno de los lados y se les transmite que deberán colocarse por puestos a partir de esa pelota, quedando los 1ª líneas a continuación de ella, después los 2ª línea, 3ª y backs.
c.- Se les dice que deben reorganizarse y ubicarse en los lados sin hablar, comunicándose solo con gestos.
d.- Cambiar la figura con Triángulo, Rombo, Pentágono, etc..



5.- En (a) se ubican de a cinco jugadores, en (b) se crean tres puertas de entrada, a, b y c, a la orden del Entrenador todos deben pasar por las puertas y se reubican defensivamente a partir de esa puerta, el poste canta breack o arriba y avanzan hacia la línea de conos (c). En la puerta “c”, es igual a “a” en el otro sentido.



En la puerta “b” del medio se deben ubicar la mitad para cada lado, por lo que habrá dos postes que cantarán “breack o arriba” a la misma vez.





Dos equipos de 10 jugadores cada uno, Atacantes y Defensores, el Entrenador canta una de las cuatro posiciones y los equipos se reubican a partir del cono designado. El medio abre al equipo que ataca y los defensores al canto de “poste” y “breack” salen a marcar, el equipo atacante debe tratar de mantener la posesión y quebrar a la defensa, el Entrenador canta “Breack” y otro número, entonces los dos equipos se ubican en el cono designado para volver a atacar. Al cabo de un tiempo se cambian los roles.

En el diagrama de abajo, el Entrenador cantó (1).

Fair Play (video de futbol)

ESTO ES FAIR PLAY
Existen situaciones en la vida que nos hacen creer que es siempre posible ser ¡mejores de lo que somos!

Aquí un buen ejemplo:

Durante un partido de futbol, en Holanda, un jugador del equipo de rojo - el Ajax - sufrió una falta y quedó lesionado, caído en el pasto. Uno de los jugadores del equipo adversario - de amarillo - como es habitual, tiro la pelota afuera para que el jugador fuese atendido.

Cuando el jugador estuvo recuperado, el saque correspondía al Ajax (de rojo) y, como manda la caballerosidad, un jugador del Ajax quiso devolver la pelota para el campo adversario. Solo que por mala fortuna, sin querer, terminó en gol..

Todos, incluído el jugador que, sin querer, hizo el gol, quedaron atónitos. Pero el árbitro correctamente ¡consideró el gol válido!

La pelota volvió al centro para retonar el partido con aquel injusto resultado..

Fue en ese momento que los jugadores del Ajax, con gran espíritu deportivo, rápidamente tomaron una decisión: Se quedaron todos quietos para permitir que los adversarios - los de amarillo - hiciesen ellos también un gol para reparar la injusticia del resultado. ¡¡¡Y fue eso lo que sucedió!!!

Es impactante el sentido de justicia del equipo del Ajax -de rojo- y el buen entendimiento entre todos ellos para que ninguno se moviese.
Ellos obviamente querían ganar, pero la victoria tenía que ser ¡"limpia" y "justa"!

Todos precisamos aprender con ejemplos de honestidad...

La Ética es esto: El gol fue legal, pero injusto.

AHORA VEAN EL

VÍDEO

Toma de decisiones (en inglés)

Sharpen your midfield decisions

By Dan Cottrell

Here's a great exercise for developing decision making by the fly half and centres. It's a session to challenge the players to decide quickly on the best pass or line to run in game-related situations.

Decision making preparation

Start the session with a game of "Corners".

• Put about 10 players in a box. Make two of them "chasers" and give them a ball.

• The chasers must pass the ball between themselves, aiming to touch another player with it. They must not drop the ball in the process and they cannot run with the ball.

• Any player touched becomes a chaser. Players who run outside the box also become chasers.

• Play until all the players are touched.

The game works on anticipation. Players who don't look ahead and work out where they and the ball need to be to meet a potential running line of a target will not be very successful.

Better players can play in a larger box. This will test anticipation skills further, as well as communication, footwork and passing.

Decision making games

As in the picture, set up two channels for your centres (12 and 13) to run through following a pass from the 10.

• Crucially, start the exercise with a pass from 9. This is essential because the triggers to start running come from the first pass.

• The 10 should not tell the players whom he is going to pass to, though. This promotes good alignment and awareness.

• Allow the 12 to pass onto 13 if he wants. Also, encourage 12 and 13 to run different angles.

Developments

• Add two defenders. One to pressurise 10, the other to run into the channel of either 12 or 13. The 10 now has to assess what's in front of him and deliver a pass to the player in space.

• Increase or reduce the distances that the defence comes up from. After all, in a match the defence won't always be in your team's space quickly, and sometimes they may arrive from an offside position.

• As another part of the process, don't let either 12 or 13 call for the ball. Let 10 recognise the space himself and pass into the expected path of the player.

Seasión de tackles (en inglés)

An intense session for aggressive tackling
By Mark Calverley, an IRB Level 4 coach working in school and club rugby in New Zealand

In this article, I outline a tackling practice I've used to improve my team's poor defensive performance. In this full-on training session, I concentrate on the three main types of tackle.

What you tell the players to concentrate on

* You are trying to knock the tackle victim off balance using quick, short driving steps when you make contact. Avoid grabbing and "flopping" down off your feet.

* Approach the tackle with the arms in close ("chicken wings"), not arms out ("aeroplane arms").

* Focus on the ball carrier's core, their torso, not their feet, ball or shoulders. The player will go where their core goes.

* Punch your arms out and around the tackle victim and then grip hard.

* You must step in to the tackle, with the same foot as the shoulder you will be hitting with. Right foot with right shoulder, left foot with left shoulder.

* Keep your eyes open throughout the approach, the tackle and the recovery phases.

* Get back to your feet quickly. You must aim to contest the ball if you can.

Basic practices

All the practices start with four players rounding a cone halfway up the side of 20 metre square box.

The players line up at the end of the box opposite a numbered bag or shield lined across the middle of the box.

Each tackler has a designated shield as a target. Each bag or shield is held by a player, but not by the straps.



Practice 1: The aggressive front on tackle

Stipulate which shoulder you want the tacklers to use. Once the tacklers have run into position, on tackler 1's command they advance together and tackle on the stipulated shoulder.

Get the tacklers to "stomp" their front foot close to the bag/shield. They should drive the bag backwards with three or four quick power steps, tackling the bag to the ground before quickly regaining their feet.

Insist that tacklers do NOT dive into the bag to make the tackle. This is a front on tackle. When do your players ever dive head first into front on tackle?

If they can't drive the bag backwards, then they need to aggressively twist and throw the bag forwards.
Practice 2: The aggressive rear on tackle

This works as the previous practice, but the bag men now run backwards with the bag towards gate 3. The tacklers have to catch up with them, to tackle and drive through the bag.
Practice 3: The aggressive side on tackle

The set up is the same as for practices 1 and 2, but the difference is that once tackler 1 is in position, the bag men will run around a corner cone and towards gate 2 or 4.

You dictate which way all four bags/shield go. The bag carriers must initially stay in number order 1-2-3-4. They follow the leader and run a straight line around the coloured cone to the named gate.

* The tacklers go up to the white cones then immediately break left (gate 2) or right (gate 4) to make the tackle on their numbered bag.

* Bags should step into the tackle to add more weight and ensure contact is real and aggressive.

Acerca del Maul