Hilton Head Rugby Club

In open play, your team is either on offense (with the ball) or defense (trying to get the ball). If your team is on offense, you either have the ball or you don't. Here's what I think every player should be prepared to do on offense:

1. You don't have the ball. You should be anticipating where you will be most needed. You WILL NOT immediately go running across the field to loop the ball carrier, neither will you stop to enjoy the pleasant view. You WILL decide if you are most needed and/or in best position to a.) support the ball carrier in the event of a tackle (ruck, maul or take a pop-pass), b.) move into position to take a pass from the ball carrier (you'll want to be at an optimum depth, speed, angle and position) or c.) move into position to do a.) or b.) at a place that you have anticipated the ball will be when moved one or more passes away. If you are not doing a.), b.) or c.) what in the ever-loving-world are you doing?

So, because you have performed 1. so well, you have now received the ball! Congratulation! What do you do now? Well, what I see so flippin' often that it's make me want to pull out my hair if... oh, forget that, what you'll probably do is look directly at the defender in front of you, run up to him and then start planning your next move. $#@%! NO! Read on, but quickly, there's a game going on and you've got the ball!

2. You have the ball. You should have received the ball as noted above (right speed, angle, etc.). You want to be "dangerous" when you have the ball in your hands, you want to be a threat to the defense and you can do that if you are prepared to do one of these things INSTANTLY. a.) take the ball into contact in a manner that will result in your team maintaining possession of the ball, b.) "beat" the defender, by means of that sidestep you've been practicing, a stiff arm or dummy pass or c.) pass the ball as described in Scenario 1 (above). Did I say you needed to be prepared to do any of these 3 things INSTANTLY? Why, I believe I did! Therein lies the key.

UPDATE-

To do these things you need "situational awareness", you need to look at more than the defender in front of you. 2 on 1 is simple, draw the man, pass the ball. The 1st man in a 3 on 2 needs to judge the moment when his man is "pinned" (the 1st defender can't slide over and get the 2nd attacker to after the 1st attacker has passed the ball) and (ideally) the 2nd man has time to gather in the pass and give it to the 3rd man in such a way that his man is also "pinned". That requires that all 3 attackers observe, process and react to what the 2 defenders are doing very quickly. 4 on 3, 5 on 4 and so on are more complex because of the almost innumerable permutations possible.

The ability to chose the best option requires that you "observe, process and react" to what multiple defenders and supporters are doing. THIS IS A SKILL YOU CAN LEARN through purposeful practice!



Watch top level rugby on TV (go to Murphy's on Thursday nights), watch top level rugby on YouTube, watch top level rugby on links from this web site. Don't just stare at the screen. Pick a player that plays your position, watch what they do when they don't have the ball, watch how quickly the ball gets out of their frickin' hands when a pass needs to be made! Why do you hold on to the ball so long!!! ARGH!....Sorry, lost it for a bit, sorry to rant. Watch and learn.