Quicker Defence

I am preety darn glad that I subscribed to this website: http://www.betterrugbycoaching.com/members where i received numberous useful coaching tips. Here's one useful section on defence.All credit goes to Dan Cottrell.

Get Your Defence Up Quicker From A Standing Start

Extra pressure from defenders on the key decision makers can be the difference between success and failure. Give your team an extra defensive boost by utilising the techniques used by sprinters to gain the maximum acceleration from a standing start.

For maximum effect, the following routines need to be ingrained through practise.

1. The feet.The most effective sprint start is where the front foot is in line with the back knee (e.g. the right foot is in line with the left knee). It is also the easiest position for a rugby player to correctly align in the heat of a game.Practice getting the feet into the right place by having the players go down on one knee and putting the foot on the other leg in line with the knee. The players must then rise into a crouching position, before sprinting and then resetting.

2. The arms.The speed of the arms in a sprint has a strong influence on the speed of the legs. The arms need to work in opposite directions to the movement of the legs. Counter poor technique as follows.If the left foot is the furthest forward, start with the right hand on the floor in line with the left foot (and vice versa). Once “out of the blocks”, the player needs to pump the arms as fast as they can.

3. Balance.The centre of gravity of the body must be forward, but also controlled, and the shoulders should be beyond the knees. A hand on the ground can help maintain balance. Players should be on the balls of their feet, with their toes ready to spring forward.Practices can focus on reaction times while maintaining balance. For example, not moving until the ball comes out from a ruck or maul. Drills should be based on real situations.

4. The head.Sprinters focus ahead. Initially they look only at the first few feet on the ground in front of them. This is impractical for rugby. However, the defender does not need to see the full pitch, only the player they are to chase down. Defensive guards and the outside defenders can cover the other aspects.So the head should be focused ahead, probably at hip height, using peripheral vision to see when the ball is going to be released. The most astute player will be able to tell from the movement of their target when the ball is released.