Defense Rugby Circuit

In this rugby coaching video, Rugby Doc demonstrates a defensive rugby training circuit using basic skills and a live game to work on line speed, line cohesion and the defensive drift system

[@gjohnmoss]

Doc, cheers for the share, great practice drills that are progressed well and are applicable at many levels

[@rugbydocdocjzimmermanrugby6185]

Thank you John!

[@Coldcuuut]

Appreciate this!!!! Going to try this drill and I like how it leads into game scenarios

[@rugbydocdocjzimmermanrugby6185]

Glad you like it!

[@Nick051967]

Like that a lot Did they ever cut that grass?

[@colinip2747]

Good stuff Doc. Some thoughts to add to the drills. On your first drill, try to get your players to back peddle without looking side ways or backwards, and try to keep their shoulders square to the attack. Stops the ball carrier stepping against the grain. The comms hold and up are good, consider adding slide right and slide left. On the ruck defense (assuming ruck already formed so no contest), first player should consider whether he needs to defend at the back foot of the ruck or just to the side, with the second defender being the post on the other side. Means your third can slot in further out and you have used only two to man the ruck instead of three. An advance on the blitz/drift (or blift as I call it) is have the outer player shoot out to come into the gap between wing and outside centre. It just checks the 10 or inside for floating a cut out pass, causing him to delay, take back in or cut back in. We learnt this from touch rugby.

[@docjzimmerman4335]

Thank you! I appreciate your suggestions. Ironically, when coaches and I watched the video, we made some some of the same changes you suggested at the next practice (stop looking sideways, we also added a left right slide ). I moved the ruck alignment station to ruck night and we added a 3 attacker vs 5 defender blitz drill.

[@colinip2747]

@@docjzimmerman4335 sounds good. Have you looked at 4-5 attack v 3-4 defence? In theory attack has the advantage and should score. The key for defence is to close space, reduce time, negate advantage by making the attack hesitate or slow down leading to contact or make an error leading to scrum to you. Of course if oppo kicks etc then you need to manage. Good, and loud, comms is a massive key success factor. Seen many attacks put off by noisy defence. It's intimidating.

[@jerseyshoresharksrugbyclub7240]

@@colinip2747 definitely will try that. Thanks

[@stephenclark7106]

Shocking drill, all you have done is make them react to the whistle. They have learn to read the game, instead of the whistle get the players to call up. When they shuffle backwards great them to take wider steps and importantly heads up, involve the ball ie use another to be the opposition half so when hands on move.

[@rugbydocdocjzimmermanrugby6185]

We got rid of the whistle about a year ago. and use a scrum half instead

[@vinnieberrington2657]

Consider the 'post' to be slightly wider

[@rugbydocdocjzimmermanrugby6185]

we widened him out a bit