WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.040 --> 00:00:07.160 How are you doing? Welcome to the Rugby League Coach Podcast, 2 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:11.119 episode two hundred and fifty five. We're in season four. 3 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:15.640 My name is Lee Addison. I am the owner of 4 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:19.120 Rugby League Coach dot com to tay you. I'm a coach, educator, coach, 5 00:00:19.239 --> 00:00:24.760 mentor consultant and author of Rugby League Coach thirteen game 6 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:29.559 Changing Conversations to Transform your coaching. I'm a big consumer 7 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:33.679 of water and that consumption is sponsored by the Global 8 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:37.520 League Network and you can follow them at Global League 9 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:41.200 dot Network. If you want to shout out on this podcast, 10 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:44.280 if you want to sponsor us anything like that, or 11 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:47.840 if you want to send a question. We've got any ideas, 12 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:51.240 please write to me admin at Rugby League Coach dot 13 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:55.799 com to tay you on the email. Also at Rugby 14 00:00:55.880 --> 00:00:59.159 League Coach on Instagram or Facebook is a good way 15 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:02.759 to mess me. But you can find us at Rugby 16 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:06.799 League Coach on most social media channels apart from x 17 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:13.599 which is at oural coach on the net. First of all, 18 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:17.120 for those who were seeing the clips, I hope you 19 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:22.319 were in your sunglasses. I have Mirandra Lizard's Junior Rugby 20 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:26.439 League hoody on my good friend Nick or should I say. Bundy, 21 00:01:26.599 --> 00:01:31.680 as is called, the president of Nerandra Lizards, promise me 22 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:35.040 a hoody next time I visited, and this is what 23 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:38.920 he gave me, and I promised I'd wear it on 24 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:42.560 the podcast that I was recording in the forthcoming week. 25 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:47.879 So here we are. This year. I think I've had 26 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:55.799 more parents and coaches than ever before contact or tell 27 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:58.280 me that their kids are having lots of trouble tackling. 28 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:05.400 How does that marry with your coaching with your children? 29 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:10.240 With anything that you've seen? One of the most common 30 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:16.039 things I hear is and indeed I only I only 31 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:23.560 read out a question last week. Great an attack, scared 32 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:31.120 or can't defend is the other side of this assessment 33 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:38.159 in so many cases. So it's brought me to thinking. 34 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:43.080 And I'm not saying that I believe this, but it's 35 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:49.599 certainly a hypothesis that I'm I wouldn't say I'm exploring. 36 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:53.039 I've asked you some questions on Facebook and you've answered 37 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:57.280 in your droves and I'm going to bring the best 38 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:03.479 ones forward to this podcast. But it's made me start 39 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:10.919 to believe that maybe stopping in Australia under sixes and sevens, 40 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:17.719 tackling and instead making them play a tag version of 41 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:23.759 the sport means they are missing key stages of learning 42 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:31.360 how to tackle and missing lots of genuine lifelike repetition. 43 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:38.560 So if you're a regular listener to me, you'll know 44 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.159 that I'm always suggesting to do as many games as 45 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:46.919 you can in training. Now, I had a very very 46 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:58.719 very respected coach club coach consultant who I mentor, told 47 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:01.840 me last week that he's got some coaches that play. 48 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:04.400 He's got them playing games, but they don't know how 49 00:04:04.439 --> 00:04:07.719 to correct. They don't know how to fix things. I 50 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:14.560 went to a club last week where the coach consultant said, Lee, 51 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:19.680 I want you to show my coaches how to use 52 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:27.360 games to fix things. So if you think about the 53 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.319 last four years of coaching advice I've been giving, you'll 54 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.600 know a hold games and games learning in the highest possible, 55 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:40.439 in the highest regard. Then you can understand why I've 56 00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:46.000 come to this theory or this hypothesis. They've banned kids 57 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:49.959 tackling for about one sixth of their junior years, So 58 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:52.879 if you imagine a kid plays between six and eighteen 59 00:04:53.040 --> 00:05:00.800 or five and seventeen, that's about one sixth roughly. If 60 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:06.120 we banned cars on roads in January and February, which 61 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:10.279 is one sixth of any calendar year. The starts originally 62 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:12.800 would suggest there were less accidents on the road. So 63 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:18.680 if we're banning kids from tackling, then the stats will 64 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:23.519 come down, won't they from injuries from tackling or concussions 65 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:27.480 or whatever it may be? But in both cases, wouldn't 66 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:31.360 they increase eventually? Because in terms of driving, new and 67 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:35.040 young drivers would have less driving experience at key stages 68 00:05:35.079 --> 00:05:39.040 of their development as a driver. I think back to 69 00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:41.959 when you were you started as a driver, You really 70 00:05:41.959 --> 00:05:45.360 over analyzed every movement, didn't you. And I guess it's 71 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:49.160 the same for kids when they're tackling. So if we 72 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:52.839 stop them doing that for one sixth of their junior development, 73 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:57.120 what's the impact that it's having? And I guess this 74 00:05:57.240 --> 00:06:03.720 brings up the quality of the Tackle Ready program that 75 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:09.439 is being delivered in its stead in Australia. Now, again, 76 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:11.160 if you've listened to me for a long time, you 77 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:15.839 know I'm a supporter of tackle Ready, but I'm a 78 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:18.920 supporter in theory I e depends who's delivering the program, 79 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:25.120 And I've heard some it's gone from being and totally 80 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:30.079 very positive too, very mixed over the years it's been done. 81 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:34.959 So I think all these rules and theories are great 82 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:43.079 in theory, but in reality are we seeing a sad reality? 83 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:50.199 Here's what you said. Nando Smith on Facebook said totally agree. 84 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:53.480 I can understand five year olds, but any age up 85 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:57.439 from that they need to tackle, not teaching them to 86 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:02.759 ron grab or stick out arm to get tag as 87 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:05.879 it's easier to teach kids and get confidence in tackling 88 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:11.319 early on, before kids get bigger, run harder, and actually 89 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:16.720 know how to run into holes. Tackling is about technique, confidence, repetition, 90 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:22.639 and practice and doing it correctly. Ley on Facebook, I 91 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.959 can promise you it's not me twice. I think it's 92 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:29.839 because they stopped allowing tackling in the younger age groups 93 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:33.680 or sorry, he said, I one hundred percent think it's 94 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:37.399 because they stopped allowing tackling in the underage groups. Trent 95 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:40.639 Murray said could not agree more. Those years of the 96 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:43.399 perfect time to teach technique while all aspects of the 97 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:49.120 kid's game is developing. Jake Goward the Tackle Ready program 98 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:51.040 is a joke. My son has just done it this 99 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:55.399 year and they taught him nothing. The first week was 100 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.079 to stop, drop and roll while being tackled. And now 101 00:07:59.160 --> 00:08:01.120 all these kids think that every kid is going to 102 00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:03.319 stop and drop as soon as they put a hand 103 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:06.240 on him, and they don't need to use any force 104 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:08.959 in the tackle to get the ball runner to the ground. 105 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:11.639 If they want to teach the kids to tackle properly, 106 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:14.879 actually put some time and effort into it instead of 107 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.079 just ticking a box to make it look like they 108 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.120 are doing something. I think the comment there from Jake 109 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:27.000 is indicative of the tackle ready program very much relies 110 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:34.679 on the quality of the tackle ready deliverer, of the teacher, 111 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:38.440 of the coach. Jessica Barnes personally, I don't see the 112 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:42.960 tag stroke tackle ready programmers adding value. I believe it's 113 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:46.399 creating issues in the comeing gage groups of eight, nines 114 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:50.360 and tens, with many players reaching tackle football without the 115 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:54.879 confidence or ability to tackle effectively. The longer children play 116 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:58.279 without tackling, the harder it can be to introduce a skill. Later, 117 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:03.080 the players have developed a fear of contact or poor habits, 118 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:06.720 making it more difficult to teach safe, effective tackling techniques. 119 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:11.080 In my view, introducing tackling in a controlled, age appropriate 120 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:15.320 way earlier would be better to prepare players, build confidence 121 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:19.159 and reduce issues such as hesitation, poor technique, and jersey grabbing. 122 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:25.720 Eddie Joyce tag football, in my opinion, teaches bad tackle technique. 123 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.519 Kids only try to grab the tags using their arm, 124 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:32.240 no shoulder, and no correct body positioning. I have coached 125 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:34.960 junior rugby league for many years when tackling was done 126 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:38.039 by all junior players, and in my experience, the kids 127 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:41.639 adapted to tackle football as the norm with no problem 128 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:44.320 or injury. Teach them when they begin playing the game. 129 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:53.879 So all of those, I think support the hypothesis that's 130 00:09:53.960 --> 00:10:26.120 being thrown out there by myself. Nate Barton said, I'd 131 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:29.039 say it's more a sign of the times. My son 132 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:32.240 plays AIC in year five and one of the schools, 133 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:34.399 I don't know what I see is in year five 134 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:36.919 and one of the schools didn't even have a rugby side. 135 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:42.519 All of the schools had four less outdoor play and 136 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:46.360 more indoors play. Kids aren't as keen for contact as 137 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:51.200 previous generations. Jovian Hadel said, personally, I think the tackle 138 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:55.480 program tackle Ready program is great and the resources are excellent. 139 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:58.679 It's never been easier or safer to learn how to 140 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:02.679 tackle or coach it. But a lot of junior coaches 141 00:11:02.840 --> 00:11:08.080 already in inverted commas no footy close inverted commas and 142 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.879 don't like the idea of conforming to the syllabus. They 143 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:15.320 would rather spend time choreographing sets against no one attack 144 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.679 is their focus. I completely agree with Jovian there in 145 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:26.360 terms of the coaches that no footy in theory. I 146 00:11:26.440 --> 00:11:32.240 agree that it's been easier and never safer to learn 147 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:37.679 how to tackle or coach it. And again I think 148 00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:48.120 it builds the the consensus that it's very much down 149 00:11:48.200 --> 00:11:52.559 to the tackle ready delivery. Now, I think this is 150 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:56.799 the best reply coming up, and it didn't. It challenged 151 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:01.440 my view basically, Jeremy Brower, this can be misleading and 152 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:04.840 it got under six is tag all year. Under sevens 153 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.480 is only six weeks TAG whilst completing tackle ready program 154 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:12.440 at training. Think of it like a preseason focused on tackling. 155 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:16.039 Then it's tackled for the rest of the season. I'll 156 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:18.720 challenge little bits of this while we go along. Jeremy. 157 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:21.399 It depends where you are on that depends how early 158 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:23.559 the tackle ready guys get to you. I think, so 159 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:28.440 I've seen it happen later in the year in many places, 160 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:34.480 Jeremy says, most parent coaches struggled to teach proper tackle 161 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:37.519 technique to five six year olds before these changes, and 162 00:12:37.559 --> 00:12:40.639 I haven't noticed much change in tackle development as what 163 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:44.360 I had seen before. Okay, I've been coaching a group 164 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:47.240 from under sixes when tackle Ready first started to now 165 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:50.399 being in under nines. Some kids who've come all the 166 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:54.320 way through are very confident and competent tacklers for their age. 167 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:58.120 Others skip those first couple of years and played sports 168 00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:02.639 like soccer instead, and some of my best defenders others 169 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:05.360 who started after those first two years, and some who've 170 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:08.679 participated in the tackle Ready are still learning to get 171 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:12.279 it right and maybe not as far along as others 172 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:16.120 who've had different journeys so far. So Jeremy, that's good 173 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:23.840 to hear. I believe that again that comes down to 174 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:27.440 the tackle ready developer. But the other thing it also 175 00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:29.519 comes down to is the quality of the players that 176 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:31.960 you've got. If you're in a strong rugby league area, 177 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:36.240 then I think it's an easier job than if you're not. 178 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.159 Quite frankly so that we probably need to provide some 179 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:43.559 context when we're studying this, not that it was your 180 00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:46.720 duty to provide that. I'm just saying, like I said, mate, 181 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:50.320 I think this is the best response, and he continues, 182 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:53.080 There's so many other factors that come into play that 183 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:57.200 dictator kids confidence and ability to tackle. Some kids just 184 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.480 pick it up quickly and have the right nature for 185 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:01.840 the kind of sport rugby league. Other kids it's not 186 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:05.440 natural for them and takes more time. I think personally, 187 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:07.559 the Tackle Ready program has been the best thing for 188 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:10.480 junior coaches as the biggest thing I got from coaches 189 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:13.039 in those mini age groups as they like the confidence 190 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:17.840 themselves to teach correct and safe tackle technique, often due 191 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:21.639 to not having played rugby league themselves and just being 192 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.360 a parent who's putting their hand up to ensure the 193 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:26.799 kids have a coach so they can get to play. Yes, 194 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:29.639 I agree with that, mate. This program has offered them 195 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:32.279 the chance to learn how to teach tackle themselves, which 196 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:34.480 I think will be better for the game and junior 197 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:38.840 development overall. Also worth noting that New Zealand has had 198 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:42.279 progressions and tag tackle systems for many more years than us, 199 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:45.720 and they've got one of the more successful sporting teams 200 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:51.360 and a dominant and it dominates a global game like rugby, 201 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:55.879 largely due to their junior development systems. NRL hasn't brought 202 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:58.279 this on a whim and is based off a large 203 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:01.799 swaye The studies an example across the globe in other 204 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:05.480 sports that points it being better for a child's development. 205 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.159 So I thanked him for his question, then asked him 206 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:10.080 about the research and he sent me a link and 207 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:12.440 I'll have a look at some of that research this week. 208 00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:17.639 By experience of the NRL's research, it's not necessarily the 209 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:24.320 university level in many cases. So look, that was a 210 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:27.879 great response from Jeremy. I think there's a few things 211 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:34.039 that come from that. The tackle ready in programming theory 212 00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:38.559 is good. I think we all agree on that. It 213 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:43.080 depends on the quality of how it's being delivered. But 214 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:49.799 is it better than doing, than tackling, than playing the 215 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:56.200 game in terms of repetition, Yes, it's covering a gap 216 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.679 that was there. Many coaches struggled to deliver tackle technique. 217 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:02.399 It comes down to coach education. Isn't it all this? 218 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:08.919 So is it being done well enough? Is my question? 219 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:13.559 The tackle Ready program. Tanika Marie said, my son did 220 00:16:13.559 --> 00:16:16.000 the tackle Ready program this year. My partner is the 221 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:19.559 coach of his team. We quickly figured out that these drills, 222 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:22.080 although it's all technique, did not prepare the kids for 223 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:25.679 real life tackling on the field. We therefore had a 224 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.840 lot of mock games a training bullrush with tackling, etc. 225 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:31.799 Which did help prepare the kids to tackle and be tackled. 226 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:37.559 So that sums up the direction on which I'm going. 227 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:41.360 If you want to continue this conversation, please write to 228 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:43.879 me admin at Rugby League coach dot com to tay 229 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:46.399 you on the email at Rugby League Coach, on Instagram 230 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:55.120 and Facebook send me a message on there. Coaches like 231 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:59.399 to talk about systems, but systems are built from individual behaviors. 232 00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:04.039 They're from what the players bring to you, aren't they. 233 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:08.039 So let's talk about the individual principles that every rugby 234 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:14.240 league player must master. And I think again. In their 235 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:21.119 rush to get something resembling a team moving in the 236 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:24.519 right direction, some coaches tend to brush past this player 237 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:29.480 development thing quite frankly, and they talk too much about 238 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:35.440 attack shaped block plays, sweeping movements, defensive systems, up and in, 239 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:42.279 up and out shape Or is it systems that win 240 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:49.200 games or is it players executing stuff. Think about this. 241 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:52.000 If every player did all the little things right all 242 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:55.759 the time, how good would you in inverted commas systems look? 243 00:17:57.400 --> 00:17:59.640 Because if they don't do anything very well, it doesn't 244 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:05.599 matter what's on your whiteboard. Mate. Let's dive into some 245 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:14.880 principles now that could help you. One of the biggest 246 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:20.599 ignored things is that attack starts before you touch the ball. 247 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:26.319 Once you've caught the ball, if you're making decisions after that, 248 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:30.640 you've got less time. The best players have already made 249 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:33.599 a big chunk of the decision before they receive the ball. 250 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:37.640 And how have they done that? They scan constantly, they're 251 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:43.440 looking up at the defensive line. And I always try 252 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:45.759 and teach players who don't know how to do that. 253 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:50.000 I try and structure how they look. I say, look 254 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:53.440 to the left and scan across slowly to the right, 255 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:56.119 looked at the right and scan depending on which side 256 00:18:56.119 --> 00:19:00.359 of the field or or what the context is. And 257 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:02.359 then you've got to teach them what to look for. 258 00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:10.119 So how many defenders, so the numbers, how they're spaced, 259 00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:17.200 any tired defenders, any defenders turning in, So you're constantly 260 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:20.480 collecting information. So something like Nathan Clear is a good 261 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:23.880 decision maker. And it's not because he's lucky. He's always 262 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:28.119 scanning Tom Diard and as I Yo, Teddy, my boy, 263 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:31.519 the roosters fall back, James said Esco they see pictures 264 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:35.559 before everyone else and it's that vision that helps them 265 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:42.519 make the right decision. So are you teaching your players 266 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:48.319 what to look for? Many coaches struggle with support players, 267 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:51.599 working with the coach last week who struggled to get 268 00:19:51.599 --> 00:20:01.000 that across to his players. Many teams struggle with support 269 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:06.119 play because of fitness levels, first of all, and it's 270 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:08.839 also how it's taught, because it's not just about following 271 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:17.200 the ball. It's about understanding but also being able to 272 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:28.480 anticipate if there's an opportunity likely to happen. Now, that 273 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:30.839 comes down to how you teach the game. If you're 274 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:35.680 just telling your props, for example, just run, then nobody 275 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:38.240 will support that prop, or if they do, it's just 276 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:45.400 a like duty unless you teach them something like I'm 277 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:48.960 going to talk about now. So if you would say 278 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:52.079 team forwards in particular, or anybody really own the team, 279 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:59.759 run as though you're going to bust through the line, 280 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:09.559 so run to bust. Then that gets benefited by having 281 00:21:09.640 --> 00:21:16.039 people either side of the runner. If the runner themselves 282 00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:20.960 has the ball in two hands throws a little dummy, 283 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:26.319 that run gets benefited because defenders hang back a little bit. 284 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.839 And what the support runners have to do is run 285 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:35.440 as though the ball is coming. They've got to look 286 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:38.119 like they're going to get the ball if it doesn't, 287 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:45.039 reload and go again. Now they need to have the discipline, 288 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:50.240 the support runners to keep turning up even though they 289 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:53.440 don't get a result for a while. So how do 290 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:55.920 they get that? And like I said, like I hinted, 291 00:21:56.000 --> 00:22:03.279 just then, when you encourage your players to bring support 292 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:06.200 with them, and if there's a chance that support might 293 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:09.480 be used, i e. The ball carrier has the ball 294 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:13.880 in two hands and could in theory pass left or right, 295 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:19.680 defense just hangs back a little bit. If that runner 296 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:22.599 goes up on their own carries the ball under the arm, 297 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:26.160 defenders can just go into the ball carrier and put 298 00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:31.400 all their pressure on. Try in your training this week, 299 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:38.880 three on three, send one against the three first, and 300 00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:42.960 then send three in in the way of just described. 301 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.680 And the key to this is carrying the football properly. 302 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:54.960 Carrying isn't just about being tough and just I've got 303 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:59.599 to get the ball out of here. It's about creating 304 00:22:59.640 --> 00:23:07.200 problem for defenders as well. Every player should learn how 305 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:09.039 to carry a ball in two hands, So even if 306 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:12.279 they never pass it because they don't feel they can, 307 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:16.400 they should have it in two hands. Once a player 308 00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:22.559 has a ball in two hands, the game changes for them. 309 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:25.759 Even if they never pass or kick a ball, there 310 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:28.480 is the chance that they may because they've got the 311 00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:34.119 ball in that position. You want all your players to 312 00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:37.359 hit an advantage line. If they're receiving the ball from 313 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:44.039 dumbi half or for half, the advantage line is in 314 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:46.039 line with the play the ball. You want them beyond that. 315 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:49.599 Oh sorry, you want them to catch it on that 316 00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:54.720 and then running beyond that. Of course, if you're scooting 317 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:56.680 the ball from dumby half, you need them to get 318 00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:01.359 past that advantage line. An attack, I think it's always 319 00:24:01.400 --> 00:24:03.440 a good idea to keep your hip square for as 320 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:07.079 long as you can. So remember earlier we said attack 321 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:10.480 starts before you receive the ball if you have a 322 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:14.319 poor starting shape and run out. So for example, if 323 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:18.759 you run forty five degrees across rather than you've started 324 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:20.519 a bit wider from the rook and you just run 325 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:25.799 straight the first one I've just described if you're running across, 326 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:29.599 and that allows defenders to track you across and maybe 327 00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:35.039 tackle you inside your rib cage. If you're wider and straight, 328 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:38.720 you're absouly going directly at defenders and they've got no 329 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:44.079 option but to worry about defending you. And then before 330 00:24:44.119 --> 00:24:48.200 you get there, you're going to be going in with 331 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:52.079 the most force. You're going to be going forward, whereas 332 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:54.279 if you run forty five degrees one way or the other, 333 00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:57.200 for example, you're going to be taking your force away, 334 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:00.559 so you're a bit more susceptible. You get to the 335 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:03.279 line new you subtle footwork, and I always tell players 336 00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:07.400 to go from badge to badge on somebody's shirt. So 337 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:09.839 if you're looking at this this is a clip now 338 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:13.519 on a video, you'll see I've got a lizard's badge 339 00:25:13.559 --> 00:25:16.799 and then the maker jade on the other side. So 340 00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:19.599 you'd step badge to badge, or to put in two 341 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:24.400 steps to go badge to badge back to badge to 342 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:32.160 put the defender off balance. And then of course when 343 00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:34.079 you're going into collision, you need to bring the ball 344 00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:37.119 into your body a bit later, so push it against 345 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:40.359 a peck or above a peck and if you need 346 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:42.799 to wrap it up or use your other arm to defend. 347 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:47.759 One of my favorite coaching sayings, and I heard this 348 00:25:47.799 --> 00:25:50.039 as a player, and I've repeated it a thousand times. 349 00:25:50.039 --> 00:25:55.000 Fine spaces, not faces. Too many young players run straight 350 00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:57.759 at defenders. Indeed, I started doing that when I played, 351 00:25:58.440 --> 00:26:02.759 whereas elite players attacked a create space or to manipulate 352 00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:12.119 defenders before they get tackled. Both in attack and defense, 353 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:19.880 winning contact isn't the start, isn't the end. It's the start, 354 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:25.119 and it's the beginning of the next play. And when 355 00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:29.839 you're attacking, it's winning the collision, driving your legs, fighting 356 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:36.960 for every centimeter, and making smart post contact decisions. I've 357 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:40.400 always felt that in that time when you're in the collision, 358 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:44.680 you're dealing in milliseconds. And this is why props get 359 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:47.599 better as they age and they peek a little bit 360 00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:53.079 later athletically twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, because in 361 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:56.799 that split second, they need to decide if they're going 362 00:26:56.839 --> 00:26:59.799 to bust through, if they're not going to bust through. 363 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:06.240 Is there an opportunity to offload to a teammate If 364 00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:08.359 they can't do either of those two things, they need 365 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:10.119 to get down to play the ball quickly, and they've 366 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:15.039 got to decide all that bang bang like that, and 367 00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:17.880 quite often the quickest player the ball is often valuable 368 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:21.079 and more valuable to a team than another two meters 369 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:25.559 where you've dragged your legs. And again that comes down 370 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:27.839 to your coaching. Are you coaching the team or you're 371 00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:33.680 allowing individuals to dictate how your team shape looks. I 372 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:35.720 mean all these things I'm saying right now, can you 373 00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:41.720 imagine the impact it has on your team patterns. Players 374 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:46.079 carrying the ball with two hands, making decisions, put in 375 00:27:46.119 --> 00:27:50.680 opposition off balance when they run the football. It would 376 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:57.000 have a massive impact. And then once we've done all 377 00:27:57.079 --> 00:28:00.200 this once, guess what we need to do is the 378 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.720 biggest difference between elite players and average players, and elite 379 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:08.200 teams and average teams. As soon as you've done that 380 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:11.279 job that you've got to do, you don't sit there 381 00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:14.559 and marrying new work. You get ready for the next one. 382 00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:21.359 Effort doesn't happen occasionally, it becomes a habit, and that 383 00:28:21.359 --> 00:28:27.599 brings us to defense. Many coaches think defense is tackling. 384 00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:36.759 Tackling is part of it. Before you even think of tackling, 385 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:40.519 you've got communication. You need to be loud, clear and connected, 386 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:45.200 and a quiet defensive line is often a broken one. 387 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:50.039 Communication gives everybody in the team some time to think 388 00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:55.200 because they know they've got a mate with them before 389 00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:57.559 the tackle. We need our line integrity. We need to 390 00:28:57.599 --> 00:29:00.920 be connected. We need to know when to move in, 391 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:04.319 when to move out. We need to know how to 392 00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:10.119 work with the defenders either side of us. Defense isn't 393 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:17.200 about six individual tackles. Is It is about sections of 394 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:22.400 thirteen people trying to solve the same problem together quite frankly, 395 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:27.319 so it's not about tackling. It's not just about tackling. 396 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:29.039 We've not got to tackling yet. We're going to get 397 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:35.799 there now. Then you've got to try and win your 398 00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:38.880 contact in defense. I was working with a set of 399 00:29:38.920 --> 00:29:42.039 coaches last week and one coach said, I remember again, 400 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:45.200 he's a coach. I meantor shouted out to a play 401 00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:50.200