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DRILLS: Defending at the back of the scrum (Mark Calverley) -
TRAINING: The role of the blindside flanker (Peter Tann) ALSO IN THIS ISSUE -
Editor's choice: Gary Gold on coaching South Africa -
Reader's choice: Smart Sessions
* Editor's choice * South African gold I am absolutely delighted to feature Gary Gold, South African assistant coach, in the next two issues of the International Rugby Technical Journal.
The South Africa test side has emphatically taken over the mantel of the team to beat. Gary's desire for self improvement is one of the reasons why he is part of such a successful coaching team. Read on below for just a few paragraphs from the article.
 | | “You cannot directly affect what happens on the scoreboard”. I said that once at a high level coaching conference with my old friend, Brendon Venter, who is currently coaching English team Saracens. The audience was aghast. One coach asked: “So, winning is not important?”. No, winning is very important...
| ... Nevertheless, you have to realise that some days you have put everything in place and you still lose. It could be that the opposition are simply better on the day, or a refereeing decision goes against you. What can you do about that? Winning really matters to me, so I concentrate on what I can do to influence that. Everything I coach is process driven. Process means the way an outcome is achieved. It is the mechanical action. Say we want to throw the ball to the back of the lineout. The process includes the throw, the jump and the lift.
My coaching philosophy is therefore built up from the processes that players use. It is not based on a style of play..."
Subscribers to the International Rugby Technical Journal have full access to this article. Next month, they will read Gary's article on how South Africa's lineout functions and the techniques he uses to improve his players. Order your subscription today and you too can benefit from Gary's unique insight and ideas. Learn about: - His coaching philosophy
- The five stage approach for coaching the processes for each area of the game
- What distinguishes a good coach from an excellent coach
- The role of a world champion coach
- How to measure your success as a coach
Go here for more details and to order your copy today
* Drills * This season I have seen lots of teams at all levels concede tries at the scrum. It's seldom that I do this, but here is an article in this week's issue of Rugby Coach Weekly. 9 to 6 scrum defence By Mark Calverley, an IRB Level 4 coach working in school and club rugby in New Zealand With defences and attacks now set 5 metres back from the scrum, the need for a cohesive defensive strategy between your back row and scrum half is vital. Defending the openside wheel
The close openside break (ball going right)
9: Your scrum half is best placed to deal with the initial attack. He needs to be physical and have the correct technique to complete the required tackle. If the opposing number 8 or 9 break into the openside, your scrum half needs to make the initial tackle and contest the ball. 8: Your number 8 covers the outside offload 7: Your openside flanker (7) covers the inside offload.
6: Your blindside flanker (6) gets involved where most
needed, as quickly as possible. 
The ball passed out wide to the openside
9: Your scrum half breaks quickly towards the inside
shoulder of the ball carrier. He tackles the ball carrier or
covers the switch runner.
8: Your number 8 performs a similar role to your 7. He
attempts to catch up with your 7 but runs a flatter line.
This should ideally be along the gain line.
7: Your 7 initially covers on the inside of your scrum half,
in case the opposition scrum half dummies and
attempts to break.
The 7 attempts to catch up with your 9, but runs a
slightly flatter line closer to the gain line and preferably
in front of it.
6: Your blindside flanker (6) chases around the opposition’s side of the scrum. His job is to stop the switch back run or pass, or to apply pressure on the blindside kick from their 9 or 10. If the ball contines to be passed out, he should follow it across. Defending the blindside wheel
The close blindside break or pass 9: Your scrum half moves around the scrum, following the
breaking or passing player. His role here is to try to
catch up with play to make the tackle, or tackle the next
player who receives the pass.
8: If your 6 has the ball carrier covered, your number 8
plugs the inside offload. If their ball carrier is not
covered, your 8 alters course and runs a “corner
flagging” role (running towards the corner flag to
intercept a potential linebreak), to cut off the ball carrier
and the outside pass.
7: Your 7 chases the ball around the opposition side of the
scrum to tackle the ball carrier, or to contest the ruck or
next phase.
6: Your 6 has been wheeled away from the ball and touch
line. He must be quick off the mark to close down the
opposition’s 8 or 9, whether they break or pass. Ideally,
he moves forwards from the scrum to cut down the ball
carrier’s space and time, without being outflanked and
beaten on the outside. 9: Your 9 needs to communicate the
potential danger and warn of the break and pick up. 
This drill is from the current issue of Rugby Coach Weekly. Sign up here today to try out an 8 issue subscription for just 97p.
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* Training * The role of the blindside flanker By Peter Tann You need to blend the talents of three players to produce a back row unit whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts Clarify the role - the "traditional" blindside specialist The first decision you need to make as coach is to identify the roles you expect your blindside to fulfil, over and above his basic duties. Physically, he may well be a bigger, slightly slower player than the openside. Mentally, he should relish the physical confrontations that such a role demands, but this does not mean he should be ruled by the "red mist"! Michael Jones, the great All Black flanker who turned himself from a world class No 7 into a world class No 6, was nicknamed "Iceman". A shrewd thinker as well as a fierce tackler, he was put in charge of defence from set pieces by John Hart, the All Black coach. What type of blindside do you want? Is he going to be a "forager", looking to secure possession in the rucks and mauls? Is he going to be a destroyer in defence, disrupting the opposition with his aggressive tackling and "big hits"? Is he primarily a supporter in the lineout? In the process, he will also be freeing up the other two members of the back row to play a more creative role in attack. If this sounds like your plan, then you should see the blindside as more of a tight forward, playing somewhat closer to rucks, mauls and off the set pieces. Alternative roles Not all coaches differentiate this way between open and blindside flankers. Some coaches look to play their two best runners and handlers on the flanks, the idea being to enhance continuity and ball-winning at the breakdown. In this team many of the "traditional" blindside flanker's roles would be fulfilled by the number 8. The Australian back row of Waugh, Smith and Lyons is an example of this selection. Another option is to play left and right flankers, as France with Magne and Betsen. The idea here is that the two players share the running, foraging, and the like, rather than placing all the expectation on a single player. Given the increasing physical demands upon players during a game, this is perhaps a more realistic approach to back row selection. Coaches should also consider the impact of changing from one style to another during the course of a game with tactical substitutions. Defence Whatever system you choose as coach, the blindside flanker has certain key roles in defence. Defence from the lineout From a lineout the blindside's first responsibility is to tackle any player coming around the end of the lineout, preferably driving him back or towards touch. If the ball has been played to the backs straight away, the blindside flanker should defend the hole between the fly half (10) and the end of the lineout. If pressure forces the fly half to cut back, or he passes/switches back inside, the blindside should be there to make the tackle. Defence from the scrum There are different arguments concerning which player should be making the first tackle from a scrum. Whatever system is chosen, the crucial element is communication - the back row should be talking to each other and the scrum half (9) at every scrum. My preferences are: - On the right hand side of the field, the scrum half takes the first man round and the number 8 the second. The blindside flanker is there to assist both.
- On the left hand side, the blindside flanker takes the first man round and the number 8 the second.
As with the lineout, once play moves away from the scrum, the area between the fly half and the scrum is the blindside flanker's responsibility. Again, if the fly half switches play back inside, the blindside must be there to stop it. Therefore, the blindside flanker should not move across the field from the scrum too early. he should wait until the ball has moved wide enough that there is little chance of it coming back before moving across. Here it is very important that each back row player knows the roles of the others within the defensive system they are operating, so that no gaps are left. Defence in depth v pressure defence Some coaches argue that their blindside flanker should cover behind the backs/other back row players, whereas others instruct them to head straight for where the ball is. Both approaches have their merits. The first offers defence in depth and gives the blindside more time to read the opposition play, the second is more aggressive and increases the chances of halting an attack early and winning possession via a turnover. The decision as to which system to operate should be based on the strengths of the players available to the coach and an assessment of the opposition. Certainly, where there is little or no depth to the defence, such as inside your own 22m area, then the second approach should be adopted. As a rule I prefer the second option. It exerts more direct pressure on the opposition and may well force them to move away from their preferred playing style. However, the player chosen at blindside has to continually assess his position and that of the opposition in order to ensure that he is not outmanoeuvred. A player who charges wildly after the ball without control is easily evaded. Summary - Constructive or destructive. The role must blend with the rest of the back row.
- What roles do you want your blindside to play. This depends not just on the team needs, but the skills of the flanker.
- Defence from scrums and lineouts. Establish a clear plan of where the blindside flanker defends.
This article is from Rugby Coach Weekly. Sign up here today to try out an 8 issue subscription for just 97p.
* Quote * "Playing rugby at school I once fell on a loose ball and, through ignorance and fear, held on despite a fierce pummelling. After that it took me months to convince my team-mates I was a coward." Peter Cook in 1970 | 
