Turn Your Defence into a Wrecking Crew

Reading when to cut down options, "GO GET" and take the space

The “Cut Off Options Game” is a great way to get your players identifying when best to apply pressure to prevent a territory gain and to slow down the opposition’s ball. Going forward, or “GO GETTING”, reduces the opposition’s time and space and therefore the options available to them.

There are two situations when the defensive unit can “GO GET”, apply pressure, and quickly take up the space in front of them.

This game works on exactly that!

HOW IT WORKS

• 7 v 7

• The Attack has 2 x phases in which to score (this can be increased to a maximum of 4 x phases).

• The Attack chooses the start point on the field which can be anywhere in their own half.

• The Attack start from a ruck position with the ball carrier on the floor, a support player over the ball, and a Number 9 in place ready to play the ball away.

• Number the Defence 1-6, with 1 x sweeper (sweeper does not have a number).

• To start the game, the Coach calls out 2 or 3 Defender’s numbers. Those players must rush to the breakdown and do 3 x push-ups. The Coach then shouts, “play”, to signal the Attack to commence the game.

• The Sweeper is not allowed to come into the defensive line until the ball has been played.

• Any Defensive players who make a touch on an Attacking player must immediately get down and do 3 x push-ups. If two Defenders make a touch at the same time, they both do push-ups.

• When touched, the Attacker can choose to make an immediate offload, OR go to ground and present the ball in another ruck with one player over the ball in support and another to play the ball away).

Coaching Points:

1. Encourage the Defenders to recognise when they have equal or greater numbers on their feet than the Attackers, which signal the moments to “GO GET”.

2. Encourage the Defenders to also “GO GET” when they have superior numbers and the Attack is up against the touchline with only one way left to play.

3. In this situation the second from the end man is regarded as the most important and potentially effective Defender when pushing up together in a defensive line. We called him the “Attack Dog”. His job was to move up slightly quicker than the rest of the line in an attempt to cut off the possibility of an attack out wide and force the Attackers to go back in field and take contact. (This was considered a win for us).

4. If the “Attack Dog” felt he was getting caught up in “No Man’s Land”, then his job was to go back “soft” and reconnect with the winger to defend “soft” the outside attacking option. This type of real-time decision-making is an “Art” and not a “Science” and requires plenty of practice.

Examples of 2 Phase “Cut Off Options Game”