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Attack articles
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We have got attacking skills resource for all levels of the from some of the world's best attack coaches to help including Wayne Smith, Joe Schmidt, Gregor Townsend, Dave Ellis and others.
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Plus we have categorised them by playing level to make it easier for you to find:
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How far can you push the boundaries on the kick-chase?The aerial contest is a very important part of our game but when does the contest become dangerous play and an accident waiting to happen.
Nick Bishop analyses the aerial contest’s current form highlighting the recent Springbok All Blacks 1st test.
Why couldn't the ABs defend the short-side?Ireland had no difficulty in creating and exploiting short-sides against New Zealand throughout the entire series.
Nick Bishop illustrates how the Irish achieved this attacking dominance and gestures towards a much more deep-seated problem
How to find the pressure points with the midfield kicking gameThe kicking game is employed in between the two 10m lines for attack purposes. However, as Nick Bishop explains, it only really works if you have a specific target in mind.
How to run same-way attack with angled cleanoutsIt is always nice when circumstances come together to make theory absolutely limpid, and crystal clear in practice.
It is even better when they do it in such a way as to tie more than one theme together at the same time.
As Nick Bishops connects recent analysis with a recent super rugby match.
How to find scenarios to make the 50/22 workThe 50/22 kick is beginning to grow in value as the different scenarios in which it can be an Attack option are recognised more clearly.
Nick Bishop details some recent examples in this week’s analysis.
Why rugby news travels fast in the global gameA prop in the back field returning kicks in Australia Super rugby one week and in then the 6 Nations the next!
Nick Bishop explains how it has come about and why?
Anatomy of a try: how kicking duels create countering chancesWhy is defence and the kicking game so important?
Analyst Nick Bishop explains why and how its lead to constructing an effective attacking game.
How to make a same-way attack really workThe most basic version of attacking in the professional era is the so-called ‘same-way’ or ‘around the corner’ attack.
Analyst Nick Bishop details how to really make this attack work.
How to locate and exploit the low-energy defenderNick Bishop depicts how Teams like to use multi-phase attack to exploit the low-energy defender.
How to take the short-cut to success off first receiverThe flat or short ball to the ‘forward’, and the ball out of the back door to another back-line distributor, which is more productive? Nick Bishop adds some weight to the ‘forward’ ball in this week’s article.
Is the full-back position about to get up-sized? Part 1Kicking ability out of hand and off the tee is this week’s focus in the 1st of 2 articles, as Analyst Nick Bishop looks at ways in which the full-back spot is looking towards a considerable upsizing in the professional game.
Why the modern maverick 10 must be able to multi-taskSince the introduction of the new guidelines at the tackle area in June 2020 and the production of increasingly quick ball from the ruck, the No 10 has found him or herself fulfilling a much greater variety of roles than before. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at what roles the No 10s are doing in the game.
Why kicking for the posts has taken on a new meaningThe new rules around goal-line dropouts may already have some subtle, but far-reaching effects as Nick Bishop details in this week’s analysis.
How has the All Blacks attack changed since 2019?At the 2019 RWC the All Blacks ran the same attack and came unstuck against England in the semi final. analyst Nick Bishop looks at what has changed in their attack since then, how effective it’s been and why?
How to chase the high kick – the Springbok wayAnalyst Nick Bishop spots some Springbox innovation in the Lions series of games where the pattern of play was both conservative and repetitive.
Getting around the 'Rush' DefenceOne the most difficult problems for coaches to solve in the modern game is the rush defence. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at how a ‘single wing attack’ structure is proving successful.
How to make the pick-and-go really ‘go’The pick-and-go is often neglected, at least in field positions outside the opposition 22. Analyst Nick Bishop takes a look at some of the features that make the pick-and-go game tick over as smoothly as clockwork.
Is it better to play Rugby without the ball?The early evidence is that Test rugby is proving to be stubbornly resistant to the 2020 law changes, which were designed to promote quicker ruck delivery and more ball-in-hand attack. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at why this is the case
Why have the top teams stopped kicking for goal?It may just be the end of an era. The days of the penalty goal as the primary means of scoring in Rugby may be coming to end – at least if the English Premiership final is a true measure of judgement as Nick Bishop reports in this week’s analysis.
How to use late movement on attack close to the ruckWhile a great deal of time is spent, and rightly so, on improving the speed of ball delivery from a ruck, it is just as important to focus on the movement around it. As Analyst Nick Bishop explains most rucks create their own geography, and two sides for the attack to explore.
Is there a Renaissance in French rugbyOn and off the field, French rugby appears to be in a Renaissance with 2 teams contesting the 2021 Champions cup final and close to winning the last 2 6 nations titles. As Analyst Nick Bishop writes, some of those uniquely French attack characteristics are beginning to work their way back into the mindset of both club and country.
Why the cross-kick is a quick fix for attacking widthThe cross-kick (or kick-pass) is a low-risk way of moving the ball from one side of the field to the other in one movement, without the need for top-drawer handling and passing skills. Nick Bishop looks at the types of kick-passes and their effectiveness.
How to look for the transition zones on attackAgainst a defence which is still well-organized, one of the most reliable methods of attack is to seek out the so-called ‘transition zones’ between a forward and a back. Analyst Nick Bishop explains what is and why it is so effective.
When is the tip-on pass most effective?The art of attacking is the art of creating and utilizing space. Pushing the ball ever wider to find the space is therefore, no longer as effective as it once was. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at how teams have started instead to look at ways to create small pockets of space in which to attack in the middle of the field, without using the whole width of the pitch.
Red Zone Kicking adds to No 9 RoleThe new breakdown laws have resulted in more kicking especially from the No 9.
This week Analyst Nick Bishop looks at how this No 9 kicking has spread to the Red Zone’ at ruck time.
How to expose the ‘spare man’ in defenceLocating the spare defender is the short-hand for deciding the direction of attack on the next play. In this week’s analysis, using a recent European Cup game as an example, Nick Bishop looks how an attack can exploit defending team’s ‘receiver’ role at Lineout time.
How to manipulate the short-side from lineoutThe lineout drive is a more robust, manageable platform for set-piece attack than the scrum, especially if the short-side is the target area as Analyst Nick Bishop highlights in this week’s article.
How to ask searching questions close to the goal-lineMuch of the innovation in the English game has been derived from Exeter. Again, their coaches are not afraid to question assumptions about how the game should be played. This week Analyst Nick Bishop highlights an example of their successful innovation.
Why the small man still has a place in a big man’s worldThere is still a place for the small man in what is fast becoming a very big man’s game and how rugby is better them being on the field. Analyst Nick Bishop explains why in this week’s article.
