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Breakdown articles
Win the Breakdown - win the game - Warren Gatland
Develop breakdown skills and tactics to help your players win the breakdown contest from some of the world's best coaches and players including Dave Rennie, Richie McCaw, Sam Warburton, George Smith, Warren Gatland, Sir Graham Henry and Eddie Jones, Ben Herring and many others.
Plus we have categorised them by playing level to make it easier for you to find:
- Y – youth
- HS – high school
- A – adult
- All – suitable for all levels
How to use the use ‘the nail’ to generate LQBWith LQB at such a premium, Nick Bishop examines whether ball-placement after the tackle is a more reliable method of creating it than gain-line dominance.
How to apply R & R at the attacking breakdownWhen things do not always work out as planned at the modern breakdown you need to apply some R&R.
Nick Bishop explains what type of R&R is needed in this week’s analysis.
How to cut the corner at cleanout time – using the ‘side window’The first cleanout support player is a critical decision-maker as Laurie Fisher points out in his Breakdown Attack series.
Nick Bishop details when successfully deployed this technique can often lead to concrete attacking opportunities. (at all levels)
How to manage the frontal cleanoutIt is like a pitcher in Baseball trying to hit the corner of the plate, there is only a small front window.
Nick Bishop highlights how Laurie Fisher’s first-man, frontal cleanouts at the breakdown pays dividends for attacking teams.
How to cover the attacking breakdownThe premium on excellent skills at the breakdown is becoming more important, especially for a club with a positive ball-in-hand mindset.
As Nick Bishop illustrates using the resurgent Queensland Reds as an example.
How to strike the balance between tackling and ‘jackling’ on DAs a result of the WR 2020 Breakdown Guidelines, the role of the jackler has changed, so it has attracted quicker, more dynamic physical types to the role.
Using examples for the English premiership, Nick Bishop latest analysis show the responsibility for jackling extends well into the backline.
How to get on the right side of the referee at the breakdownFor defensive players in and around the tackle area, the challenge is to spoil and disrupt effectively while showing that they are following the rules.
Nick Bishop looks at one of the techniques to fit into this formula – the ‘fake pilfer’.
How to make a second effort when all seems lost at ruck-timeSports coaches are always on the lookout for ways in which a player can make a ‘double action’ or second effort, reinforcing and improving the first, creating a snowball of momentum.
Nick Bishop highlights where a ‘double action’ is productive in rugby at all levels.
How to get some ‘bounce’ into the kick-pass!Attacking methods to get the ball quickly to the edge need constant refinement for the attacking side to be able to exploit the full width of the field.
One of the easiest methods to reach the wide channels has been the ‘kick-pass’. Nick Bishop details at the latest iteration of the ‘kick pass’
Why the wide ruck can be a big Achilles heel for the attackA ‘sweet spot’ exists where the defence can move over to the attack at the breakdown as Nick Bishop outlines in this week’s analysis..