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Breakdown Session Plans - HS with The Rugby Site

We advance the Breakdown session plan for players at a level where the Breakdown involves bigger players who are hitting at a greater speed. Technique, cohesion and decision making through the key Breakdown parts are important. Again this training session is set for 40-45mins. Make sure the warm up is effective as players are into contact. You can individualise player skills in this session as well.

Part 1. Breakdown Warm-up

6:19 Member content

We start the session with some Breakdown Primer drills.
It is important to get the body right for the Breakdown contact plus develop the right techniques along the way.
Hawkes Bay coach Josh Syms shares his innovative ideas around developing breakdown skills. Session one is all about preparing the body for the Breakdown ground work. Uniquely, Josh has premier and schoolboy men’s and women’s players at the session. All learning and performing the same skills, and drills, at the same time.

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Part 2. Ball Carry into Contact

8:18 Member content

Ball Carry into Contact – we have a number of excellent videos explaining this aspect of the game. For this training session we bring in Lions and England second row Courtney Lawes. Courtney presents a great session for youth players to develop their ball carry into contact and ball presentation.

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Part 3. Contesting the Breakdown - Defence

6:23 Member content

Making the right decisions at the Breakdown. Wallaby great No 7 George Smith outlines how to get players into the right defensive mindset to win the breakdown contest. You can use All Black great Richie McCaw or Lions and Wales captain Sam Warburton or England coach Eddie Jones videos as well for this part of the session. All are equally expert and detailed in presentation of the breakdown contest.

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Part 4. Contesting the Breakdown - Attack

3:30 Member content

As with the breakdown defence, the site has a number of videos you can use for this session – Richie McCaw, Sam Warburton, Eddie Jones, Warren Gatland and Nick Stiles. In this session we will continue with Wallaby great No 7 George Smith.

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Part 5. King of the Jackal

4:45 Member content

Finish the session with a breakdown contest from George Smith. It helps reinforce the skills learnt during the session.

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Course Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Duration 29:15
Topics Session Plans
Applicable to Coaches
Languages English
Click on CC button at top left of video for other translation options.

Course reviews

Love the king of the jackal game! Can see this becoming a request from players at the end of sessions

 —  South Africa

Great drill, good tips Courtney

 —  Australia

Clear demonstration of priming activities, key coaching factors presented and being strong you can see for yourself. Nicely done!

 —  USA

this is a good build up on play in close quarters, its a good follow up from part 1 where body position was key

 —  South Africa

Some great drills from George – I loved the one on one games

 —  USA

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