Coach: Two-on-one defence

The Guru speaks

Defence is so important in rugby now, and all manner of defensive coaches are employed. Here the Guru, the wisest coach on earth, talks about an aspect of defence.

Recently, several coaches have asked about two-on-one defence. There are various names by which it is known, but, if you don’t mind, I’ll stick to the plain English version; what with all the posts, pillars, O.T. balls and pod systems it seems to me soon that books on rugby will have to include glossaries containing descriptions of what these terms mean.

Many sides now are coached to play the simple but effective game of continuous pick-up and drive- and I really do mean continuous. Scrumhalf will pick up from the base of a ruck/maul and feed a forward on the edge; at low body angle he will drive forward as far as he can. He drives in close to the ruck, straight (he is an easier target and less easy to support if he runs across or stands wide). Inevitably, he is brought to, or goes to ground; his close supporters clean out rucking over the ball, leaving it sheer and clear for the scrummy, who once more feeds, close to the ruck, another forward who drives low, forward and to ground. And so bullish progress is made, phase after phase, inch by inch, smash by smash, subtlety by subtlety. If the team is well-drilled and keeps competent possession of the ball, it can take the ball considerable distance in this way; it is not easy to stop. Close to the line, this method harvests tries galore.

It is against this blunderbuss of inevitability that you employ a two-on-one defence in an effort to stop its forward movement, slow it down at least, and cut it off from its support - most important for then it is castrated and cannot breed.

Here is the practice:

1. Split your men in to 3 groups of about five or six.

2. One group stands on the half-way line (any line), and the other two on either ten-metre line.

3. The middle man of the middle group carries a contact shield and on either side of him, an arm’s distance from his side and half a metre behind, is another man and next to that another, also an arm’s distance away from and level with his inside man. These are the defenders.

4. 10 or slightly fewer metres behind the first lot of defenders is another defence group similarly aligned.

5. Facing the first group of defenders, 10 metres away is the attacking group. The middle man, carrying a ball, is forward of his support. Behind him is a scrumhalf and arraigned on either side of him are the support players.

6. This group runs at the defence group, ball carrier leading. He hits the shield, drives with his legs and goes to ground, laying the ball back for scrummy.

7. Scrummy picks up and passes left or right to close support (the support must run two left and two right) to take the ball up. The intention is to cross the advantage line.

8. The defence on either side of the shield must remain on side, calling sharply, “Wait, wait, wait…now!” and move forward as the scrumhalf touches the ball; the inside defender takes the man to whom the scrumhalf passes on his, the ball carrier’s inside or face-on while the outside defender comes in on the ball-carrier and they bundle him over almost as he takes the ball. On the other side, the other two defenders advance quickly on the two on their side of the ruck, thus blocking any chance of a pass from the ball carrier. The ball-carrier may pass if he is able to but then the receiver must be snuffed out. It is important to leave no space between ruck and defender on either side and for both defenders on one side to be close together but not too close as the outside defender must be able to move out on a pass. Insist that the defenders stay on side and that they pin the ball-carrier on his side of the advantage line. Tackle above the ball, drive the legs in the tackle.

9. The attacking side re-groups to attack second line of defenders.

10. Having done that, they turn around and come back through each of the two groups in the same way.

11. Allow the attack to develop into a second phase if it looks as though it might.