Success in Modern Rugby League - The 6 Basics

HarryAllan7

HarryAllan7

QCup Player
Jul 20, 2017
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Modern Rugby League is not a complicated game.

Good sides do a handful of really basic things well and it translates to creating momentum, space and opportunities on the field, as well as limiting those things for the opposition.

In Defence:
- Push up hard together , creating line speed with a unified defensive front
- Wrap up the ball carrier with upper body tackles to secure the ball to prevent offloads
- Hold the ball carrier up, prevent him getting to ground and getting a quick PTB

In Attack:
- Flat passes out of dummy half to forwards sprinting onto the ball
- Halves and fullbacks roaming around the ruck playing support and looking for offloads or to support half-breaks
- Use shapes, lines and decoys when the ball is spread to open gaps and create space for outside backs

Thats 6 very simple requirements which any non-coach can point out as the fundamentals of competing in modern rugby league.

All 6 of these pillars of success don't require individual skill, flashiness or often even experience... they require only awareness, fitness and motivation.

We do 0/6 of these. In several cases, we actually do the complete opposite of what is required.


Either the players don't know this basic stuff is expected of them, or are unwilling to do it for some reason. In either case, it falls to the coach to produce a team which can do these fundamentals.

I am not defending individual players, because lots of them have been extremely poor on the field and even worse post-game in terms of attitude and commitment, but prime Lockyer could be in the 6 jersey right now and we would see no difference in results, because the team isn't consistently doing the basics right.

It is the coach's job and it is really simple... you don't need advanced metrics, complicated gameplans and new-age technologies to pinpoint that these are the things you need to do well to win.

It's so easy. FFS.
 
Its just amazing how bad we actually are at just receiving the ball from the dummy half at speed and on the advantage line. So simple yet we are so bad at it.

Same with kick chase, under Wayne it used to be one of our things that we did very well, kick it deep, a fast moving and straight defensive line down there to meet the opposition and pin them on their line.
 
Its just amazing how bad we actually are at just receiving the ball from the dummy half at speed and on the advantage line. So simple yet we are so bad at it.

Same with kick chase, under Wayne it used to be one of our things that we did very well, kick it deep, a fast moving and straight defensive line down there to meet the opposition and pin them on their line.

It really is baffling... again kick chase doesn't require any special talent or expertise - just requires the focus and dedication to put in the effort. It's not complicated stuff.

Until the whole team is putting in this effort consistently, changing our spine or replacing players won't make any difference.
 
Modern Rugby League is not a complicated game.

Good sides do a handful of really basic things well and it translates to creating momentum, space and opportunities on the field, as well as limiting those things for the opposition.

In Defence:
- Push up hard together , creating line speed with a unified defensive front
- Wrap up the ball carrier with upper body tackles to secure the ball to prevent offloads
- Hold the ball carrier up, prevent him getting to ground and getting a quick PTB

In Attack:
- Flat passes out of dummy half to forwards sprinting onto the ball
- Halves and fullbacks roaming around the ruck playing support and looking for offloads or to support half-breaks
- Use shapes, lines and decoys when the ball is spread to open gaps and create space for outside backs

Thats 6 very simple requirements which any non-coach can point out as the fundamentals of competing in modern rugby league.

All 6 of these pillars of success don't require individual skill, flashiness or often even experience... they require only awareness, fitness and motivation.

We do 0/6 of these. In several cases, we actually do the complete opposite of what is required.


Either the players don't know this basic stuff is expected of them, or are unwilling to do it for some reason. In either case, it falls to the coach to produce a team which can do these fundamentals.

I am not defending individual players, because lots of them have been extremely poor on the field and even worse post-game in terms of attitude and commitment, but prime Lockyer could be in the 6 jersey right now and we would see no difference in results, because the team isn't consistently doing the basics right.

It is the coach's job and it is really simple... you don't need advanced metrics, complicated gameplans and new-age technologies to pinpoint that these are the things you need to do well to win.

It's so easy. FFS.
You might want to add some kicking in there.
 
My son in under 8's is currently learning the art of line speed.

I'm assuming most of these guys have been playing since under 8's, yes?
 
You might want to add some kicking in there.

That's what I'd consider a specialty skill... require a half that can kick well. These other 6 things are just basics required of every single player and don't require anything other than effort.
 
I think working towards a play on the fifth and then being able to execute one that increases advantage is a fundamental requirement of rugby league. Also, protecting your in goal area, and trying not to get trapped in there.
 

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