Games Based Sport: Rugby Union
Skills & Techniques
Passing: When playing rugby to give the ball to another player you have to pass the ball, you can do this by throwing it backwards (it is against the rules to pass it forward) to another player who will catch and then continue running. When you pass you can do different types of passes. Normal pass, pop, and the spin pass.
You then plant your front foot into the ground and throw the ball using your hips/arms. You do this whenever you pass the ball in rugby, no matter what type of pass it is. You perform a normal pass when the player is not too far away but too far away to pop.When performing the pop pass you should aim to throw the ball up in the air so that it hits the player’s chest. You perform this pass when someone is running really quickly as it is quite easy to catch if performed correctly.
Spin pass is the same as a normal pass except when you throw the ball you spin it. When spinning the all you throw it normally but with you back hand you spin the ball by moving it upwards just as you release the ball. You use this pass when you want to do a long flat pass as it moves quickly through the air.
Kicking: In rugby there are three different types of kicks, drop kick, grubber kick and the normal kick, which can be used at different times during the game.
When playing rugby the drop kick is performed when restarting the game from the half way line and can be used when given a penalty. When teams use them at a penalty it is usually because they are in their own 22 (22 meter line) and are under pressure. You can perform a drop kick by bouncing the ball on the ground and just as it bounces off the ground you kick it.When you perform a grubber kick you must kick the ball just as it bounces on the ground, you use this kick when you want to get past a person and you are quicker than them
A normal kick is where you just kick the ball when you drop it without letting it drop out of your hands; this kick is mostly used in open play when the team is inside their own 22.
Running with the ball: In rugby you run with the ball to gain ground, when you run with the ball there are many different ways to get around apposing players.
Side steps can be performed when carrying the ball; you can perform a side step just as you run into an opposing player and as you are about to collide take a large step to the left or the right and therefore dodging the tackle
You can also get past a player by performing a dummy; this is when you pretend to pass it and then quickly change direction and accelerate into the space that opened up when you pretended to pass it. This can be used when trying to break through a tough defence.
Catching the ball: When catching the ball it is important to have the right technique; you can do this by catching it into your chest and gripping the ball tightly, in a game some professional players jump up as they catch the ball as they cannot be tackled in the air
Rucking: rucking is a very important aspect of the game as it determines which team has the ball, rucking occurs when a tackle is made and the ball carrier goes to ground. At this stage players (usually the forwards) protect the ball or try and steal the ball from the opposing team, they do this by pushing each other until the one of the scrum halves on either team gets the ball and throws it away.
Scrimmaging: When playing rugby if there is a forward pass, a knock on or a miskick from the restart there is a scrum, in a scrum there are 2 props, in the middle of them is a hooker, behind them are 2 second rows, on the outside of the 2 second rows are the flankers, one on the left and the other on the right and at the back of the scrum is the number 8. In a scrum the scrum half will role the ball in and the hooker will hook the ball back while the other hooker does the same.Tackling: When tackling there are three types of tackling front tackle, side tackle and dump tackle
A front tackle is when a player tackles the ball carrier from the front and takes him to the ground; they do this by grabbing his legs and pulling him to the ground
A side tackle is where the player tackles the ball carrier to the ground; he does this by tackling the player to the side and pushing him over
A dump tackle is where the player picks up the ball carrier and carries him into the ground; they must not let go of the player however as that would be an illegal tackle.
Techniques- Further Detail
Passing
When you perform a pass you should make your opposite shoulder to which direction you are passing in to face your opponents, you do this because it then protects you when they come to get tackled.
Kicking
When kicking try to aim your kick so it lands in a certain place; you do this by moving your foot as you kick the ball in the direction you wish to kick it. As well as this when you perform a drop kick you should bounce the ball a few times on the spot which you are going to perform the kick to make sure the ground is flat. You do this so that when you drop it it doesn’t bounce off in another direction
Running
The best runners of the ball in rugby always run straight with the ball; they do this so they make more ground instead of drifting as you do not make so much ground
Catching the Ball
When catching the ball you should usually be already running so that you have more chance of getting past the defenders, but if you are catching a kick you should try and stand still and not drop the ball
Rucking
When rucking it is important to make sure you use the right technique; you make sure that when you ruck you drive from low to high while making sure you keep your back straight an head up. As well as this you need to get a good bind around the opposing player and make sure you drive using your legs.
Scrimmaging
In a scrum you should always make sure that the front row is at the same level, when the referee says touch you need to make sure that you touch your opposing player, when the ref says pause look at the position of where your head is going and when he says engage do not push until the ball is rolled in
Tackling
When doing a front tackle you should get into a low crouch position and as the player hits your shoulder twist round and fall over without losing your bind and fall on top of him so you can roll away. When performing a dump tackle you should lift the player up by the legs and make sure you do not let go of the player.
Improving techniquesTo improve passing you can do different drills, one of these drills can be where you have 4 players running and you pass it along the line
To improve kicking and catching you can have 2 lined groups of players kick the ball to each other, this test their accuracy and catching skills
To improve rucking you can have rucking shields where you have some players holding rucking shields to simulate a ruck
To improve scrimmaging by using a scrum machine which stimulates an opposing side this can therefore improve the scrimmaging of a side 
To improve tackling you can have the players in pairs and then tackling each other to improve tackling skills
Tactics
When professional teams play each other they sometimes watch video highlights so they can find out their strengths and weaknesses, hey then make sure that they cannot play to their strengths and target their weaknesses.
Teams play different when they are attacking to when they are defending
Attacking: When teams attack their lines are always diagonal, as well as this they commit to the rucks more. They also leave a few forwards out the ruck so they can try and smash through the defence’s line
Defending: When defending teams usually have a straight line to try and make sure there are no gaps to get through. As well as this they don’t usually over commit to the rucks therefore having more people in their defensive line
Teams usually kick when they are under pressure in their own 22 and they can therefore have some time to regroup and get the ball away from their own try line. This is different when they are inside the opponents 22 as they try to run it over the try line and score a try or try to put their opponents under pressure
When a team are up against a hard defence they usually start to give the ball to forwards to try and make a hole in their line, this can also be used to try and draw the opposing teams players in before spinning the ball out wide.
When a team come up against a defence that don’t spread out very wide the backs usually pass the ball down the line and score a try. They can also use it if the team do spread out wide if they make the overlap and therefore breakthrough
Strategy
The overall strategy in a rugby game is to find the opponents weakness and use it to your advantage but there are many other tactics as well i.e. Backs spread out win the race to the gain line, make the first tackle and forwards clear out the opposing players in the rucks mauls and scrums
