Bolt Blindside: Number 8 Scrum Attack

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Overview

Bolt Blindside is a compact scrum attack designed to hit the shortest side before the opposition’s guard, back-row and midfield defence can fold. It is most effective when the scrum is 12–18 metres from the near touchline and there is enough space to work, but not so much that the winger is isolated. The first objective is not an automatic pass to the wing; it is to make the inside defender commit to No. 8. If that defender stays square or drifts, No. 8 carries hard and keeps the ball. If the cover over-chases, the late pass releases 11 outside the fold.

Use the call “Bolt” before the referee’s engage sequence. It tells 9 that the blindside is live, 8 to pick tight and square, 6 to trail through the outside shoulder, and 11 to hold width until the ball has fixed a defender. The pattern is deliberately simple: win clean ball, show a direct pick, create a two-versus-one on the near edge, then either finish or set a fast second-phase ruck.

Setup

Mark a 25 m x 30 m working area on a full 100 m x 70 m pitch, using the near touchline as the blindside. Set the scrum 15 m in from that touchline and 5–10 m inside the attacking half. For the 10-player coaching unit, use attackers 9, 8, 6, 10, 12, 13, 11 and 15, plus two defenders. Represent the scrum with a low three-man passive unit, a coach with shields, or cones when numbers are tight. Add defenders progressively: first an inside guard and winger, then a folding flanker and cover defender.

Position 9 on the blindside of the scrum, 1.5 m from the tunnel and half a metre behind the ball. No. 8 stays bound until the ball is secure at the base. No. 6 begins on the blindside, connected to the scrum, then releases on an arcing trail line just outside 8. No. 10 starts 6 m behind and 5 m infield of 8 as the reload option. Centres 12 and 13 set a staggered line 8–10 m behind the scrum to hold the midfield. Winger 11 stays 2 m inside touch and 10–12 m ahead of 8; full-back 15 sits behind the play as the counter-attack safety.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Call and picture (-2.0 to 0.0 seconds). Before the scrum engages, 9 calls “Bolt” once and points to the near edge. 8 confirms with a short nod. 6 checks that 11 has the touchline and tells him, “Hold.” There must be no second call after the scrum is set; late noise gives the defence time to load the blindside.

2. Secure the feed (0.0 to 0.8 seconds). On the referee’s signal, 9 feeds straight and stays low. The hooker strikes only after the feed is clearly in. 9 tracks the ball with both hands ready but does not pull it away. At 0.5 seconds, the ball should be under the locks; by 0.8 seconds it should be at 8’s feet. The attacking pack maintains a stable, square platform for one full second rather than chasing an extra shove.

3. Pick and win the first shoulder (0.8 to 1.5 seconds). At 0.8–1.0 seconds, 8 lifts the ball with the outside hand, takes one sharp step towards the near touchline, then squares through the inside defender’s outside shoulder. His chest stays up, ball in two hands until the final metre, and his first three steps are maximum acceleration. 6 leaves the bind at the same instant and runs a tight arc 1–1.5 m outside 8, never in front of the ball.

4. Fix, pass or carry (1.5 to 2.5 seconds). 8 reads the nearest defender. If that defender turns in to tackle 8, 8 gives a soft, late push pass to 11 in front of the defender’s shoulder. If the defender stays wide, 8 carries through the gap and uses 6 as the first clean-out. 11 does not drift early: he holds width, stays square and accelerates only when 8’s hands show the pass. 12 follows inside as a legal latch or reload runner; 10 communicates the next phase from depth.

5. Finish the edge or reload (2.5 to 4.0 seconds). On the pass, 11 catches early, runs at the last cover defender and finishes in the five-metre channel. On the carry, 8 wins the floor, presents long towards the attacking side and calls “same” or “reload.” 6 arrives through the gate to clear the first threat; 9 is at the ruck within two seconds, with 10 set as the first receiver. Stop the drill at the first clean break, touchline error, or ruck established within four seconds.

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Key Coaching Points

Coach speed of picture, not speed of panic. The play only works if 8 threatens the defender before passing. Demand a low, powerful first three steps from 8, a legal and patient support line from 6, and genuine width from 11. The key phrase is: “Fix the first defender, win the next space.” Keep the ball alive in two hands until the decision; an early tuck tells the cover where the play is going. 9 must remain connected to the base until the ball is clearly controlled, then sprint to the next ruck rather than admiring the break.

Common Mistakes

The most common failure is 11 creeping inward before 8 has fixed anyone, which removes the passing lane and lets the cover tackle both players. Correct it by placing a cone two metres inside touch and insisting that 11 does not cross it before the ball is released. Another mistake is 8 running sideways from the base. Rehearse a square first step using a shield on the defender’s outside shoulder. Finally, 6 often arrives too fast and overruns the ball; make the trail runner wait until 8 has made contact or shown the pass.

Variations & Progressions

First, run the base pattern against two passive defenders and require 8 to carry every rep. Next, allow the inside defender to choose between holding, tackling 8 or drifting to 11; 8 must name the decision after the rep. Add a third defender folding from the far side and give 10 the “wrap” option behind 8 when the near edge is overloaded. For a goal-line variation, move the scrum to 8 m out, tighten 11’s starting width to 6 m, and instruct 8 to carry first unless the winger has a clear walk-in.

Age Adaptations

For under-12, use an uncontested or simulated scrum, reduce the channel to 18 m x 20 m, and teach only pick, square carry and two-hand transfer. For under-14, introduce a passive folding defender and insist on legal support through the gate. From under-16 and open age, use live scrum laws appropriate to the session, add a defensive back-row release, and judge success by a clean line break or a ruck formed with 9 ready in under four seconds rather than by a try alone.