The shape
Eight defenders spread evenly across the pitch in a flat line, with the scrum-half and fly-half in the middle opposite the roll-ball, the centres either side and the wings on the touchlines. The full-back sits behind the line as the sweeper. After a touch the whole line retreats to the required offside distance, resets level and moves up together as the half picks up the ball. The nearest defender to the half watches for the run; everyone else takes the player opposite.
Roles
- Scrum-half and fly-half. The middle markers. The scrum-half watches the acting half for the run and the fly-half takes the first receiver.
- Inside centre and left centre. The inside shoulders either side of the middle. They cover the inject runner and the angle back towards the ball.
- Centre and right centre. Hold the width level with the middle, take the wide runners and do not drift early.
- Wings. Hold the touchlines so the last pass never finds a free player.
- Full-back. The sweeper. Reads the gaps, calls the line and covers any break or long pass.
Strengths
- A line going up together makes the attack run sideways.
- Fast retreats after a touch mean the line is set before the half plays.
- Touches made early in the set waste the attack's possession.
Weaknesses
- One defender slow to retreat is offside and gives away a penalty.
- Shooting up early on a receiver opens the gap inside.
- Tired players stop retreating and the line becomes a dog-leg.
When to use it
Every touch match, with the emphasis on retreating and resetting. For mixed-ability groups put the quickest players in the middle, where the half plays, and the less mobile out wide where the line is slower. In pre-season for a contact squad, use it to drill line speed and talk without the collisions. In poor weather press less and let the attack drop the ball.
What to coach in training
- Retreat and reset: a coach calls "touch", the line retreats to a cone line and resets level; repeat until the reset is automatic, then add the move up as one when the half lifts the ball.
- Inside shoulder: 3v3 in a channel with the attack running angles back towards the ball, and defenders learning to hold the inside.
- Full 9v9 touch in which the defence counts the touches made before the attack crosses halfway.
Works well against
It copes well with a quick roll-ball attack provided the retreat is fast, because the line is set before the half plays. Against a wide attack the wings holding the touchline and the sweeper cover the overlap. Against a side with one strong runner, the middle markers and inside shoulders take the step and the sweeper takes anything that gets through. Only a team that resets faster than you do gets the better of it.
