Seven Questions on Sevens - The Coach
Jon SkurrPlaying career Sevens Coaching |
1. What are the key principles of 7-a-side rugby?
Sevens rugby is fast, explosive and powerful! It's a game that is played by adaptable, intelligent rugby players who have the ability to make key decisions in different situations. The game focuses on the key core skills and puts them under greater pressure than 15 a-side game. You need to play with width but modern sevens is not just about throwing the ball about, it's about structure and shape.
2. What are the most important qualities for a Sevens coach to have?
You need to be organised, adaptable and have good communication skills. Player management is important, players will often be prepared to push themselves to the limits, as coaches its important you know your players and realise what they are capable of achieving. It is also important as a coach that you empower players to make decisions, in sevens, players individual decisions can have a greater impact on the outcome of the game.
3. Sum up the key differences between coaching Sevens and 15-a-side rugby.
There is such an importance on individual core skills in Sevens that you have to break down drills to focus on the key elements of the skill and then you need to make them specific to sevens rugby. One other key difference is that you're working with a smaller group of players, this allows you to identify strengths and weaknesses easier than in a 15-a-side and tailor sessions to meet the needs of the players. There are also the obvious differences such as scrums, lineout's, backs moves and defensive systems and these are also very important.
4. What challenges do coaches face when coaching Sevens?
One of the key challenges facing coaches when coaching sevens is changing ones mentality from being a 15-a-side coach. Many of the key principles are the same they just need a sevens specific focus. The only way to learn about Sevens is to play sevens!! The sevens game itself has changed significantly over the last ten years and has moved closer to 15-a-side rugby with more shape, structure and contact than ever before. The key challenge for a coach is to give players the opportunity to transfer skills successfully from 15-a-side rugby to 7-a-side.
5. Are there any rugby aspects which translate very well from 15-a-side to Sevens?
All the cores skills such as passing, tackling and breakdown skills translate really well. Players are under greater pressure to perform these skills correctly otherwise possession could be lost and you might not get the ball back for some time! Sevens players are under a microscope because any mistake is highlighted by the fact that there are so few players on the pitch.
6. What advice would you give to coaches who may be quite new to coaching Sevens?
Start with the basics, look at players ball skills such as passing the ball over longer distances than players would normally do in a full sided game. I would also focus on defence, if you don't concede tries you don't lose games! Try to think about the key core skills and then make them specific to sevens, many new coaches spend lots of time on set piece plays, don't!!! Most sevens games have very few scrums or lineouts, it's more important to look at retaining the ball and defensive shape.
7. Are there any benefits to the 15-a-side game that coaches may bring back from their involvement in Sevens rugby?
There is no hiding place in sevens and it forces coaches to be more thoughtful and adaptable in their delivery. Coaches have to think about specific focuses and how they can adapt them to different situations. Sevens coaches have to break games down into smaller detail than 15-a-side rugby as individual errors can have a greater impact on the outcome of the game.
Seven Questions on Sevens - The Player
Kieran CampbellPlaying Career Coaching |
1. What are the attractions of Sevens rugby for a player?
It is an exciting form of the game which allows for the ball to be kept in hand and with the greater space it allows for players to display their individual talent. Whether it be using good footwork to beat a defender or a combination of footwork and distribution skills to create space for a team mate.2. What are the most important attributes that Sevens players should have?
Sevens places a great stress on a number of key attributes, players are faced with many one on one tackles so they have to be sound defensively. They must be able to distribute the ball accurately through wide passing and in contact. It is essential that the player has good footwork and acceleration. On top of that it is essential that the player has good spatial awareness and therefore the ability to identify where the opportunity is to attack and exploit this.
3. Sum up the key differences between playing Sevens and 15-a-side rugby.
The structure of the sevens game means that it allows for games to be much more fluid and less pattern orientated than 15-a-side rugby. This is generally because there is a little more time and space as teams can not press so vigorously in defence and due to the amount of field they have to cover. Also in the knowledge that a mistake almost inevitably leads to a score teams tend to be a little more cautious. I think also with the short halves the pressure is on to score quickly as the games turn very quickly, an opponent can gain the upper hand with a few minutes. This I feel encourages players to take more risks, where as in 15-a-side you can take a more measured tactical approach.
4. What challenges do players face when learning Sevens for the first time?
The obvious challenge is getting yourself orientated to the space on the pitch and this puts pressure on you defensively and offensively. From a defensive perspective it means you do have to be more patient in defence and ensure you do not get drawn into making a decision which leaves too much space to cover in a one on one tackle or an easy over lap for the opposition to attack. Offensively the Sevens game places pressure on every players distribution, ability in contact and their decision making skills. The ball is precious as the game changes so quickly and therefore every player must feel confident in every facet of their game.
5. Are there any rugby aspects which translate very well from 15-a-side to Sevens?
I think the Sevens game has become more physical and the skills you gain through your defensive work in 15's are essential in the Sevens game particularly being able to slow the other team down when they are attacking to allow your defence to reorganise. The other aspect is the continuity work you do for 15's is essential as you have to be able to off load in contact effectively.
6. Is Sevens training much different to 15-a-side training?
Although there is some organisation you spend less time on organising patterns and set piece plays. Obviously training has to be geared more to successfully completing decision making drills under pressure and accuracy of players distribution. Also each session involves a substantial fitness hit due to a higher concentration on playing controlled games to improve players ability to make the right decisions defensively and offensively in a match environment.
7. Did you bring anything back to the 15-a-side game from your involvement in Sevens?
I think you can hone your decision making skills, foot work and distribution skills in the Sevens environment. This allied to improvements in spatial awareness allows you to be more effective when in a one on one, trying to create space for another player, making the right decision when you have made a line break or are trying to support a team mate in open play.
IRB Coaching Sevens Manual
Download the IRB's Coaching Sevens Manual, this document is copyright and provided with kind permission of International Rugby Board.
For more on coaching in rugby, visit http://www.irbcoaching.com.
