Open the Door

How the Ball Carrier can create space and off-load or pop-pass

When there is no unbalance between Attack & Defence to explore, we normally take a strong carry into the narrow gap between two defenders and go to ground with as many defenders as possible to set up a ruck (and hope we have a quick recycle and then an unbalance we can explore).

This about another option: running into that narrow gap and have the defenders commit to your running line and take advantage.

Open the Door tactical concept

This is the concept:

1. Identify the gap
2. Run into it

Option 1

1. Run into the tackle
2. Pass behind the back of the defender to your support player

Option 2

3. Give a pop-pass to your support player

By attacking the narrow gap, the defender has to leave his spot, with the Open the Door technique you pass the ball to an attacker who runs into this spot: you opened the door!

For this to work both Ball Carrier and his Support Players have to be in tune for this!

Example

A great example is Dan Carter exploiting this mismatch in size and mobility and setting his teammate Zac Guildfort up for a try.

How to practise this?

I work with 2v2 situations a lot. The Ball Carrier can attack the gap between the two defenders and that outside defender must make a conscious decision to either go and defend the Ball Carrier and the channel the BC is running into or stay and cover his direct opposite attacker.

Just let the players experience the options and time their actions. Get these strike patterns right and remember: train ugly!

The post Open the Door first appeared on Martin's Rugby Coaching Blog.