running the ball

Question
i am the starting scrum-half for a high school team. my backfeild has trouble getting the ball out to the wing so sometimes it is best for me to run it. is there a spacific way i should be running into opponents to gain more yards?

Answer
Hi Cody the trick is to "run through doorways not walls"

Unless unavoidable look to move around a defender. If you have support you will want to draw the player, and pop a pass to your team mate at the last moment so the tackler is committed to you and taken out of play.

look to step to one side of a tackler, the ball should be in the hand that is furthest from the tackler and you should look to give a firm fend off. Aim your hand to the head or shoulder with an open palm. Put some weight into a fend and even grab the players jersey.

In some cases you can grab the jersey of a player and force them down or to the left or right. While you do this you can swing your ball hand around the player and hand off to your support.

Look to use the chip kick and the dummy as well.

Another technique you might employ is a sweeper kick from the back of the scrum take a good run at a 45 degree angle moving forward kick the ball across field behind the defensive line. This works well if you notice the opposition defense coming up flat and quick and also if the full back is out of position. You may want to have your back line know you are doing this via a call or signal prior to the scrum.

Use your number 8 have him take the ball up and draw 1 or 2 players in and hand off to you to make a pass or another run. The number 8 is actually supposed to do this sort of thing as part of their job, as half back you need only be a runner if there is a gap. The half back is like a general who tells the troops what to do and where to run.