counter attacks for rugby union

Question
hi i was wondering if you could help out on some counter attacks for my college rugby team we are one of the best in wales but most of our play is forward play apart from scrumhalf and centres but we would like to use the wings as my self i am a winger but also as a team we are trying our best to come up with ideas and help from a experienced player and coach like you would help a great deal we are all 18-20 year old lads and good at most things but want to try new strategies which could help develop us as players and as a team as well our coach is more of a suggestion kind of a coach and we work better teaching each other from our different experiences in our regional clubs, county and national squads, but more counter attacks and involving the backs more would help a considerate amount diagrams would help considerable as well, i hope you keep the good work as well thank you

Answer
G'day Craig,

Counter attack on back play is not my strong point. I can suggest some great websites:

http://www.rugbysmart.co.nz/plan/technique.html

http://www.rugbytactics.com/

http://www.talkrugbyunion.co.uk/

Some even have video and graphics to show the move.

The big thing in counter attack is communication and reading the opposition.

You and your other backs need to be assessing the opposition all the time and talking to each other about it. Think up a strategy on the spot based on a particular weakness the opposition has.

In professional rugby you might have game tape to review prior to the game but usually it is something you just have to figure out on the day.

I am a Southern Hemisphere player. A lot of our counter attack comes from sheer cheek. A center might hit up the ball hard 2 or 3 times and make out like a real block head trying to run through walls instead of open doors. Then on the 4th attempt he pops the ball off to a supporting back or flanker having drawn the opposition in so well. That is something Tana Umanga did real well. If you left him he scored, if you over marked him he off loaded to a flanker or support to get them to score. You have to really "sell" it.

My point is that you will have a great affect on the opposition if you keep them thinking, and sometimes that comes from not over thinking it yourself.

At training stand in game formation and have some prop do his best to kick the ball over you, get the other forwards to play as a "back line" and mark you. run through a few counter attacks and try to form a call or hand signal to indicate what you are going to do. It will help your attack and there defence. I suggest running it. To kick on a counter attack gives away possession and defeats the whole point of a counter ATTACK. Run it, have good support and be creative. The counter attack is the one place you can go nuts and really have fun, Barbarians style.