Players have specific roles to play depending upon their position within the team but in terms of backs and forwards there are some essential components to play:
Backs
Handling in all facets (close play, wide play)
Alignment and re-alignment (attack and defence)
Running lines of ball carriers and receivers (creative/reactive/strike runners/option runners)
Blind side attacks from 1st phase and broken play
Contact and continuity skills
Support play (reading what to do)
Counter attacking (where and when)
Kicking (technique and strategy)
Use of time and space (in front of/behind/around/in between defenders)
Decision making (at 1st and subsequent phases of play)
Attitude in using backs as prime attacking force (play to score)
Communication
Starter moves
Forwards
Handling in all facets (close ball work particularly)
Decision making in all parts of the game
Body angles (taking ball into contact/rucking/mauling)
Support play (reading what to do)
Lines of running (looking to offload or prepare for contact)
Decision making around rucks and mauls (go in/clear/pick up)
Contact and continuity skills
Scrummage technique and what to do in certain positions
Lineout work (lifting/jumping/driving/knowing the calls)
General defensive work (close in and out wide)
Tackling close in (slowing their ball)
Pinching ball on the ground mentality
Having a hard and ruthless edge
Space in rugby
Space is a very precious commodity in rugby. Players who have the ability to identify, preserve and exploit space are important to any rugby team. To overcome a defence, attackers must be intelligent, flexible, adaptable and innovative in identifying space and reacting to the changing nature of a defensive alignment. This requires players to get their heads up and look at what is going on around and in front of them. This is a skill that must be practiced like any other rugby skill.
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