Our new contributor former Black Ferns and Manu Samoa coach Darryl Suasua starts a new Building Attack Shape series with his Rosehill College, South Auckland, NZ player group.
Darryl builds the skill sets required for players to successfully execute their attack structure over multiple phases. In this example a 1-3-3-1 attack.
Part 1. Assessing Players' Abilities
Authentic training environment
Former Black Ferns and Manu Samoa coach Darryl Suasua creates an ‘authentic training environment’ with his ‘Chaos’ game, designed to assess player abilities at the start of his Building Attack Shape series.
No time is wasted on what players already know – this approach helps Darryl pinpoint key areas to focus on when building an effective Attack Structure.
Part 2. Attack options off 9 in the 1-3-3-1 formation
Running lines and angles – Every runner must be an attack option.
Players have got to sell something to the defence is a priority as ex Black Ferns and Manu Samoa coach Darryl Suasua continues his Building Attack Shape series.
Darryl details to his Rosehill College players the different roles of the 1st 3 pod to commit defenders and create space.
Part 3. Attack options off 10 in the 1-3-3-1 formation
2nd receiver waits until the 10 receives the ball before moving.
Ex Black Ferns and Manu Samoa coach Darryl Suasua continues his Building Attack Shape series and moves out 1 to the no 10 and the 2nd pod.
Any player can be in an attack pod as long as they know their role in the play – carry, tip, make the pass out the back or support into contact.
Part 4. Running up against the Wall - The Advantage Line
Reload and Build Your Phase Patterns to ensure everyone knows their role in each phase and move call.
Former Black Ferns and Samoa coach Darryl Suasua starts his Rosehill College players, in his latest series release, with an invisible ball, gradually introducing ball-in-play to develop their communication and positional awareness for each phase and play.
This drill is adaptable for all grades and can be modified to adjust defensive numbers, line speed, time in possession, and different defensive structures.
Part 5. Test Your Attack Structure - Chaos revisited
The shape doesn’t matter—what matters is how well you execute and build options from it.
is exactly what former Black Ferns and Samoa coach Darryl Suasua is looking for as he puts his Rosehill College players, back into the Chaos game.
This game sense activity is adaptable for all grades and can be intensified to full contact as the season progresses and/or player ability improves.