How should a rugby back line be set up typically in each scenario?

Blacky N: How should a rugby back line be set up typically in each scenario?
I have recently started rugby coaching for juniors and have a decent knowledge of the game, just wondering if someone could help me align the backs positions in extreme occasions like when back in your own 22 in defence/attack and alos when the opponent is back in their 22 in attack/defence! THANKS

Answers and Views:

Answer by Blake S
When you on defence always have your backs on a straight line playing man to man and have your full back pinch up ( but staying aline with the opposing fullback). When you are attacking/ have ball possesion always have your backs on a slant/angle, unless you split the backs then you will have two slanted lines on either side of the scrum or ruck.

Answer by rainman
its always ideal to have the backline marking man on man anywhere on the field for defence, the key to a good defense is getting them to communicate with each other. When in possesion on ur own 22, if your guna kick it its probly a good idea to have a couple of the backs as blockers for your kicker to buy him some time and the kicker in the pocket and the wingers chasing.

A good attacking pattern is a good deep slanted backline with everybody running onto the ball at pace, this helps breaking the advantage line

Answer by Rick H
In your 22 i suggest you have everyone shallow, (or deep with a running start) to follow a kick from whoever. This is because i wouldn’t suggest running. In the opposition 22, moderately deep, since too deep gives the opposition time to fill up their space. you don’t want to take any risks when you’re so close to the try line.

Answer by Nathan S
When defending in your own 22 you set up with your fullback just behind the defensive line, and he moves across the back and covers for any overlaps so he is always tackling the winger. If attacking in your own 22 then the two centres move next to the rook/scrum (staying onside) and when the balls out and the number 10 kicks then the run up so the other players dont get to your number 10. If not kicking then set up in a normal line.

If attacking in opponents 22 then again set up as a normal back line – 10, 12, 13, 15, and then 11/14.
If defending in own 22 then make sure you have 2 players (fullback and a winger) about 20/30 metres back. One in the middle of the pitch and one down the wing which the opponents are closest to.

Answer by phenobulous
in defense, you always want your line man on man. i would suggest having them stand off a little in order to drive the play one way. if the runner has the option of going two different ways, the defender has a harder time defending that. if the defender positions themself in such a manner that the ball carrier is offset from him, then the runner will likely run in the direction away from the defender

X—X—- X—- X—– X

O
——O
————–O
——————– O
—————————- O

in this example the offense (denoted by the O) is offset. so when the first offensive player gets the ball he can only run straight or right. running left makes him run right at the defender. eventually the ball will get to the wing, and the sideline will act as an extra defender. thats one strategy thats pretty simple for even juniors to understand.

on offense its going to be an angled line, with the full back deeper than the centers/ wings. i would coach creating an overlap, whereby, in the example given above, the first ball carrier (O) runs right at the second defender, the second ball receiver runs straight, the third receiver runs towards the second defender. essentially you are trying to get the defenders to run into each other, or to lose track of the player they are defending. now, when the three offensive players converge the ball is released to the 2nd center in the space between the 2 centers or full back. hopefully his defender will have lost sight of him and will be expecting him to run to his left (defenders right) as that is how they would have set up.

best thing to do is set up some simple diagrams showing where you want each player to go and where the ball is going to go. we use several variations of dummy passes, dummy switches, pass and loop, decoy runners.

we also have a simple 123 system denoting where the ball is going to go as you cound from left to right, 1 means youre going left, 2 means youre crashing center, 3 means youre going right

we use a simple naming system to denote switches and dummies. call a name of a fruit, any fruit, and theres going to be a switch. name a car and theres going to be a long/ skip pass with a decoy runner.

the call might be something like this.
22 apple
first two means its going to crash center as discussed above.
second 2 means its crashing through the second center.
and apple means the first center is going to run across the field towards thier wing, the 2nd center is going to run straight and receive the ball just as the 1st center passes him.
22 ford would mean
crash center
on 2nd center
which means we are skipping the first center. so the first center wiill run yelling and screaming for the ball, but it gets passed to 2nd center.

if you have a chalkboard draw up some simple plays and make variations of those plays. have a simple code for denoting what is going to happen in the play and make sure there is always support for the ball carrier.

good luck.