http://www.rugbymag.com/archive/2004/january/scrumhvs.htm
Finding A Scrumhalf Among Young Players
By Peter Kingston
Peter Kingston is coach to the England Schools’ 18 Group. He works at Gloucester Academy as well as teaching full-time at Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham. He won five caps for England as scrumhalf from 1975-1979.
When I first attended Lydney Grammar School as an eleven-year-old , the master in charge of Physical Education was Ted Parfitt. Ted knew much about scrumhalf play from a lifetime’s experience as a player. He had played scrumhalf for Cardiff and progressed as far as a final Welsh trial. He also became a fine schoolmaster coach who was well respected in rugby circles.
Find The Scrumhalf
Ted’s philosophy on organising a team was simple: find the scrumhalf then worry about the rest.
Our very first rugby lesson was attended by over forty of us. The first activity was carried out in pairs, each with a rugby ball. The dive pass was demonstrated and then we were let loose to find out who could replicate it best. The search for number 9 was on from the first session.
The scrumhalf emphasis did not end there. We did gymnastics during indoor physical education lessons but the warm-up for the main feature was always pairs running the length of the gym while passing a rugby ball.
I became his choice for the prime position but the education did not end at school. I remember walking back to school after lunch one day and Ted stopped me and gave me a bit of a telling-off for having too long a walking stride! He wanted me to take shorter steps so that I would develop fast feet. The man was obsessed with attention to detail and he would regularly find the three or four decision-makers in a year’s group and mould a team around them.
Some of his methods can assist coaches who regularly deal with newcomers to the game; coaches who can determine whether or not a young player stays in the game. The big task is finding the player who can act as a lively pivot between forwards and backs.
Sparkle
Ted Parfitt looked for sparkle, just as you would look for a bit of life if you were choosing a puppy from a litter. This may be condemned as unscientific and too reliant on a bright-eyed method of selection, but it may be as reliable as any other. I would definitely look for the lad who is eager to play, one who wants the ball and wants to get into action. It’s the type who is always kicking a stone if it is in the path, a cheeky sort – he might just be the one.
Agility And Balance
If I were coaching a group of newcomers to the game I would concentrate on small games of 3 v 3 or 4 v 4. There would be no contact and I would be looking immediately for instinctive handlers who have agility and balance. Though it might not be the most important consideration for a future scrumhalf, I’d also be aware of the player’s physical build, as a too tall, gangly player may not have the necessary speed and agility later in his career.
Passing With Either Hand
The first specialist skill that I would concentrate on would be the pass off the ground with either hand. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect; the important thing is to see players passing comfortably both ways.
If a player is able, but favours one hand over the other, some very simple drills can assist in becoming two-handed. The easiest is to bounce a tennis ball against a wall and catch it with the ‘wrong’ hand. It can quickly have a positive effect on a young player’s perception of becoming two-handed.
Proper Size Ball
Whatever you do, don’t worry too much about a player’s skills being perfect in the early days. Get him a ball he can handle easily, even if it’s smaller than the one his age group should play with. Make him comfortable with the skills of the game, even if it means getting him to practise with a size three ball.
Speed Before Accuracy
There is inevitably a debate over the relative importance of accuracy and speed. I would suggest that the coach should develop quick hands rather than accuracy of pass. The over-long pass may be accurate, but it is rarely what the flyhalf wants, as it may be accompanied by an opposition defender. The quicker and shorter pass may not be as accurate but a good number 10 will turn that to his advantage, so try to find out what works for the young scrumhalf. Don’t become too technical too soon; try to develop speed of reaction and execution rather than technical precision.
Keep It Simple
Once you get into a session, keep the main points for the scrumhalf (or any other specialist position) to one or two. There is a danger that coaches can overload a young player with too much information and coaching. Stick to a couple of themes and make sure that they can be practised away from that session. Many parents will be only too willing to help – as long as they know what they are helping with.
Balance
Balance is very important in a number 9. But I would not use the word when coaching a young player, as it may confuse him to have a name for something that he produces naturally and instinctively.
A useful practice is to arrange a row of balls and get the player to run towards them. As he approaches each ball, gently tap it to either side so that he has to move his feet quickly side to side to get into a strong passing position. If this occurs naturally, keep practising and make it harder by decreasing the distance between balls. If the player struggles to get his feet placed correctly, then (and only then) should he be helped with suggestions on how best to place the feet; if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. And if it is happening naturally, try not to give it a name.
Dive Pass
The dive pass has gone out of fashion, but there is a place for it in a young player’s armoury. It is a skill that is relatively easy to produce, gives good direction and allows a scrumhalf to get out of trouble. It is also part of the game that your ‘type’ of player will enjoy. The dive pass will be very useful in wet weather and there is a type of boy who relishes getting muddy and wet. The small, lively player will get up very quickly and will have thoroughly enjoyed the pass.
Unfortunately, too many coaches play their physically bigger players in key position to win games. This is often a short-term solution and may deprive the natural 9 of exposure to the game.
Speed Of Pass Over Accuracy
Even as the scrumhalf gets older, I would still stress speed of pass over accuracy. Place six balls in a line and get the scrumhalf to pass them as quickly as he can to a receiver who is calling for the ball from no more than five metres away. Do not worry about length and try to develop a pass that does not require a look to find the target; the call from another player will be enough.
In this process you will start to develop speedy wrists and once again the trusty tennis ball can be useful. Young players can work beneficially with tennis balls that are passed to them. The frequency and speed can be adapted to suit the skill level of each player, but the outcome should be that a step (or steps) is taken when each ball is in the air to get in a strong passing position. A two-handed catch makes foot placement even more important.
Fast Feet
Getting the feet organized is vital for an aspiring scrumhalf and any ball work that develops good movement will pay dividends. The player has to be encouraged to move his feet while the ball is in the air and to get a strong passing position before he takes possession.
There used to be many natural aids to fast feet through playground and street games, but we now seem to rely on a scientific approach through SAQ (Speed, Agility and Quickness). This is important, but there are older ways.
Skipping is excellent, hopscotch used to be a playground regular and the only equipment needed was a piece of chalk. These activities are not difficult to set up and many more will be appropriate – you just have to make them up. Young players will start to develop fast feet without knowing what they are doing. Specialist Skills There’s a danger in trying to teach everybody all the skills of the game so that we have multi-skilled, multi-positional players. That process might just lose a few specialists and I see scrumhalf as one of the specialists with specialised skills. Austin Healey is an international-class player in many positions but still begs the question: is he world-class in one of them? Pace
Pace, with all the other specialist scrumhalf skills, can be devastating. The type of player I am talking about will want to get in behind defensive errors and missed tackles. Genuine speed will allow this to happen after speed of thought and a rapid weighing-up of the available options.
Kicking
Kicking is a vital skill and it can be fun. Encourage young players to practise, even before they can use the skill in matches. The player you have picked as scrumhalf is probably a very able soccer player (he’s probably good at every sport!) and you need to arm him with a wide range of skills. He will already have been told how good he is at other sports, so get him on board with skill practices at the various rugby kicks.
You can make up your own games and a version of Gaelic Football is not hard to devise. The simplest version would be touch contact, then any sequence of kicking or passing in any direction to follow the touch. You might rule that only a designated scrumhalf can pass the ball after the touch
Don’t be afraid to make it up as you go along. You’ll soon sense what is working or not working.
Whatever you do, though, make it fun
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