Strategy

Attacking Strategies

The key strategic problem in Sevens is how to make progress towards the opponent’s in-goal area when you cannot pass the ball forward.  The options are:

1. Kicking as far as possible downfield aiming to get the ball into touch, with a view for competing for possession at the line out.
2. Kicking downfield but aiming to keep the ball in play, either to regather immediately or to tackle the opponent who picked up the ball with a view to competing at the breakdown.  These kicks can be long or short.
3. Carrying the ball forward into the tackle aiming to have enough momentum or strength to break the tackle and be able to carry on downfield.
4. Carrying the ball into the tackle with the aim of passing to a teammate before or whilst being tackled.  This works best where one or more opponents are forced to join the tackle, thereby creating space for the teammate.  This is often achieved through an angled run.
5. Using pace, footwork, mis-passes, feints and/or a dummy pass to avoid being tackled
6. Use speed of passing to pull the defensive line out of position to create gaps to run into.

Note that teams will use all of these options during this game but often have a preference for a style.  A good kicker and a strong line out presence is required for Option 1, a good kicker and fast players for Option 2, strong players for Option 3, fast and skilful players for Options 4, 5 and 6.

Defensive Strategies

Defensive play has two aims - to prevent opponents making progress up the pitch, and to turnover the ball and win possession.  Teams are usually most vulnerable when they lose the ball and do not have time to regroup into their defensive formation (known as broken field play).

The most common defensive formation is a line of six players across the pitch with one “sweeper” a little way behind them to cover against kicks or to intercept / slow down any attacking players who break the line.  Most teams play a “Pendulum defence” which involves different players swapping into the sweeper role depending on where play is on the pitch.

There are three main types of defensive plays - Drift, Blitz and Scramble.

The Drift defence takes advantage of the backward passing rule.  The line moves forward as one to pressure the ball carrier but doesn’t actively tackle him unless he becomes isolated.  Performed correctly the attacking team are forced backwards and eventually kick the ball away when they get too close to their own try line.  Alternatively the attacking team may end up forced into touch.

The Blitz defence is more aggressive.  It is based on speed and is often employed by teams with fast players and good jackallers.  It involves chasing down the attacker as soon as they receive the ball and before they can pass.  Blitz defences often create jackal opportunities but are vulnerable to kicks behind them or quick passing that exploits the space created by a tackler running out of the line.

The Scramble defence is where normal defence has failed and all players ‘scramble’ backwards as quickly as possible, abandoning structure, to try and intercept the ball carrier.  This often leaves gaps elsewhere on the pitch that an attacking team can exploit particularly through long passes or cross field kicks.