Technical - Breakdown Defense

It is our intention here at USA College Rugby to make the website as informative and as educational as possible. I have already written one article about Back Alignment and this week I would like to talk about Breakdown Defense.

Breakdown defense is a very important part of the game and considering that the game mostly revolves around the breakdown I think it’s worth writing about.

Consider the following diagram (click on it for a larger view):

Defensive roles and Responsibilities at the Breakdown

Rock
The role of the Rock defender is to defend the first channel beside the ruck/maul. The Rock does not track a player but covers a 1 – 2m channel. As the name suggests the rock basically stays put and doesn’t allow the attackers to make yardage with S Balls etc.

The Rock should move forward slightly and basically covers inside balls from the halfback and also covers the pick-and-drive. The Rock holds his line until the second pass has been made – often after the first receiver has passed it.

Guard Dog
The Guard Dog defender covers a wider channel and also covers the late inside ball. The guard dog should not leave his channel until the second pass is made. The Guard Dog will move forward and cut down the space of the inside runners.

Leader
The Leader will position himself opposite the inside shoulder of the first receiver. The leader’s role is to lead the rest of the defensive line, who are outside, up and create pressure on the first receiver and the attackers outside the first receiver. The Leader positions himself on the inside shoulder of the first receiver for the following reasons:

1. Only allows the first receiver one option – to attack the outside
2. Allows the next outside defender to drift onto the next outside supporter should the pass be made. Defenders momentum (shoulders, hips and feet) are already moving in that direction.

Outside Defenders
All other defenders should follow the defensive pattern, in this case – drift. The defensive line should stand on the inside shoulders of their attackers and invite the attackers to run on the outside. This will isolate the outside attackers from their inside support. The outside defensive line should stand close together and move forward together. The defenders on the outside should be half a step behind their inside defender. This will allow the defensive system to hold its shape and allow the outside defender to react what the inside defender does.

Sweeper
The Sweeper is usually the Halfback and is the organizer of the defensive line. His role is to make sure all positions are covered. The Sweeper is also a second line of defense behind the first line. He covers all line breaks.

I hope this has been beneficial for coaches and players that are new to the game. If there is anyone who disagrees with this or is confused please contact me at kent@usacollegerugby.com.