All coaching must be specific. Coaches must analyse the individual and collective strengths and weaknesses of the players with whom they are working and create training drills which enhance ability and which minimise and eventually remove deficiencies. It is not enough however for an aspiring player to only work with the coach. He has a responsibility to put in personal practice time. He should work on his own, for example, at speed off the mark, at stepping drills to increase his agility and at kicking skills to make his chip and chase to catch, perfect. He should work with one or two others at all the passes he can imagine, lateral, pop, spin, reverse, soft, around the back, over the shoulder and so on until he's never stuck for an answer in any game situation. That's if he wants to be the best.

If the first main focus in coaching is on improving core skills, the second is on improving players' understanding. The coach must design and adapt problem solving situations to enhance the understanding and performance of his players. The two elements of skill and understanding should be so ingrained that they become second nature and players are able to function freely in pressure situations and of course in matches. This is where they count; this is what all the practice is about.

Rugby Union is a game of running and ball movement, so your players will need to become expert at sending the ball to other members of your team while on the move. Teams that have players who can pass well will cause their opponents many defensive problems. Accurate, early passing prevents the defence from dominating the attack.

By constantly moving the point of attack, the defence will find it impossible to become set. Teams that play like this need to be very fit, because there is little opportunity to rest by attackers and defenders. The ball is continually passed away from would-be tacklers, so the passing team needs many players running in support of the ball carrier. The main purpose of this strategy is to make attack so overpowering that at some stage there will be more attackers in one area than there are defenders. With accurate passing and receiving, the attacking team can strike around the edge of through the defence to score.