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Changing Direction - A Closer Look

In this video Ross Hanbury takes us through what to look for when coaching developing players to change direction as well as why it is so important.

Video Subtitles

So what we're going to look at now is some basics of change of direction stuff. The difference between the change in direction and agility stuff is change of direction is when it's a very closed environment. All right, you're only working with cones and very few instructions. The athlete controls pretty much the whole environment. When we look at agility there's loads of stimulus there's a bit more chaos. So we're going to look at now is basically working on a very very simple box drill getting players to move laterally well and backpedal well as well. Again, it's really important particularly with kids you teach them how to run forward properly, laterally and backpedals. Basic skills, even when working with 18 year olds that are basically non-existent. Again, you cannot expect them in a game to do it when all that chaos is happening, if you haven't done it in a slow closed environment there. So again with the younger kids just take your time. You can make a bit of fun out of it and we'll see how that goes. So our man here is going to do it nice and quick. All right when you're ready, go. Right, so what sort of things did we see there? Because it's not actually that bad. I haven't coached him at all. What sort of things we looking for? Bear in mindyou are rugby coaches, we're looking at rugby specific movement patterns. What are you looking for as he tracks forward laterally and backwards.He's trying to keep low. Oh, yeah keeps his hips facing forward. Why is that? Doesn't turn in so again if he needs to, you know, perform a tackle or take a tackle he's in a much stronger position to do that. Anything else?Yeah really good balance, very swift and he doesn't spend too much time on two legs. If you think about it, when you're doing the high speed running you're actually not on two legs at all. It's just one foot to the other foot to the other foot. And that's when you're looking at the steps and the speed stuff. That's what you see the best players do. That ability to have that strength on the one leg and have that quick change on to the other one. Go! Not bad at all guys.Anything you see there? Some better than others? Okay so what we're gonna do now, we'll get them to keep a bit lower. Okay, so you four guys that was a perfect tempo to begin with all I want you to do now is just stay a bit lower. So basically going to hit tackle there keeping that same position. Just think about what you're doing, there you go. Stay lower. Shuffle across, shuffle across. Good work big man. Lovely!