Observing the playing style of individual players, such as England scrum-half Danny Care, can go a long way in improving your own game. Watching Danny play shows the importance of training your visual skills, creating plenty of time for yourself and generally escaping your comfort zone. Here are three top tips on the best way to improve your rugby game, based on observations of the Harlequin’s captain.
1, Push your limits
Piling on the pressure and pushing personal limits is a crucial training mechanism used by Danny Care and the rest of the England squad. Whether that means exerting yourself physically when fatigued, or even practising certain drills when your team are trying to tackle you, pushing your limits replicates a game-situation more accurately, and this will make your reactions during an actual match more instinctive.
2, Work on the speed and accuracy of your passes
Whilst there is undeniable effectiveness in the forwards’ abilities to crash a ball into the opposition, passing the ball down the back line at speed is a surefire way to get that little bit closer to the try line, and as such, is a popular rugby drill. In Care’s case, the job of the scrum half is often to offload a ball quickly from a breakdown, before being tackled by the opposing team.
To ensure optimum play, it is essential for the team to work on its passing game, in order to improve spatial awareness and speed of thought.
There are several drills you can use to improve your passing game. Are you wondering ‘where can I find a rugby drill video?‘ If so, there are various unique and useful videos online, such as the ones found here on Sportplan.
3, Make yourself heard
It can be hard to focus for a full 80-minute match, but getting involved verbally can help maintain concentration levels. By shouting what you see, you can alert your teammates to potential scoring opportunities they may have missed, or gaps in your defense which need to be taken care of. It is particularly important for the scrum-half to be verbal, in order to maintain communication between the forwards and the backs.
According to Care, being more vocal during the match will enable you to better tune into the rhythms and patterns of the game.
