What do XVs players need to know about Sevens??

[Butterytingz]

I am looking for some tips and advice from anyone who knows the game of sevens. i am currently in high school and have been playing rugby for 3 years at my highschool and this summer is my first season of club. in the fall my highschool will be having its first crack at sevens. we dont have an experienced sevens coach or know anything about it all we do is play XVs so my question is what do we need to know? ive been watching some matches from the HONG KONG sevens tournament and noticed a few things: they usually only kick the ball in the other teams half and never to relieve pressure inside their own 22. only one person rucks and the ball is quickly played by the scrummy. lineouts pass to the hooker.

so what are somethings we should practice outside the scrimmages? what should we do with big players who are front rowers in XVs? i know we need stamina so dont worry to mention that. also in lineouts can we put two guys in and have them lift a scrumhalf or is there no scrumhalf in lineouts? whats the rules for lineouts?

As you can see I am all over the place so any advice will help THANKS

 

[formerlyfastwing]

avoid contact.....I SAY AGAIN AVOID CONTACT

put together a props only 7's team

 

[Thingimubob]

Are you joining in ona proper 7s competition, as in one over 1 or 2 days? Just so you know, those competiting are veyr very tiring! The games are only something like 7 or 10 mins a half, but when you have to play a couple in a day, especially with the space available to run in, it's bloody shattering!

 

[Butterytingz]

the competitions are day tournaments

 

[Rhyer]

Work on your fitness, a lot. Fitness is the most important thing in sevens and if you are a fitness freak you can do well. Unfit people get found out in sevens.

Work on offloading and keeping the ball alive and doing 1vs2 at the rucks. If you can clear out two people at the ruck you'd be pretty valuable.

 

[Aedaphon]

Make sure everyone watched some videos just to make absolutely certain how different 7s is to XVs. And agreeing with the above, you really do have to work on your fitness. Don't just make everyone go on long runs, for 7s you really want interval training (sprints with short rests in between)

As I'm guessing you're going to have to cut down on players to bring to a 7s tournament, I'd say you're gonna have to look at:

1) Fitness
2) Tackling/Defensive positioning
3) Speed
4) Hands

All absolutely key to playing 7s and (no offence at all to the front row) not what props are known for. That said if you have a couple of in shape props that can run and pass proficiently they'll be hell for a 'traditional' 7s team to deal with. Still, the majority of teams I've seen play chosen from XVs sides are probably all backs with a couple of back rows thrown in.

 

[Rhyer]

no offence at all to the front row

DJ Forbes disagrees...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

It really takes a special kind of 15's front rower to make it in 7's. Usually it's flankers (15's) that take that role in 7's.

Some things that might be good to keep in mind:

- keep possession as long as possible; so keep the ball alive, try to avoid contact, try to avoid kicking unless they don't have a sweeper and you can blitz them or put a team mate away. Defense in 7's is murder so keeping hold of possession will not only improve your likelyhood of scoring but tire out the opposition quicker.
- support, support, support and movement! In my experience the scoring opportunities come when your guys or you move across (with a bit of depth) and the opposition is slow to act or there is miscommunication in the defense (swapping targets). Gaps appear but always run supporting lines off of your buddies. This isn't such an issue in pro 7's but where we played 7's in school people aren't as disciplined and/or fit and holes appear as soon as you start mixing it up.
- be fit. You'll have to run stop-start constantly and it really is something to get used to.
- practicing your distribution and handling and getting a 'feel' for your team mates will help. The more time together the better.
- try to get your 1st time tackles in and try to close off the off-load when doing so; a wrestling/wrapping/shepherding type tackle (if that makes any sense) where you can compete for the ball usually better in 7's than a traditional one but don't get handed off. But that also depends on your body type; are you going to be able to wrestle the ball away or is getting your man on the ground for sure better..

 

[lance2010]

Look up Touch Rugby this is a perfect way to get used to playing 7's Rugby.

 

[Toko_11]

I'm happy you asked this. because I'm also a 15's player(scrum-half/wing) my club has 7s tournament coming up and i could use some tips too.


I've been playing 7s since last week, and the tip i can already offer is never miss a tackle... and i mean NEVER miss a tackle or its 90% try against you... so time your tackles well...