All strategy, plays, patterns and moves will be the same as the EGRFC 1st team - watching the 1st Team will be even more fun for the U12's as they'll know exactly what's going on & so it will also be more fun for them to emulate.

- Sean Morgan U12's Coach

This is a very interesting year in the development of their rugby because the breakdown becomes far more contested and the dynamics of the game change massively as a result: Rugby up to this point has mainly relied upon a ‘one to one’ cooperation between the passer and the receiver of the ball with a simple outcome of ‘success!’ or ‘no success’! At this new U12 age group, however, there is a huge development: the same dependency exists as before but with the added challenge that the runner (or rather ‘ball carrier’) is now only as good as their supporting runners next to them.

The solution to this new challenge comes in their realization that there is now this far greater level of collective interdependence between them for ‘success’. The penny dropping will then drive a real desire for teamwork. What a lovely time in their development as young people?

Our U12’s 2016 Mission:

Our mission this year therefore is to focus primarily on just one of the RFU’s five core values: “Teamwork”.

We will also need the immediate assistance of one of the others, “Discipline” to help us get there! The remaining three are embedded in our community culture at EGRFC: Sportsmanship, Respect and Enjoyment.

Our Objective:

All players’ love ‘running with the ball’ but now’s the time we should help these developing players grow into great “ball carriers”. A ball carrier knows their moment and role is short and that ‘their carry’ is just one of many consecutive phases required to result in a score. A ball carrier knows that their immediate success is totally dependent on partnering with their supporting runners and of course a ball carrier knows their job is not complete until the next carry starts.. All players, parents and coaches love to watch these consecutive carries!

Our Three Audacious Goals:
Starting with our ball carrying end objective in mind our three simple yet audacious goals this season are:

Through patterns in play we will learn how to create gaps in the opposition defensive line (that we can enjoy carrying the ball through!)
Through technique we will learn to increase the speed at which the ball is recycled at the end of each carry (quickly! before those wonderful gaps close!).
Through structure we will learn to increase the probability of recycling the ball (so we get to carry it again!)

Each component of the skills required to achieve these three goals will be introduced to the team (and parents) via discussion where everyone gets to ask questions and clarify in their heads and take part in demonstrations so we can all agree ‘what good looks like’. Please walk over and join these technical discussions it will make watching the rugby even more enjoyable for you.

Any game strategy, plays, patterns and moves learned will be the same as the EGRFC senior squad and 1st team - this will make watching the 1st Team even more fun for the kids as they will know exactly what’s happening on the pitch and easier for them to emulate on a Sunday.

ONWARDS!

Sean, Rick and Beth