KS3 · Physical education · Year 8
Evasion skills and supporting the ball carrier
Invasion games: tactics and strategies to outwit through rugby
Learn it. Recall it. Make it stick.
IllumED Slides
IllumED · 1/10
Your learning goal
I can time a run and a pass to cross the gain line.
1 of 10
Evasion skills and supporting the ball carrier: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.
What you’ll learn
I can time a run and a pass to cross the gain line.
Key learning points
- Move: supporting the ball carrier is best achieved with runs at pace from deep.
- Move: side-steps help when dodging round and wrong footing defenders but need to be done at pace.
- Think: ensuring the ball keeps moving up the field either via running or passing prevents stalemate situations.
- Feel: reading, reacting and selling dummies to the opposition are creative ways to break the gain line.
- Connect: repeated practice with the same individuals enables accelerating to correctly time a support run to improve
Words to know
- gain line
- an imaginary line across the pitch parallel to the try line when there is a breakdown in open play, such as a ruck, maul or scrum
- dummy
- a deceptive move where a player pretends to pass, kick, or move in a certain direction to mislead defenders
- side step
- a term used for a quick movement one way and then the other to wrong foot the defender
Common mistakes
Evading space is solely about the ball carrier getting past the defender.
In reality, a supporting runner's positioning often determines whether an attacker breaks the gain line. A well-timed support line can draw defenders, create passing opportunities, or make a dummy pass more effective.
For parents, carers and teachers
- If supporting runners are struggling to stay behind the ball, use staggered cones to set them off in the gauntlet practice.