Rugby SidestepsBreak through! Know how you use exciting rugby sidesteps and weave your way through the other team.Why sidestep ?To score points and win games, you must get the ball past the opposition and into their in-goal area.You can kick it past or carry it past (rugby sidesteps help). Kick the ball - it's easy but you lose control. Carry the ball - it's harder but you keep control. The problem is that the opposition is allowed to tackle the ball carrier. Tackle - as in get hold and throw you onto the floor! When you run in straight lines it's easier to predict where you're going and arrange to meet you and put you on the floor. When you sidestep you are much more difficult to tackle because it's much harder to work out where you're going. When the opposition know you can sidestep it makes them more wary, this means you have more space and time when you have the ball. What's a sidestep?It's different things to different people.It's really just an easy way of saying "using your wits and agility to break defences - changing direction quickly and moving through gaps". You need to know how to sidestep and when to sidestep. Players who sidestep take advantage of weaknesses in defences - especially broken play. You spot a weakness and take advantage. Using your skill you change direction quickly and unexpectedly. You also create weaknesses by appearing to attack in one direction and getting the opposition to react, then moving through any gap created. No matter what kind of sidestep you use, some things are the same. So, let's start off with some rugby sidestep essentials. Identifying sidestepsPeople refer to the rugby "sidestep" but it's more complicated than that.Compare rugby sidesteps with diving. Someone who can dive into a swimming pool from the side can "dive". Someone who does a tripple back sommersault with pike (if there is such a thing!) from the 10 metre board can also "dive". Big difference! In diving there's language to describe what's happening. Everyone's focused on the diver, waiting for it to happen. Everyone knows where, when and what's going to happen In rugby it happens anywhere, anytime. One player cleverly evades another. It can happen very fast and can even be partly hidden by other players. You may not even see it and need a slow motion replay - and that's all part of the magic. It's over in a flash. We just say "steps off his/her left", "jinking through" or simply "Brilliant". It's too hard! So we just say "It was a sidestep" So, its very hard to give players' actions clearcut names. What we'll do is identify some sidesteps and expect to see variations of these rather than always see exact reproductions. Start by looking at a few sidesteps on video. The modern sidestepRugby sidesteps have changed since the old days. Changed, but not improved. Unlike most rugby skills, the sidestep is in poor shape.Let's look at the modern sidestep where the sidestepper cuts inside the opponent. The classic sidestepUnfortunately rugby sidesteps were most well developed and widely used at a time when much less rugby was captured on film/video.The exciting sidesteps that were recorded are covered by copyright. They are on videos and DVDs and it's well worth buying them if you're interested in sidesteps or rugby in general. You have to know what to buy to see them. Have a look at rugby information. It means that good views of good classic sidesteps are hard to find, but let's look at the classic sidestep, where the sidestepper cuts inside the opponent. See what your opponent sees with this classic sidestep video clip. The jink sidestepSidesteps are mostly thought of in terms of the modern sidestep or the classic sidestep where the sidestepper is moving forwards at pace.Another type of sidestep takes place at a relatively slow pace and the sidestepper moves sharply to the side or even backwards to evade the would-be tackler. It's been called a sidestep. It's been called a jink. I'm using both names just to be sure! The jink sidestep Knowing how isn't enough - practice!When you know how, you must do plenty of sidestep practiceRemember - Practice enough and it becomes instinctive. Only then, in the moment, without even thinking about it, you'll truly know when to sidestep! Return from Rugby Sidesteps to Home
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