Lesson 3 - Attacking Tactics
Mastering Attack & Defence
•Year 6
•Tag Rugby
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
Sign up free to access 3 complete units per month, unlimited activity library, and your personal locker.
What's included
- Complete activity instructions & timing
- Teaching tips & differentiation strategies
- Assessment guidance & success criteria
- Downloadable lessons & units
How can we outwit defenders using clever attacking tactics and teamwork?
Learning Objectives
- To consolidate understanding of attacking tactics and apply them in game situations
- To demonstrate accurate passing and moving skills under pressure
- To create and evaluate effective team attacking formations
Key Outcomes
- Students will combine passing and moving to score tries consistently
- Students will create and apply a range of attacking tactics in 7v7 games
- Students will understand and execute their specific role within team attacks
Equipment & Resources Required
Different colours for each team, stored in team boxes
Alternative: Bandanas or bibs tucked into shorts
Properly inflated, distributed around pitch perimeter
Alternative: Size 3 or 4 rugby balls, foam balls for beginners
Mark pitch boundaries and try lines clearly
Alternative: Markers, corner flags
For team identification and officials
Alternative: Team bands, coloured tags
For tactical discussions and demonstrations
Alternative: Ground markings, chalk
Key Vocabulary
Planned strategies and formations used by the team with possession to score tries
A pass where the player runs around behind the receiver to take a return pass
A pass that deliberately misses one player to reach a player further along the line
Staying close enough to receive a pass while providing attacking options
When a player is ahead of the ball carrier or not 3 metres back after a tag
Uncontested possession awarded when the attacking team is tagged
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic passing and catching skills with both hands
- Understanding of tag rugby basic rules and safety
- Simple running and evading skills
- Basic game play experience in smaller formats
Current Skills
- Creating and applying attacking formations
- Advanced passing techniques (loop pass, miss pass)
- Supporting the ball carrier effectively
- Tactical decision-making under pressure
Next Steps
- Combining attacking and defensive tactics
- Officiating games independently
- Creating complex set plays and strategies
- Tournament play with advanced rules
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Loop pass technique: pass first, then run around behind receiver for return pass
- Miss pass execution: throw over middle player who acts as dummy runner to confuse defence
- Supporting the ball carrier: stay close enough to receive pass but spread to create options
- Tactical communication: teams must talk to execute formations successfully
- Role understanding: every player must know their specific job within team tactics
- Adaptation skills: be ready to change tactics based on what opponents do
- Fair play importance: respect rules, officials, and opponents to ensure everyone enjoys the game
Common Misconceptions
- That tactics are only for advanced players - correct by showing simple formations work for everyone
- That individual skill is more important than teamwork - emphasise how tactics multiply individual abilities
- That advanced passes should be attempted all the time - teach when and why to use them appropriately
- That faster always means better - demonstrate how controlled pace allows better decision making
- That winning is the only measure of success - focus on skill development and tactical understanding
- That physical contact is allowed in tag rugby - reinforce non-contact nature and proper tagging technique
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Break tactical planning into shorter segments, provide clear roles and responsibilities, use movement-based learning strategies
dyspraxia
- Use larger, easier-to-catch balls, simplify formations initially, provide extra practice time for advanced passing techniques
autism spectrum
- Provide clear structure for tactical planning time, use visual aids to explain formations, ensure quiet spaces available if overwhelmed
visual impairment
- Use brightly coloured tag belts and balls, provide detailed verbal descriptions of tactical formations, assign sighted buddy for guidance
hearing impairment
- Use clear visual demonstrations of tactics, establish hand signals for common plays, ensure written tactical plans are available
physical disability
- Modify rules to allow walking instead of running, use wheelchair-accessible versions of activities, adjust pitch size as needed
Cross-Curricular Links
Maths
Calculating try scores and game statistics, measuring distances for pitch dimensions, angles of running lines and passing
Science
Forces and motion in passing and running, heart rate changes during exercise, teamwork as a biological concept
Geography
Spatial awareness and positioning, mapping movement patterns, understanding of directional concepts
PSHE
Teamwork and collaboration, leadership skills, managing emotions under pressure, respect and fair play
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Stand at corner of playing area for visibility of all activities, move between games during application phase
Observation Focus
Watch for tactical application, safe play, team communication, and individual understanding of concepts
Intervention Points
Step in if tactics become over-complicated, if students struggle with advanced passes, or if game play becomes too physical
Demonstration Notes
Demonstrate: Use students as examples for tactical concepts, exaggerate movements for clarity, connect new learning to previous skills
Verbal Cues
- •'Show me your formation!'
- •'Where's your support?'
- •'Use your tactics!'
- •'Communicate with your team!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Minimum 60m x 40m for two pitches, clear of obstacles and hazards
Surface Check
Level, dry grass or artificial surface free from holes, debris, or water
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Tag belts checked for worn or damaged velcro
- •Rugby balls properly inflated and no damaged panels
- •Cones positioned to avoid collision hazards
- •Ensure spare equipment available for breakages
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collisions between players during game play
- •Falls due to rapid direction changes or wet conditions
- •Tag belt injuries from improper pulling technique
- •Ball strikes to head or body during passing
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear rules established for safe tagging technique
- •Adequate spacing between game areas to prevent collisions
- •Progressive skill building from slow to game pace
- •Regular breaks to prevent fatigue-related incidents
- •Proper warm-up and cool-down to prevent muscle injuries
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position between the two game areas for maximum visibility
- •Monitor high-intensity moments and intervene if necessary
- •Watch for signs of fatigue or overexertion
- •Ensure officials understand safety responsibilities
Emergency Procedures
Stop play immediately if injury occurs, assess situation, provide appropriate first aid or seek further medical assistance, complete incident report if required