Sam Warburton Masterclass - 3 Ways to retain possession at the breakdown

Wales skipper Sam Warburton was excellent against South Africa at the weekend, not only leading his troops to victory but also by imposing himself at the breakdown. In this quality Rugby Tonight Pitch Demo, he explains how to secure breakdown possession.

One of the most frustrating ways to lose the ball for fans and players alike is when someone makes a break and is either isolated, or the support simply isn’t there quickly enough. This often results in a turnover as the defensive side gets a man over the ball to either snatch it, or claim a penalty.

Here Warburton gives three different examples of scenarios you can be faced with, and explains how to counter them. As he says, while breakdown turnovers get a lot of attention, securing your own ball is often much more valuable as a side aims to build continuity and momentum.

“You might have 10 to 15 jackal attempts if you’re pretty busy in defence,” Warburton explains. “When attacking, you might hit 30 to 40 rucks in an international game. So attacking focus at the breakdown is probably slightly more important.”

Warburton says that you have either a ball threat or a jackal threat, and you deal with them differently. He breaks things down excellently, so this is definitely one to watch for coaches, youngsters and even seasoned pros who could do with some tips from one of the best. 

credit: BT Sport