Rugby: 2 vs 2 colours attack and defence

Get your players' thinking up to speed with a series of drills designed to improve reaction and decision making

2 players start on opposite end of a 5x5m block

1. On the whistle they run down the line, turn the corner,
2. The player with the ball must try and beat the defender with his feet

Here we are re-creating a 2 vs 2 scenario which we might find on the field. The aim is to put players under the same conditions which they would possibly find on the field when there has been a linebreak. You should have support following up, and there will most definitely be defenders chasing from behind. The 2 attackers need to ensure that they take advantage of the linebreak and score.

The player in Blue will start on a cone with the ball in hand, The defender in red behind him will start a good 3-5m behind him. The other supporter in blue is off the right, and the 2nd defender in red is a "fullback" or cross defending player.

Ensure that once the whistle goes the ball carrier explodes out of the blocks and his support goes with him, they must try to finish the linebreak and score the try. Use 15m as on the field, with the touchline to the right hand side of the supporter.

Start with 2 players on the centre cone, each with a ball, and facing each other.

1. On the shout "GO", they both run backwards to the first cone
2. They then side step up the grid to the second cone
3. Next players run through the slalom cones back to the start where the ball is passed to the next players
4. Next players can only go when each player has received a ball (to ensure each race is fair).

• 4 players are required for this drill; 1 attacker, 2 defenders and 1 scrum half.

• Once the defenders are set up in either corner of the try line they are assigned a coloured ball.

• The attacker is to start in one corner of the baseline.

• The drill begins when the attacking player is fed a coloured ball by the scrum half.

• The defender associated with that coloured ball will then come out to defend the try line from their corner.

• This drill relies on both the reaction speeds of the defenders noticing which ball is in play and also that of the attacker noticing which defender is in play and consequently where there is space to attack.