Rugby: Side-stepping the opponent

Tell the players: The player in possession of the ball when the coach blows their whistle has to run around the cone at the end of the grid to try and run the full length of the grid to score a try. The player from the opposition in line with the player that is running can try to stop the player scoring by running around the cone and tagging the runner before they reach the line. For tag rugby players, provide all players with tags. In other variations decide on touch or contact, depending on how warm the players are - and your training goals. Provide coaching on the go with encouraging feedback.

Coach calls out a number/colour and that pair of players reacts, have the players decide who is the defender and who is the attack - this should change each time. One player attacks, and the other defends. The attacker will be carrying the ball. Keep the tempo of the exercise high.

Tell the players the following.... Player 1 starts with the ball. Player 1 passes the ball to player 2 and then quickly moves off their cone and runs to the cone where player 2 is and back to their cone. Player 2 then passes to player 3, follows the pass to the position of player 3 and back to their starting position. Change your passing hand each time The aim is to for the players to be back in their starting position before the ball returns back, but main thing is that they provide a good pass to the receiving player.

5 players in a group line up within touching distance of one another, and stand facing the coach who has a ball in his hand. The coach then calls turnover and the Players quickly get width, but are not allowed to work backwards to get depth. Once the players get depth the coach lets the first man off the mark by popping the ball in the air, as it is popped he moves off the mark and accelerates onto the ball and forward.

Pull your top foot toward your buttocks, keeping both knees as close together as possible. Relax, then repeat with the other leg.

The aim of the drill is to develop SAQ into beating defenders

Hold the ball between your legs, one hand behind, one hand in fornt. Gently throw the ball up and swap your hands, from back to front and front to back and catch the ball before it touches the ground. Flexing legs. See how quickly you can do this, how many in 30secs.

4 players start together on their stomachs next to each other. As the coach calls a colour cone, they move into position quickly. Once in position the first player with ball in hand approached the gates set out with the agility poles. The 4 players proceed to run straight through the gate and pass etc. Once the player has ran through his gate, and passed the ball, he needs to start supporting the ball, and again the 4 players pass to one another, but now their positioning is much wider than the previous positioning.

Set three cones out at an equal distance from one another. On the coach's shout, two players sprint from the middle of the cones out to one cone before sprinting to the other end, and finishing by sprinting to the other end once again. Whoever crosses the line of cones first is the winner!

1) Run out to line - score a try - run back.(1b) Same - but forward roll on way out!) 2) Run out to line - score try - on way back pass ball to next person (then spin pass if they can). 3) Run out - dive to score a try - run back (better in long grass or when wet). First team to win 3/4/5 races. Change teams if one team is always coming last! Repeat relay (after coaching) if first relay is not done well enough! Only use relays as warm-ups - not for major part of lesson.

1) Run out to a cone - round cone back to the team 2) Run out to a different cone but back to your own team. 3) Dribble ball with your feet up to the line - dive on ball - pick up ball and run back.

Starting on the line, roill the ball out along the ground about 5 meters. Run out, keeping eyes on the ball, step over the ball in a good strong body position and pick up the ball. Turn around and run back to the starting position.

Tell your players the following..... The first player picks the ball up at the cone passes the ball to the next player, they then run around the back to receive the ball from the last player who puts the ball down by the cone and picks it up and stars the passing again. Each player runs around the back to the next side of the grid to receive and pass the ball on. The players attack all the sides of the grid. Players loop around the back, not in front of the attack.

Drill to practice skills and creating space. Set up a pitch (roughly 25m x 20m depending on age and number of players) with two scoring zones at each end (green cones). Split the players into two even teams and give each team different colour bibs. Teams are aiming to score points by passing the ball to a team mate who is standing in the scoring zone (see diagram). Each time a player catches the ball on the full from a pass from a team mate in the scoring zone their team scores one point, and they turn and attack back the other way. Players cannot run while holding the ball, they must be standing still when they pass. The defending team cannot get closer than 2m to the player with the ball, and can only gain possession by intercepting a pass or if the attacking team drop the ball or give a poor pass which goes to ground.   PROGRESSION: Players can only have possession of the ball for 2 seconds. If they hold the ball for longer than two seconds then possession is turned over. This means that the defending team can gain possession if they cut down the attacking players passing options. Players can run when in possession of the ball, but still can only have possession of the ball for 2 seconds. Passes must be over head. Passes must be below waist height. Chip kick / grubber kick instead of pass. Passes must be out of the back of the hand. Passes must be behind the back. Defenders can touch the attacking player in possession of the ball. If the defending team makes two touches on the attacking team then possession is turned over.

Player A carries ball forward, B calls for (long or short) ball & negotiates obstacle, & then passes to C who passes to the next group.

No of players: 4 per grid, max. 20. Balls per group: 1. Markers: 4 Grid size: 10x10. 4 players line up behind each other. Front player holds ball. On front players' command the other players fan out to receive a pass. Support players must get onto a straight running line. Last player scores a try.

A coach or scrum half feeds a ball carrier who should be running onto the ball. The ball carrier should run towards the tackle sausage and use footwork and a hand off to move past the tackle sausage towards the first two tackle bags. The player should aim to hit the gap between the two tackle bags and power beyond the contact. Those two players then drop the bags and follow the original runner in support. The ball carrier then hits the bag, goes to ground and looks to lift the ball up to one of his support players.  The next player then hits the last tackle bag, goes to ground and presents the ball. The next support player clears away the bag to secure the ball. This drill works on a number of skills (running onto the ball, hand off, footwork and hitting gaps, communication and support, clearing out a ruck) in continuity which means its more game realistic and trains players to not only perform the individual skills, but also to be thinking about how the skills link together and what their next job is.

This drill coaches players the lines they should run when receiving the ball in order to maximise the chance of them breaking the gain line. Use a tackle bag to simulate where the ruck and offside line would be. The players line up as if they were going to come "around the corner" to receive the ball. Players should run an L shaped running line to get across the first defender and then footwork to get through the second defender. Progression (0.49) - Add an extra pass to the drill For the first receiver the drill is exactly the same in terms of the running line. Then there is a second player on his outside shoulder who uses the same running line to beat the second defender. The first receiver has a choice (1.19) - whether to go through the gain line and pass or pass before he gets to the gainline. What is the gain line? The gain line is an imaginary line in rugby parallel to the halfway line that is the back foot of the breakdown or the defences offsideline.