Rugby: Defending in Threes

3 vs 2 in a grid. Defenders must stay in position to start. Once skills progress defenders can move to try and stop attackers either by intercepting the ball or touch tackling the ball carrier.

Touch Rugby in teams of 5 3 Touches and change possession. When a player with the ball is touched, tackler stays in passive contact. Ball carrier slides to the ground and presents the ball, with the nearest supporting player comes in and acts as a scrum half.

8 players are lined up just outside the 22 metre line, with 3 defenders starting under the posts with the ball. One of the defenders kicks the ball towards the 22 metre line. Once they the attackers have caught the ball they have to try and score a try without being tagged/ tackled by the defence. Allow the attacking team 5 minutes to score as many tries as they can, before changing attack and defence around.

Set a narrow grid to attack. Defenders and attackers begin on the touchline in the centre. Both leave at the same time and run around appointed cones, ball carrier should accelerate up towards inside shoulder of defender to draw in and then pass to the support runner coming from depth who can run in and score.

The aim of the drill is to develop mechanisms to unlock defences in open play The first defender/feeder starts with the ball at a cone set up on the touch line five metres out from the try line Set another 2 cones 15 meters up on the same touch line. Two players (defenders of the 3v2) start from here once the 2v1 is completed. Set 2 cones on the try line 5 metres apart to create the start position for the two attackers and the attacking channel for the 2v1 The ball is fed from the first defender, with the attackers completing a 2v1 The defender joins the two attackers to create a 3v2 Two attackers then become the two defenders for the next repetition of the drill

Set a grid to attack. Defenders and attackers begin on the touchline in the centre. Both leave at the same time and run around appointed cones, ball carrier should accelerate up towards defender channeling them however they want realising that they have two other support runners for different options to run in and score.

Set an area with two different coloured cones on the touch line in the middle, one for defenders and one for attackers. At the prompt of the coach the players run around designated cones and attack the defenders to score. Ball carrier should initiate the attack by attacking the inside shoulder of the first defender to stop a drift defence. Draw the first defender and make the pass to your next support runner who should do the same to pass to the outside runner who can go and score. Once attacked three or four times players should swap to defence but not every single time to create continuity and positive development.

2 Teams  Ball  Tackle Bags  3 Tackle bags are in a break down formation. With one player from the other team opposite them.  The tackle bag team is lined up as if they are about to attack.  The non tackle bag team must line up as if they are defending. The ball is rolled in the player with no tackle bag on the opposite team must get the ball away from the break down as quickly as possible with the tackle bags putting lots of pressure on.  The non takcle bag team then must re-align as quickly as possible aiming to score from the turn over ball. 

Set up an area for a normal game of touch, with teams split evenly Play goes as normal, but when there is a touch, the ball carrier goes to ground and presents the ball The player that made the touch then gets to the floor in a press up position, as does a second attacker When both are down, they contest at the breakdown Play carries on with the same team that were in possession

Set up a wide pitch, with cones on the half way line plus an extra box on two opposite corners. These corner boxes are the prisons for tackled/tagged players. The aim of the game is for players to run into the opposing team's area and grab a ball to bring back into their ball area in their half. However, if a player is tackled/tagged while in the other team's half they must go and stand in the prison square. Players can be released from prison by being tagged by a team-mate. Once released they must walk around the outside of the pitch back to their own half before rejoining the game.

Coned area 30 metres by 30 metres with two teams of players on one side Coach kicks the ball is kicked into the the grid. 2 different numbers are called with the 1st number being for the number of attackers and the 2nd the number of defenders The attackers have to field the ball, turn and counter attack against the defenders

This drill is designed to work on the loop; on of the simplest and most effective ways to create your own overlap/space out wide Start with three attackers and three defenders using tackle bags in front of them. Attacker 1 passes to attacker 2 and begins to loop around. Player 1 should then receive the ball back and his next aim is to fix the third defender. Attacker three should make his way out to the edge where the space has been created. Attacker 1 then passes to attacker 3 who has space to get around the defence. Using this drill will develop your players handling under pressure and their attacking vision and ability to create space

Set up 4 grids of about 8-10m by 5m. 3 players start on the first grid, working from one end to the other, covering the 5m distance. The aim is to stay in one straight line as they go up, and also keep themselves evenly spaced Once they have achieved that, they fall back into the next grid diagonally across and back. Now there should be 6 players on the line, and they all work together to come off the line, as one. Players continue working like this, until they reach the end of the grid. Once the coach blows his whistle the line may press off.

2 Teams. Half Pitch. Touch Game with conditions;  Attacker once touched must go down, bounce back up and drive into defender, then perform a long place.  While all defenders retreat 3m and hit the floor and bounce back up again before continuing play. 

During a game of touch in a grid sized 30 x 30 metres the coach can choose to call blitz , drift or cover at any breakdown. Upon hearing the call the defenders must run and touch the relevant line before running back to rejoin the game. When the defenders are running to touch their line the attackers must turn their back on the defenders and give the ball to the coach. When the defenders are almost back in position the coach should roll the ball back to the attackers to restart the game. The coach can later develop the game by introducing a visual clue to the defenders, instead of an audio cue, thus forcing the attackers to react to an unknown type of defence.

Two teams Attacking and defensive focus Normal game of touch rugby, however whenever the defender touches an attacker, they must run back to their own try line and stay out the game until the play breaks down Attacking team look to identify the space created from defensive drop out Working on defensive communication and work rate

Four attackers, two defenders in quite a small playing area - trying to find space. The aim is for each team of four to try to score as many 'tries' as they can consecutively. Failure to score means the team of four changes over to the next team. Touch rugby game play. Attacking four players are aiming to touch the ball down on an end line. Defenders are aiming to touch the attackers.

The aim of the exercise is to develop unit work, communication and good Technique for receiving Kick offs.

Set up as a standard game of touch rugby, with two teams. The playing area should be wide and not too long. Every touch tackle the defenders must link up by standing side by side, being able to touch the hand of the player next to them. The tackler must go and hit a tackle tube after the touch is made, before re-entering the game. The attacking team cannot start the next phase of play until the defending team have all linked up. Once the acting scrum half's hands are on the ball, the defence can unlink, and play continues.

In this game players try to keep possession and carry the ball over their opponent's line to score a try.