Rugby: Rugby Cricket Fielding

Split your team into two teams. One team will be up to bat/kick and the other team will field. The fielding team should take up positions that they feel will be advantageous to their game plan - don't worry too much about over coaching this - players can learn as they play.

The fielding team should have a pitcher/thrower of the ball. It is his job to stand on the pitching mound and to throw the ball as hard as he can toward the hitter/kicker. The idea is to force the hitter/kicker to struggle to catch the ball. A bad throw is considered wide and three bad throws means the hitter/kicker gets to walk to first base. However, three good throws that are dropped will be considered three strikes and the hitter/kicker will then be out.

So the pitcher throws the ball, as hard as he can, to the kicker/hitter -who if they catch it can make a kick to space. The kick must land on the pitch, but can bounce into touch. If the kick is caught then the hitter/kicker is out. If not then they can start running. They need to get from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 4th and then back to where they started in order to score a home run. They can stop at any base and be considered safe. However, runners can be called out when running between bases if the fielders manage to get the ball grounded at any of the two bases they are between.

Each group forms a circle with players about 1m apart. First practise passing and catch around the circle. Next, the first player to pass runs around the outside of the circle. The player races against the ball to return to his/her start position.

• Tell your players the following.....

1. 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.
2. Each player runs around the back to the next side of the grid to receive and pass the ball on.
3. The players attack all the sides of the grid.
4. Players loop around the back, not in front of the attack.

• Tell you players the following......

1. There will be two players on one side of the middle line of cones, and another group on the other side. They will be two separate teams.
2. It's rugby tennis, so the aim of the game is to pass the ball in such a way that the other two players won't be able to stop it from going out of play, however.
3. The ball must be a normal rugby pass, and the ball must hit the ground inside the tennis court on the oppositions side.
4. The passer must be 2 meters behind the center line.
5. That's it, lets play.