Rugby: Keep The Ball Game

Tell your players the following......... The coach will call a number e.g. 1. That attacking group must attack, aiming to score a try at the opposite end of the grid. The defence must try to stop them, but their target is to turnover the ball. Simple as that - except the number calls will be quick - there will be no delays between attacks, so the defence must be Sharpe and respond quickly to what they see. That's it - lets play. Don't forget to change the defenders.

Tell the players the following..... The coach will call a colour. At that point the players from those cones should run to the bottom of the grid and turn and face the attack, they will be the defenders. When the defence gets to the bottom of the grid, the remaining players can pick up the ball and attack, it should be 4 v 2. The attack aims to score a try at the bottom of the grid, and the defence aims to oppose the attack. When the attack is finished all the players return to their starting positions. The pace of the exercise should be quick. Decide if the exercise is contact or touch.

Tell your players the following..... The players on the bags will squeeze the bags together to make removal of the ball hard but not impossible. The running player will aim to removing the balls from between the bags. They will start at the first bag and move on to the second and then the third. When they remove the last ball they swap places with one of the players at the bag, and that player will become the running player. The players competing for the ball will use a jackal position in order to remove the ball.

Tell your players to do the following....... The two passing players keep passing the ball until the coach shouts GO. On GO, the player holding the ball is an attacker, the other two attackers will go with that players. The remaining passer becomes a defender, and will join the defence with the two defenders at the bottom of the grid. On GO - the attack begins, and the defence should try and stop them. The attack aims to score a try at the bottom of the grid. Following each attack the players should return to their positions, but should swap around. You might decide to start this as a touch exercise, then go to contact.

Tell your players the following..... One player will straddle the bag and compete for the ball on the ground. The two remaining players will remove the competing player. The competing player will change sides, and compete for the ball on the opposite side, but the remaining two players need to get there quickly to stop them and remove the competing player again. This sequence repeats until the coach says stop. That's it, let get going. Don't forget to change the players around.

Tell your players the following...... The ball carrier runs across the grid with the ball. The opposite player becomes the defender and can tackle. The remaining two players become support options. The ball carrier should aim to beat the defender, if they can't they should aim to off-load the ball, if they can't do that - they should aim to pop the ball off the deck, and finally if they can't to that - they should present the ball on the floor. One of the support players should take the ball, the remaining support player becomes a defender. And so the sequence repeats. That's it, lets get to work.

Tell the players the following..... The players at the bottom of the triangle will pass the ball back and forward. The passer in the middle must not only complete the pass, but should keep their head up and call out the colour of the cone that is being held up for their attention. Don't forget to change the players around to allow everyone a chance to do everything.

Tell the players the following...... The first attacking group lines up with enough depth to attack the edge of the grid, they pass the ball down the line and attack at pace - but should not enter the grid. The last receiver in that attacking line will pass to the first receiver in the next attacking line - they attack at pace but must get the ball down the line before any player enters the grid. And so the exercise continues around the grid. Change the direction of the ball.

Tell your players the following..... The first attacking until enters through the top of the first channel, the defender there can then move forward and challenge them. They should complete the 2 v 1 and proceed down the channel, entering the second channel, completing a second 2 v 1. They will then return to their starting position for the next opportunity to attack. The second attacking group should go whenever they feel there is enough distance between the attacking units. There should be very little standing around. This exercise can be touch or contact. You should change the defenders after a set period of time.

Tell the players the following..... The player on the top of the grid is the defender. The player on the bottom is the attacker. When the defender passes the ball to the attacker, the attack begins. Using footwork and other evasion skills the attacker should score a try. That's it, play. Give the players a number of chances each - changing the attacker and defender. When you feel they are doing well, decrease the width of the grid by 1 meter. Keep decreasing until the players are at the limit of their ability to evade contact.

Tell your players the following...... There will be one runner. 1 player, static, on each cone. 4 players on the cones in total. There will also be two players in defence, they will have a tackle/ruck pad each. The defenders will be 3 meters in from the start of the grid, the second defender 7 meters behind the first. The defenders can move left and right, but not backward and forward. There will be a ball on the first left cone, and on the second right cone. The player at the first cone with the ball will pass the ball to the runner, who avoids the defender and passes the ball to the reciever on the opposite first cone. The runner then catches the second ball, passed by the player on the second cones. The runner passes the ball to the opposite reciever, avoid contact with the defender. The runner then turns and does the same again - the defender steps back a bit. Don't forget to change the defenders, proving all players will the chance to attack.

Tell your players the following...... This game is to be played at pace. It is contact and normal rules of 7's apply, only difference is..... That when a tackler makes a tackle - it is them that must get to their feet quickly and give the ball to the attack. No rucks. That's it - lets play. Try to make sure that both teams spend enough time in attack and defence. Please make sure this game is played at pace and that there is no delay in returning the ball!

Tell your players the following..... One player will be the bag man, they will put the bags that have been hit back up again. Players will start at the bottom of the channel, they will hit the first bag - get to their feet and pick the ball. They should then set the ball just before the next bag - where they will again make the hit, before getting to their feet and taking the ball. They will repeat this at bag 3. The bag man - should be tracking and putting the bags up again. They player that has just went - will become the bag man, and the existing bag man joins the end of the line ready to complete the exercise. That's it, lets get to work.

Give the ball to the attacking team and tell your players the following....... This is touch 7's, other than that - normal rules of 7's apply. If touched with the ball: the ball carrier stops, 5 of the defenders must be within touching distance of the ball carrier - only 2 can stay out, and this must happen within 3 seconds. When the attack is happy that the defence has moved in - they can then move the ball away from the contact area - and the game restarts. There is no limit on the number of touches. That's it, lets play! Don't forget to give the defence and attack equal time on the ball. This game must be played at pace, so the defence is going to have to work hard!

Tell your players the following...... One group of 3 will be on the bottom right cones, the attack - they should have a ball each. The other group of 3 will be on the bottom left, starting at the furthest away cone - they will be the defence. On the coaches call, the first attacker (with ball) will run to the opposite end of the grid, in order to score a try. At the same time a defender will leave the last cone and will try to touch or tackle them. When all attackers have made it, the defence will move close (up one cone). The exercise continues forcing the attack to move at greater speed. Don't forget to change the attackers and defenders.

Give the ball to the attacking team and tell your players the following....... This is touch 7's, other than that - normal rules of 7's apply. If touched with the ball: the ball carrier stops, 4 of the defenders must be within touching distance of the ball carrier - only 3 can stay out, and this must happen within 3 seconds. When the attack is happy that the defence has moved in - they can then move the ball away from the contact area - and the game restarts. There is no limit on the number of touches. That's it, lets play! Don't forget to give the defence and attack equal time on the ball. This game must be played at pace, so the defence is going to have to work hard!

A quick drill to focus the players before going into a session or at the start of a match day warm up. The aim of the drill is to develop early hand-catch, quick and accurate transfer of the ball to a support player. Set 4 cones 3-5 meters apart on the 5 meter line. This will mark the starting point for your players. Set up cones opposite on the try line Ask your players to line up behind each cone. The ball carrier runs out to the cone opposite and passes to the next player Once the player on the end receives the ball, the drill changes direction and the ball goes back in the direction it came from

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.

Tell your players the following..... The defence will first turn and hit the pads. When the attack hears the hit - they can attack. The defenders must turn and defend. When the attack is complete, the attackers become the players on the pads, the players on the pads become the defence, and the defenders will be the new attack. The attack should try to score a try at the other end of the grid.

Tell your players the following..... The first should of 3 will PUSH, drifting across and HIT the pads together. They will then advance and do the same at the next 2 sets of pads before returning to their start position to go again. The second group of defenders can go when they feel there is enough space between them and the first group. That's it - lets get to work. Don't forget to change the defenders and bag holders.