Rugby: Ruck, Ruck, and Ruck Again

Tell your players the following...... Whichever group of 2 is given the ball becomes the attack, and should attack upon receiving the ball. The opposite group of 2 becomes the defence, and should defend right away. The object of the exercise is for the defence to turn the ball, and for the attack to score a try by cross the defences line and touching the ball down. Dropped balls, knocked on, forward passes etc. are illegal and will be consider a point for the defence. Illegal actions by the defence will be consider a point for the attack. Each group of two should keep their own score. When the attack is over, the ball should be returned to the coach for the next phase. Have more than one training area in order to keep your players as active as possible.

Tell your players the following..... This game is about support and ensuring that support is close to the ball carrier. This is a non contact game. When the ball carrier is touch, they must stop and set the ball down. Two attacking player must touch the ball carrier within 3 second. If they make their target - any of the two supporting players can move the ball to continue the attack. If the ball carrier is not touch by two other attacking players within 3 seconds - then the ball is turned over. There is no set number of touches. The ball will be turned over when the attacking team makes a mistake or do not meet their support target. The defence must act within the laws of the game.

Tell your players the following...... On the 4 players side, they will go 2 at a time in attack - the balls should be with these players. They will advance around the lower part of the training area. On the 6 players side, they will go 3 at a time in order to provide 3 defenders, one will advance to the 7 meter marker, the second will go to the 14 meter marker, and the last will stay at the back of the grid. They will advance around the top part of the training area. The attacking players will now face three 2 v 1 situations. Once the attack finishes the two attacking players return to their starting position, the next two attackers go. At the same time the next three defenders go, while the last three defenders return to their starting position. Don't forget to give every player a chance in attack and defence.

Using cones mark out the four corners and the midways points of each side of a 20 x 20 meter training area. Divide your players into groups of 8, and allocate one group of 8 to each training area. Have one coach at each training area, and one ball. Each player should have their own cone to stand on, as shown in the diagram. Have more than one training area in order to keep your players as busy as possible. Tell your players the following...... This will be a 5 v 3 attacking opportunity for the 5 players given the ball. There are 4 players on the midpoint positions, one on each side of the training area. The coach will give the ball to one of those players. The 4 closest players will join the ball carrier in attack, the opposite 3 players will become defenders. The try line is just across the defenders starting line. The defenders operate within the laws of the game and should try to stop the attack by turning the ball, forcing a mistake, or pushing the attack out of the playing area. The attack should aim to score a try, but should play within the laws of the game. When the attack is over the coach will take the ball and players should return to their starting positions for the next attack. Don't forget to give every player the opportunity to play in attack and defence by changing the starting position of the ball.

Tell your players the following..... The attack will remain in attack for 5 minutes, you'll then switch over. Normal rules of sevens apply, but this game will be touch to start with. When the ball carrier is touched, they must set the ball down, another player can then move it from the ground. The touch is considered a ruck. When the coach calls a defenders colour e.g. RED - the two players in defence wearing red drop to the ground and complete 3 press-ups, they can then return to their feet and are back in the game. That's it, play. Keep your player chats brief, but through questioning highlight that the downed players in defence open up space, what do we attack - SPACE!

Tell them the following...... The ball carrier will run forward with the ball, their partner will go with them in support. The ball carrier will pass the ball to the supporting player, who is moving forward. The new ball carrier will now pass the ball to the first receiver in the next group of two, who should be chasing - but no too close. And so the exercise continues, with each set of two support the last set of two. The challenge is, as well as good passing, is that the players should be around the 5 meter boxes and sprint back their starting position in order to keep the ball moving without stopping. Remind the players that this must be done at pace.

Tell your players the following... We are playing 7's, normal rules apply - except this is touch. Upon getting touched a player must off-load the ball right away to a supporting attack player. They must stop running. If they do not off-load right away - the ball is turned over to the defence. If they keep running the ball is turned over. Touch is one handed. There are unlimited touches, but in the even of the law being broken e.g. a knock on - the ball will be turned over. The game is to be played at pace. We will have 4 quarters of 4 minutes for this game. Bring you players together for no more than a minute at the end of each quarter to highlight what is going well, what could be better and to agree targets for the next quarter. Ask players, don't just tell.

Give each training area one ball and tell the players the following...... Let's just get the ball moving down the line. Give the player at the start of one of the lines a ball, tell the line to advance using lateral passing - with the last player in each line passing the ball to the first player in the opposite line. Every passer must follow their pass, making themselves available as a support runner for the ball carrier. A ball carrier with a support runner has two options - a backwards flick to the support runner - or to pass the ball out to the next receiver. They may also have an additional option back inside, but best to keep it simple to start with. If a support runner receives a flicked pass, they can run with it and pass it to the next player down the line. The passer of the ball becomes the support runner. If the support runner does not receive a flick pass and the ball is passed from the player they are supporting, they should return to their original channel. In the case of a support runner becoming the next passer - they should follow their pass - and the other players should reorganize the line - not fixating on maintaining their original position in the line. Players should change positions in the line following each attack.

Tell your players the following...... Players will standing at the midway point of the playing area, about 25 meters in. Tell each team which direction they are playing. Set the ball on the ground in front of the players. If you call 1 then team one is in attack and they should pick the ball up, if you should 2 then team 2 is in attack and they should pick the ball up. The non attacking team is in defence. Normal rules of sevens apply. However, before each team can start their attack/defence, they must all run to their own try line and back. When the attack is over, all players return to the midway point to start again. That's it, lets play! Make sure that you give both teams a chance to attack and defend.

Tell your players the following...... Players will standing at the midway point of the playing area. Tell each team which direction they are playing. Set the ball on the ground in front of the players. If you call 1 then team one is in attack and they should pick the ball up, if you should 2 then team 2 is in attack and they should pick the ball up. The non attacking team is in defence. Normal rules of sevens apply. However, before each team can start their attack/defence, they must all run to their own try line and back. When the attack is over, all players return to the midway point to start again. That's it, lets play! Make sure that you give both teams a chance to attack and defend.

The drill starts with two teams of equal players playing a standard game of touch. Whenever a touch is made, the defender immediately joins the attacking side and acts as scrum half. This creates an attacking overload. Players must try to score a try by exploiting the overload in the least amount of touches. The drill resets after a try is scored.

Tell your players the following...... Players will attack in teams of 2, each attacking unit will have their own ball. At the pads, the ball carrier must hit and roll or hit and spin or sidestep. They will then face 2v 1 situations following each pad. Their objective is to get to the other side, without making a mistake, and score a try! The following group of 2 can go when they feel there is a reasonable gap between the attacking units. Don't forget to change your players about.

Tell your players the following...... Players will attack in teams of 3, each attacking unit will have their own ball. At the pads, the ball carrier must hit and roll or hit and spin or sidestep. They will then face 3 v 2 situations following each pad. Their objective is to get to the other side, without making a mistake, and score a try! The following group of 3 can go when they feel there is a reasonable gap between the attacking units. Don't forget to change your players about.

Tell the players the following..... This is all about tackling at chest height. The facing player will advance, they will be the tackler. The bag carrier should advance as well. The tackler makes a chest height hit on the bag, taking the bag with them. The next defender on the other side does the same, taking the bag with them. When each player completes their role, they should join the opposite line, ready to go again.

Divide your players into groups of five, with one player acting as a running. Each grid will need a runner. The runner starts on the runners cone. You might wish to have two groups of five at each grid, and to have a quick demo before sending all the players to their own grids. Keep your player briefing, brief! The first five passers attack the runners line, passing the pass down the line as they go. The runner sets off as soon as the first ball carrier starts to move. The aim of attack is to score a try in the corner, beating the runner - so quick hands. Each player should realign following their pass, there will be two attacks for each group before they move the ball onto the next group. After the first attack the runner goes to their cones on the opposite side of the grid ready for the next attack. The attack begins when the first players picks the ball off the ground. Don't forget to change the runners. Move the runner cones in to progress the exercise and to put the attack under more pressure.

Tell your players the following....... One team of 7 will be in attack, the attack should start behind the 22 meter line and they will have the ball. The defenders will have 4 defenders behind the posts, the other defenders will be in goal (give them a passing exercise to do). On the whistle the attack begins, it will be 7 v 4, full contact. If the attack score a try, the defence will then go to 5 players - and will again start from behind the posts while the attack will start from behind the 22. Each time the attack score, the defence increases by 1. Count how many attacks are needed to get to a 7 v 7 situation. The teams will then switch. The winning team is the team that can get to a 7 v 7 situation in the fewest attacks.

Tell your players the following..... Pass the ball around, clockwise. After each circuit of the ball, take one half step back and complete another circuit. Keep stepping back until players start to reach their limits in terms of passing distance. Start to work your way back in towards the box. Change the direction of the ball when you get to the box, and do the same working back out again.

Tell your players the following..... The attacking group will wait at the top of the training area until the coach calls the number of defenders. On the call of 1, 2 or 3 - they should attack - aiming to score a try at the opposite end of the grid. The defenders will go in the numbers called. If the coach calls 1, then defender 1 goes - the rest do not. If the coach calls 2, then defenders 1 and 2 go, and if the coach calls 3 - then all 3 defenders go. Defenders who are called can move forward and back, left and right. That's it, lets go. You will need to decide if this is a contact exercise or not. Don't forget to change the defenders.

The speed of the pass should be reasonable and provide the interceptors with a chance of success. Tell the players the following.... The rest of the players will start one cone back from the passers, each standing one behind the other. The first player will go, aiming to intercept the flat pass. Then the next, until all players have intercepted the pass. They then move another cone back - to do the same. They keep moving back until they don't have enough speed to get onto the ball. Don't forget to give the passers a chance, they could be injured players who you might want to keep busy with simple passing.

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. 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.