Rugby: Step Back

Tell the players the following.......

1. Lay flat on the ground.
2. In a moment but not yet, I want you to get to your feet, but you cannot use your knees.
3. You will get up like a surfer, pushing up with your hands and jumping to your feet.
4. It's a race, lets see who can get up first?
5. On your call the place get to their feet and then back down again.
6. When they have got the idea, have some fun with it e.g. last one up sings two lines from their favorite song. But whatever you do has to be fun and not humiliating.

• The first group of 4 starts at the top of the grid, moving forward. The ball should be with the outside player, who makes a short pass in to his supporting runner, who then makes a long pass to the next receiver in the other short passing box, they will then make a short pass to the last receiver. The players realign and do the same again in the opposite direction.
• When they get to the end of the grid, they go around the cones to their starting position, while the next group goes.
• They should change position in the line, and when ready, they start again.

• The attacker goes when ready, and must round either the top or bottom cone.
• The defender must mirror the movements of the attacker on the opposite side.
• They then compete in a 1 v 1, the attacker looking to score, and the defender seeking to stop them. This is full contact.
• When the first two have finished, the next attacker should go right away, followed by the defender.
• Swap the attackers and the defenders around when you feel it appropriate.

• The exercise is simple, the attacker has 2 minutes to score as many tries as they can.
• They do this by attacking the space between 2 sets of cones, but there is a defender they need to avoid.
• When it is clear which area the attacking is going to attack, that defender can advance. This is a full contact exercise.
• If the attackers scores, they return to the center of the grid to attack again. They cannot attack the same defender twice.
• If the attack fails, they reset and have another go.
• After 1/2 minutes, switch the attacker. This is a competition, so keep score.