Rugby: Touch The Runner

Tell the players: The player in possession of the ball when the coach blows their whistle has to run around the cone at the end of the grid to try and run the full length of the grid to score a try. The player from the opposition in line with the player that is running can try to stop the player scoring by running around the cone and tagging the runner before they reach the line.

• For tag rugby players, provide all players with tags. In other variations decide on touch or contact, depending on how warm the players are - and your training goals.
• Provide coaching on the go with encouraging feedback.

Tell players the following....

1. Each Player will work individually, unless told otherwise.
2. Players can run in any direction: moving forward or side to side.
3. They must remain within the grid trying to avoid contact by running into space, sidestepping for example.
4. They will have a ball each.
5. When the coach calls stop, all players must be at least 1m from the nearest player.
6. From time to time players will be ask to do things e.g. 1 press-up. Following completing the instruction - players should keep moving.
7. You will be asked to pass your ball - before doing anything make sure you communicate with another player, you agree to pass to each other, and then you make the pass!

• This part of your warm-up should be no more than five minutes.

• The front line of players run towards the other side of the grid while passing the ball down the line. When the last player in the line receives the ball the line form behind runs through and receives the ball to continue to the other side of the grid.
• The first wave should realign behind the second wave, when the second wave has the ball.

Make sure your warm-up area is marked out before the players arrive.

• Depending on the number of players you have at training, mark out several warm-up grids.
• The size of your grid is a suggestion, but around 10 meters x 10 meters. The bigger the grid, the easier it is for the attackers - they have more space. The smaller the grid, the easier it is for the defenders. Break your players into two groups, pads and passers.
• One third of your players will be passers; the rest will be on the pads.
• Have one team quickly demonstrate the game to the other players. In each grid have four players on pads, and two passers. You could have more passers; I'll leave this to your judgment.
• The job of the players on the pads is to put pressure on the ball carrier, to surround them and stop them from passing the ball. The players on the pads are also trying to force the passers to make mistakes e.g. drop the ball, throw a bad pass etc.
• The passers have to move the ball around the grid, avoiding the pads.
• Passers can pass the ball in any direction.
• Players on the pads should have a little fun, and within reason push the passers around a little.
• You can award points for each successful pass, and points to the defending team on the pads for every occasion when a ball carrier is surrounded or the ball carriers make a mistake.
• Don't forget to change the players around, and to give players on the pads a go at passing the ball under pressure.
• Law Variations: You could insist that passers have only 3 second to make their pass, or risk losing a point to the defending team.