Rugby: All In Touch

A player needs to make hundreds of decisions on the pitch. Get them making the right ones when in attack to utilise the support to sustain attacking pressure on the opposition.

This is a great warm-up for defensive and evasion sessions, or it might even be a warm-up that helps you reinforce coaching points made during a previous session. The best bit is that it's fun and relevant to all ages. If you're coaching tag rugby, change the warm-up exercise from contact to tags.

One team runs clockwise round the inside of the circle with the other team running anti-clockwise around the outside of the circle. The circle in this case is marked out using blue cones, but you can use whatever colour you like.

When the coach shouts 'Jailbreak' the players inside the inner circle try to 'escape' to outside the 10m x 10m square (yellow cones). The size of the square and distance from the circle is a suggestion, play with it a little and let us know your variations!

The inside team scores a point for each 'jailbreaker' - swap over. If you have an odd number of players give the defenders the extra man.

• Normal laws of rugby apply; a knock on etc. results in a turn over.
• The attacking team gets unlimited touches.
• A player is touched only when the defender has made a two handed touch, you can change this to one hand if you wish.
• Defenders cannot hold the attacker, nor can the attacker use significant force to push through defenders.
• Defenders who make a touch go to the touchline where an assistant coach will have an activity waiting for them, doesn't have to be fitness related - a passing activity will be fine. They stay there until the attack scores.
• As each defender leaves the pitch, the attacker has an increasing advantage in terms of numbers and available space.
• If a player is touched: they stop, set the ball down, stand over it, and the scrum half is allowed to move the ball again to restart the attack.
• The defence must remain onside following a touch. Only when the support player passes the ball out can the defence press up on the attack.
• If the defence goes offside or operates illegally, the attack gains 10 meters.
• Don't forget to switch the teams around and to count how many defending players are on the pitch when the attack scores.
• he winning team is the team that can score with the most defenders on the pitch.
• Tries only, no conversions - keep the game tempo high.
• There is no kicking.

• 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.