Rugby: Bank Robbers

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.

• 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.

• Coach gives orders and the players do it.
• Example include: coach says do a press-up, coach says touch the groud with your right hand, coach says jump up and clap your hands, coach says pass the ball, coach says jog on the spot.
• You might have youngers players who don't do as they are told quick enough - be out of the game. But keep it fun!

Make sure that you have your warm-up area marked out before your players arrive, it's important that you get them working right away.

• You can decide to play this game in smaller grids, or a larger playing area with the entire team. If using small grids, they can be 10 meters x 10 meters - and mark out as many as you need depending on the size of your team.
• If playing in a large area with the entire team, have two players working as taggers. The rest will be attackers - running around the playing area trying to avoid the taggers/defenders.
• If playing in a smaller area, have 2 defenders/taggers and 6 attackers. Give the taggers/defenders a ball each.
• Keep your law briefing, brief! It's important to get the players working as soon as possible.
• Tell the players that the two players with the balls will be chasing and looking to tag the rest of the players.
• If you get tagged, you join the taggers team. Play the game until all players are tagged.
• The last two players tagged, become the first two taggers for the next game.
• The ball cannot be thrown.