Rugby: Stuck in the mud

The 'Hunters' run after the 'Runners', trying to touch them with the rugby ball. If a 'Runner' is touched, then they are 'Stuck in the mud!' and can only be released when one of their team-mates, who is not stuck, crawls between their legs without themselves getting touched with the rugby ball.

• The attackers need to get from one end of the grid, a safe zone, to the other end of the grid, another safe zone, without getting touched.
• You decide if the touch should be two hands or one hand.
• You decide when Hares can run, the attack begins on your call and each Hare has 10 seconds to start their attack.
• If a Hare is touched, they become a Hound - joining the defence.
• The last Hare standing or touched is the winner.
• The last two Hares in each game, become the first two Hounds.
• Tell your players the laws of this game, but keep your player briefing, brief!

Keep your playing briefing, brief and tell the players the following laws.

• Both teams are in attack and both teams are in defence, at the same time!
• It is up to you how many players you allocate to your attack and how many you allocate to your defence.
• If you are touched while carrying the ball (decide if the touch is one handed or two handed), you and your entire team must return to your red zone before being able to restart your attack. While your team is returning to your own zone - you cannot defend the neutral zone and any touches in there will not count.
• If your team makes a mistake e.g. a dropped ball or forward pass. Your entire team must return to your own red zone, not defending the neutral zone as you retreat.
• The winning team is the team that invades the oppositions space and scores a try, just outside the grid, first.
• There is no offside in defence.
• There is no kicking.

• The players in their groups of 3 stand between the lines of the inner square with the working group stood inside the other players.
• The first group of 3 begins by running across the grid passing the ball. When they reach the centre the ball is put down an they then run at the players with the pads (on their left) each pushing their player to the outer square. The players then swap.
• The pad players run across to the tackle bags and push and tackle the bags to the outer square.
• Players swap again now the new 3 players (third group) run to the ball pick it up and take the ball turn right to face the 3 players on the 12 o'clock side of the square and run into contact for the ball carrier to present the ball.
• This ball is then picked up by the 3 players being pushed back and the drill starts again.
• Keep the tempo of this exercise high.

Note: You can change the position of each activity within the training area - but that will impact on the instructions to coaches. Players can basically go in any direction, but they do need to communicate and work as a unit. Don't get to hung up on where players should be going, or in what order.