Rugby Drills

This is a quick drill to prime your players in your defence organisation on the short side and its an opportunity to ingrain you defence principles The aim of the drill is to develop your teams good habits in defending the short side whilst changing the attack picture continuously After each set, player reset Set 4 cones up in a square 1m apart 15m from the touch line, this will mark the break down Defending players line up on the far side of the ‘ruck’ and these players will be players who will ‘fold’ on the coaches call 3 or 4 players will act as attacking players 2 other defending players are positioned 5 meters back from the gain line and on the touch line. These players need to connect with the players folding around the ruck

Tell them the following...... The ball carrier will run forward with the ball, their partner will go with them in support. The ball carrier will pass the ball to the supporting player, who is moving forward. The new ball carrier will now pass the ball to the first receiver in the next group of two, who should be chasing - but no too close. And so the exercise continues, with each set of two support the last set of two. The challenge is, as well as good passing, is that the players should be around the 5 meter boxes and sprint back their starting position in order to keep the ball moving without stopping. Remind the players that this must be done at pace.

Tell your players the following... We are playing 7's, normal rules apply - except this is touch. Upon getting touched a player must off-load the ball right away to a supporting attack player. They must stop running. If they do not off-load right away - the ball is turned over to the defence. If they keep running the ball is turned over. Touch is one handed. There are unlimited touches, but in the even of the law being broken e.g. a knock on - the ball will be turned over. The game is to be played at pace. We will have 4 quarters of 4 minutes for this game. Bring you players together for no more than a minute at the end of each quarter to highlight what is going well, what could be better and to agree targets for the next quarter. Ask players, don't just tell.

Players line up on the left hand side of each gate and they start in a line, 5m down from the first gate. The player on the left starts to run with the ball and as he passes the gate, must pass through the agility poles to the receiver. The receiver collect and runs straight and does the same.

Ball carrier goes forward, hitting in on the shield, turning to pop the call to a support player who passes the ball across the grid into the second channel for the first player in the opposite channel to take and advance on the the shield in their channel. They hit in on the shield, turning to pop the ball to a support player who then passes the ball to the next receiver in the first channel. Keep going, but don't forget to change the players on the tackle shields.

-4 bags -2 sausages.  Put players on each bag, sausage and 2 defenders at the end of the grid.  There are 4 working attacking player.  Step 1 - Complete 2 shoulder clears on the opposing tackle bags.  Step 2 - 2 attackers nominate themselves to tackle the sauages.  Step 3 - the 2 support players pick the ball up and try complete the 4v2 (tackling players need to bounce up of feet quickly) 

Groups of 3+  Bag  Sausage 2 player starts on his chest infront of the sausage, another player lines up opposite. When whistle is blown, the first player makes a chop tackle on the bag and rolls out the way.  The second defender then then spider carwls over the sausage and clears the incoming bag holder. 

Ball  Tackle Suits  Players around the outside pass the ball around with eachtoher until coach blows his whistle.  Whoever has ball in hand then attacks the defender in the middle.  The two players closest (1,2) become the clear out players with the attacking player with the ball.  The 3rd layer on the outside becomes the Jackler, after the player in the middle has made a low chop tackle. 

Aim to develop good tackle habits through repetitive practice. Using pads allows you to train with intensity whilst lowering the impact on the body. Set up two lines of players 5 metres apart Attackers start on the 5 metre line with a tackle pad and defenders start on the try line A coach or non participating player will stand behind the defending players (tacklers) and indicate the direction the attacking players run by raising their arm. The attacking players (with pads) take 2 steps forward and then step 45 degrees and try to score on the try line. The defending line need to communicate (whatever the teams call for getting off the line), eg READY READY UP (when attack moves – ball is lifted in a match) The defending line come off the line and complete a tackle and reset to go again.

5 stage progression session.  Bibs. Balls  Cones.  1. Warm up - Wrestle  One player with the ball trys to fight their hips away from the other play who fights to to keep his/her hips infront of the other player.  2. 50% Side --> Front Tackle Players start on oppsoite side of grid. Ball Carrier runs across while the defender makes a tall tackle, whist trying to get his hips in a front on position. Low to High hit, aiming for under the elbows or ball.  3. 2nd Defender introduced.  Double team tackle. Inside player hits low to high under elbow, keeping hips square. The second player aims for the ball and fights to keeps attacker off the ground.  4. Rugby Netball in 7m x7m grid .  Attacking team tries to complete 8 passes while the defending team tries to complete a choke tackle on one of the attacking players. Turn over once a choke tackle has been successfully executed.  5. Contact Game  Half pitch contact game, with defending team aiming to complete a choke tackle. Turn over when one is made. 

The aim of the drill is to develop a strong profile, protecting the ball

Setup: Set up with 4 players with pads, and four players facing them about five metres away. There should be enough space between the players to ensure that they and the players making the hit are safe. The rest of the players fall in behind the leading 4 players who will be making the first hit. Each group of four will go together. The players holding the pads should do so with one hand on each strap, not with one arm through both straps as this exposes them to a lower arm fracture on a big hit. Have more than one group if necessary, as you don't want to have players waiting for more than 20-30 seconds between hits. Start slowly to get the technique right, and build from there. Tell the hitting players to put their hands behind their backs and make a hit on the pad using their shoulder. Remind them to keep their head up and to place their head to the side of the pads. Demo this with another coach if necessary.

Setup: Set up with 4 players with pads, and four players facing them about five metres away. There should be enough space between the players to ensure that they and the players making the hit are safe. The rest of the players fall in behind the leading 4 players who will be making the first hit. Each group of four will go together. The players holding the pads should do so with one hand on each strap, not with one arm through both straps as this exposes them to a lower arm fracture on a big hit. Have more than one group if necessary, as you don't want to have players waiting for more than 20-30 seconds between hits. Start slowly to get the technique right, and build from there. Tell the hitting players to raise their elbows 90 degrees or more. They will notice that their shoulders get bigger. Demo this with another coach if necessary.

Move 90 degrees round covering the ball and holding with one hand. Outreach to present the ball with both hands. Stay on your front at all times. 

2 teams.  Half pitch  Ball  - A normal game of touch, however with conditions.  - When a touch is mae the attakcer must go down and complete a long placement. - The toucher must run and touch own tryline before continuing play.  -A Second attacker must come over in a short period of time and secure the ball.  - If a defneder manages to gewt to the ball before a attacking player secures it, it is a turnover. -Then play away. 

tackle sausage  Place 2 sausages perpendicular from eachother in a T shape.  Have one player line up a couple meters away from the bag.  Conditioning drill, the player does reps of clearing the bag, running back to the line, doing a down up and going again.