The key to a good out-fielding side is that they attack the ball (meet the ball rather than wait for it to come to them). By being positive and alert, players can get to the ball quicker, planting doubt into the batsman's mind by reducing the space that they can openly hit the ball into.
Your players should be used to getting their body behind the ball, so that even on the bumpiest of pitches they're able to pick it up quickly and send it back towards the wickets. However, using the long barrier in training is different to in a match when the stakes are raised.
It's for that reason that this plan uses conditioned games to test how your players use the ground fielding techniques they know in a pressurised situation - ensuring your players keep their eyes on the ball right until the moment it's in their hands.
After using this session you would hope to see your team play more comfortably in their next game, focusing better on the incoming ball and stopping it in its tracks.
in more ways than one
2026 brings revolutionary changes to international rugby: a brand new global tournament, historic tours, and law changes that will reshape the game. Here's everything coaches need to know.
The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup featured a record 32% female coaches - more than double 2021 figures. Here's what this growth means for the sport.
Matches are won by the team that makes better decisions under pressure. Learn how to develop game intelligence and manage critical moments.