Contact Help center
Rugby Rugby
HOME Rugby Answers Rugby COACHING Q&A

Team defense

Team defense

Hey, what are good exercises / drills to exercise team dedense when you have only one team? thanks

Jaco CoetzeeCoach, United States
ANSWERS
Cam HughesCoach, England

Hi Jaco, here are some great drills to enhance team defense when you have only one team:

  1. Defensive Touch Warm Up: This drill involves two teams on a half pitch. It's a touch game with conditions where the attacker, once touched, must go down, bounce back up, and drive into the defender. This helps in practicing defensive positioning and reactions. 1 Check it out here.
  2. Last 15 Defence Drill: This drill focuses on defending in wide channels. It involves setting up a grid that is 40m wide and 20m long, with the 40m divided into a 25m channel. It's great for practicing defensive patterns. 2 Learn more here.

These drills will help your team maintain structure and improve their defensive strategies. Let me know if you need more information!

Login or Join Now for FREE to post your answer

JOIN SPORTPLAN FOR FREE

  • search our library of 1100+ rugby drills
  • create your own professional coaching plans
  • or access our tried and tested plans
STAY CONNECTED

in more ways than one

sportplan_rugby
LATEST COACHING TRENDS
Rugby Rugby Trends Restarts as the Third Set-Piece: Winning the Reception Battle
Restarts as the Third Set-Piece: Winning the Reception Battle

Restarts as the Third Set-Piece: Winning the Reception Battle

Restart kicks are now the most common set-piece in rugby and the easiest to lose. Treat them like a lineout: prepare options, drill the catch, and own the reception.

June 2026
|
Sportplan Coaching
 Rugby Rugby Trends The Sternum Tackle Height Trial: What U20 Coaches Must Train Now
The Sternum Tackle Height Trial: What U20 Coaches Must Train Now

The Sternum Tackle Height Trial: What U20 Coaches Must Train Now

World Rugby has dropped the legal tackle height to the base of the sternum for the 2026 U20 Championship in Georgia. Here is what the trial means for coaches at every level.

June 2026
|
Sportplan Coaching
 Rugby Rugby Trends Counter-Attack from Kicks: Punishing Loose Returns in Transition
Counter-Attack from Kicks: Punishing Loose Returns in Transition

Counter-Attack from Kicks: Punishing Loose Returns in Transition

Kicking is up across the Six Nations and Champions Cup, which means counter-attack opportunities are up too. Learn how to turn a loose kick into seven points.

May 2026
|
Sportplan Coaching
VIEW ALL COACHING TRENDS

View more questions

Sportplan App

Give it a try - it's better in the app

SPORTPLAN USES COOKIES

Sportspeople like cookies too! By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. More info

Privacy Policy
We are committed to privacy and support current industry initiatives to preserve individual privacy rights on the Internet. Protecting your privacy on-line is an evolving area and this website will constantly evolve to meet these demands.


Cookies
Some of our web pages utilise "cookies". A "cookie" is a small text file that may be used, forexample, to collect information about web site activity. Some cookies and other technologies may serve to recallPersonal Information previously indicated by a web user. Most browsers allow you to control cookies, includingwhether or not to accept them and how to remove them.

Some cookies are necessary for the operation of our website, if you choose to block them some aspects of the site may not work for you. Non necessary cookies are only set when you have given your explicit consent to their use. Such cookies included those set by our statistics package Google Analytics.

We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.

More info
Rugby POPULAR SEARCH TERMS
3 v 2 7 counter rucking defence defense fitness football forward drills junior  backline drills lesson plans line out lineout lineout drills lines of running maul passing ruck rucking rugby scrum scrum machine search sevens tackle tackling tag tag rugby touch under 8 warm up
YOUR SESSION IS STARTING SOON... Join the growing community of rugby coaches plus 1100+ drills and pro tools to make coaching easy.
LET'S DO IT