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Rugby: 7s training

7s training DRILLS
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7v7 Touch Sevens - Rugby Drill...

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.

General

7's Fitness Handling Sevens - ...

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.

General

7's Colour Touch Sevens - Rugb...

Tell your players the following..... The attack will remain in attack for 5 minutes, you'll then switch over. Normal rules of sevens apply, but this game will be touch to start with. When the ball carrier is touched, they must set the ball down, another player can then move it from the ground. The touch is considered a ruck. When the coach calls a defenders colour e.g. RED - the two players in defence wearing red drop to the ground and complete 3 press-ups, they can then return to their feet and are back in the game. That's it, play. Keep your player chats brief, but through questioning highlight that the downed players in defence open up space, what do we attack - SPACE!

General

Broken Defence Sevens - Rugby ...

Tell your players the following..... The attacking group will wait at the top of the training area until the coach calls the number of defenders. On the call of 1, 2 or 3 - they should attack - aiming to score a try at the opposite end of the grid. The defenders will go in the numbers called. If the coach calls 1, then defender 1 goes - the rest do not. If the coach calls 2, then defenders 1 and 2 go, and if the coach calls 3 - then all 3 defenders go. Defenders who are called can move forward and back, left and right. That's it, lets go. You will need to decide if this is a contact exercise or not. Don't forget to change the defenders.

General

Off-Loading Box Sevens - Rugby...

Tell your players the following...... The defender must make a tackle. The primary ball carrier must take the ball into contact and try to off-load the ball. The support player should take the ball and score a try. The players rotate rolls following each contact.

General

Ruck, Ruck, and Ruck Again Sev...

Tell your players the following..... Both the pad and attacking units will jog within the grid, the players in the attacking units don't have to stay together, but must work together on the coaches call. When the coach blows the whistle the attacking units must locate a pad, and hit that pad creating a ruck. The first player, the ball carrier hit, the second player rucks over, and the third player picks up the ball calling the rest of the players out of the ruck, they start jogging again. The second defending player works to steel the ball as soon first attacking player hits. The pad holding defender can also drop their pad and compete for the ball.

General

Attack/Defend Sevens - Rugby D...

Tell your players the following...... Players will standing at the midway point of the playing area. Tell each team which direction they are playing. Set the ball on the ground in front of the players. If you call 1 then team one is in attack and they should pick the ball up, if you should 2 then team 2 is in attack and they should pick the ball up. The non attacking team is in defence. Normal rules of sevens apply. However, before each team can start their attack/defence, they must all run to their own try line and back. When the attack is over, all players return to the midway point to start again. That's it, lets play! Make sure that you give both teams a chance to attack and defend.

General

Seven v Three Sevens - Rugby D...

Tell the players the following....... The 7 attackers, will always be in attack. The 3 defenders will always be in defence. Normal rules of 7's apply. Play! Don't forget to change the defenders around.

General

Pass and Support Sevens - Rugb...

Give each training area one ball and tell the players the following...... Lets just get the ball moving down the line. Give the player at the start of one of the lines a ball, tell the line to advnce using laterial passing - with the last player in each line passing the ball to the first player in the opposite line. After some time (your call on how long this should be). Tell the players that, with the exception of the first player in each line, every reciever will not be able to pass the ball until touched on the shoulder by the player that passed them the ball. Every passer must follow their pass, touching the reciever on the shoulder to release the next pass. After the supporting player has made their touch, and the ball has been passed, they should return to their original channel. Players should change positions in the line following each attack.

General

The Team Run Sevens - Rugby Dr...

Use half or a full pitch for this exercise. A full team of 7 will run unopposed. Players should use this as a rehearsal of everything that might happen in the game, and therefore should execute all of the following..... Line-outs, and what happen after them. Scrums, and what happens next. All moves. The full attacking patterns. Any kicking strategies, including restarts. When you feel the players are ready, bring in opposition with pads, and then without in full contact.

General

Game To Coach Depth Sevens - R...

Four attackers, two defenders in quite a small playing area - trying to find space.The aim is for each team of four to try to score as many 'tries' as they can consecutively. Failure to score means the team of four changes over to the next team.Touch rugby game play.Attacking four players are aiming to touch the ball down on an end line.Defenders are aiming to touch the attackers.

General

Footspeed Sevens - Rugby Drill...

Tell your players the following...... One group of 3 will be on the bottom right cones, the attack - they should have a ball each. The other group of 3 will be on the bottom left, starting at the furthest away cone - they will be the defence. On the coaches call, the first attacker (with ball) will run to the opposite end of the grid, in order to score a try. At the same time a defender will leave the last cone and will try to touch or tackle them. When all attackers have made it, the defence will move close (up one cone). The exercise continues forcing the attack to move at greater speed. Don't forget to change the attackers and defenders.

General

Tackle Challenge Sevens - Rugb...

The exercise stand clockwise, with the first player going from the bottom left cone. The defender must tackle that player to the ground. As soon as that tackle is complete, the attacker quickly clears the area, and the defenders gets to their feet. The next attack goes right away. This pattern repeats, with each new attacker coming forward from a new cone, and then rejoining the back of the line on the opposite side. The idea is for the defender to be tested time after time, in quick succession. The ball carrier can try to evade contact. After 1 minute, change the defender.

General

Decision Making Sevens - Rugby...

Tell the players the following..... The players at the bottom of the triangle will pass the ball back and forward. The passer in the middle must not only complete the pass, but should keep their head up and call out the colour of the cone that is being held up for their attention. Don't forget to change the players around to allow everyone a chance to do everything.

General

Quick Passing To Space Sevens ...

Give each training area one ball and tell the players the following...... One of the attacking lines takes the ball. They simply attack, moving the ball through the hands - lateral passing only. The defenders (there will be three), mark the first three attacks, they leave the forth free. Defenders can move up and down, left and right, but must leave channel 4 open. Defender start 10 meters back. The ball must go through all four attacking hands. Don't forget to switch the attackers and defenders.

General

Box Back Sevens - Rugby Drills...

Tell your players the following..... Pass the ball around, clockwise. After each circuit of the ball, take one half step back and complete another circuit. Keep stepping back until players start to reach their limits in terms of passing distance. Start to work your way back in towards the box. Change the direction of the ball when you get to the box, and do the same working back out again.

General

Push Push 2 Sevens - Rugby Dri...

Tell the players the following...... When the attack advances the defenders PRESS UP on the attack. The attackers must pass the ball down the line, no inside passes. The defenders PUSH/DRIFT across pushing the attack towards the sideline. When the attack reaches the end of the grid, if it reaches the end - the attack turn and sets - as does the defence. The exercise restarts. This is a full contact exercise. Don't forget to switch defenders into attack.

General

Seven In Touch Sevens - Rugby ...

The following are the laws for this game: Equal number of defenders and attackers. Normal laws of sevens rugby apply; a knock on etc. results in a turn over. The attacking team gets 8 touches before the ball has to be turned over. Change this to suit your training goals. When an attacker is touched they: stop running, turn and present the ball to a support player who waits for the entire defence to gather in around the defender that made the touch. Following a touch all defenders must gather in and be connected by touching another defender. Only when the support player passes the ball out can the defence restart the game. If the defence goes offside or operates illegally, the attack gains 10 meters. If the defence does not get in quickly, the attack can gain 10 meters. Judge this depending on your player's fitness. There is no kicking.

General

Counter Attack Sevens - Rugby ...

Tell your players to do the following....... The two passing players keep passing the ball until the coach shouts GO. On GO, the player holding the ball is an attacker, the other two attackers will go with that players. The remaining passer becomes a defender, and will join the defence with the two defenders at the bottom of the grid. On GO - the attack begins, and the defence should try and stop them. The attack aims to score a try at the bottom of the grid. Following each attack the players should return to their positions, but should swap around. You might decide to start this as a touch exercise, then go to contact.

General

Quick Hands - Warm Up Sevens -...

Within a group there are two groups of 4 attackers and one chaser/scrum half. At the middle point, marked by a cones, the scrum half moves the ball to the first attacking line. The scrum half firstly tracks the progress of the ball, as the exercise progresses - the scrum half should apply more and more pressure to the ball carrier - working up to the point of becoming a full on defender. When the ball reaches the opposite end of the grid, the last player in the line sets the ball down. The scrum half then feeds the ball to the next attacking line, fulfilling their own role within the exercise. The opposite attacking line should realign in preparation for the next attack. The tempo of this exercise should be high.

General

SHORT - LONG Sevens - Rugby Dr...

The first group of 4 starts at the top of the grid, moving forward. The ball should be with the outside player, who makes a short pass in to his supporting runner, who then makes a long pass to the next receiver in the other short passing box, they will then make a short pass to the last receiver. The players realign and do the same again in the opposite direction. When they get to the end of the grid, they go around the cones to their starting position, while the next group goes. They should change position in the line, and when ready, they start again.

General

Pole Position Sevens - Rugby D...

Tell the players the following..... Each player has four tackle bags and six balls, the winner is the player that knocks down the most bags - you cannot leave their cone and must knock the bags down by passing. If you find that the bags are too heavy - you can amend the game by placing balls on the top of the bags, the passers must knock them off.

General

Tackle Box Sevens - Rugby Dril...

The exercise is simple, the attacker has 2 minutes to score as many tries as they can. They do this by attacking the space between 2 sets of cones, but there is a defender they need to avoid. When it is clear which area the attacking is going to attack, that defender can advance. This is a full contact exercise. If the attackers scores, they return to the center of the grid to attack again. They cannot attack the same defender twice. If the attack fails, they reset and have another go. After 1/2 minutes, switch the attacker. This is a competition, so keep score.

General

Evasion Skills Sevens - Rugby ...

Tell the players the following..... The player on the top of the grid is the defender. The player on the bottom is the attacker. When the defender passes the ball to the attacker, the attack begins. Using footwork and other evasion skills the attacker should score a try. That's it, play. Give the players a number of chances each - changing the attacker and defender. When you feel they are doing well, decrease the width of the grid by 1 meter. Keep decreasing until the players are at the limit of their ability to evade contact.

General

3 Times A Charm Sevens - Rugby...

Tell your players the following...... On the 4 players side, they will go 2 at a time in attack - the balls should be with these players. They will advance around the lower part of the training area. On the 6 players side, they will go 3 at a time in order to provide 3 defenders, one will advance to the 7 meter marker, the second will go to the 14 meter marker, and the last will stay at the back of the grid. They will advance around the top part of the training area. The attacking players will now face three 2 v 1 situations. Once the attack finishes the two attacking players return to their starting position, the next two attackers go. At the same time the next three defenders go, while the last three defenders return to their starting position. Don't forget to give every player a chance in attack and defence.

General

Overhead Catch Sevens - Rugby ...

Tell your players to do the following...... The first ball carrier will throw the ball high into the air. The runner will catch it and pass to the player on the opposite cone. They do the same up and down the grid, before swapping with another player.

General

Step Back Sevens - Rugby Drill...

Players start at the cones, pass the ball one circuit clockwise and one circuit anticlockwise. Following the two circuits, they take one step back. Thus making the circle bigger. They then repeat the 2 circuits of passing the ball around the circle, before taking another step back. Repeat until the circle is so big that the players are having trouble completing their pass.

General

Keep Passing Sevens - Rugby Dr...

Tell your players the following..... 3 players start on the right cones. The remaining 3 players will be running, they start at the top of the grid. The runner take the first ball off the player standing at the first cone, they pass it down the line while advancing to the second cone. At the same time the player on the cone, who passed the first ball, runs to the second cone on a loop to retake the ball. They remain at that cone for the runners to return. The same thing happens at the second and third cones. When the attack gets to the bottom of the grid, and they have finished all 3 lateral passing tasks - they turn and go again. Change the runners and players on the cones when you're ready.

General

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7s training ANSWERS
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Is there a 7s training guide?

I enjoyed the coaching guide created for 15s that contained practice schedules and progressive training... is there one available for 7s team training as well?

Kevin Raymond Coach, United States of America

RFU - proposed Mini's rule changes

RFU - proposed Mini's rule changes%3A All - just a quick straw poll%3A Have any CLUBS that you are aware of officially come out in SUPPORT of these changes? If not, have they come out officially rejecting the proposed changes, or are they adopting a "wait and see" attitude? Regards Stephe

Archived User Coach

U7 and u8s tag rugby with low numbers

I coach under 7s and under 8s tag rugby and we often get low numbers at training as low as 2 or 3 any ideas for games for them to play that is related to skills without having to cancel a session. Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

James Gallagher Coach, England

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