Rugby: kicking warm up

Split your players into two teams, giving one group of players a set of coloured bibs to set them apart, and quickly tell your players the following laws: We will be playing a rugby league style touch. When touched: set the ball down, stand over the ball, allow the scum-half to move the ball away from the point of contact. The defenders should stay on side following a touch, and should not compete for the ball. Any infringements in defence should result in the defending team conceding 10 Meters or possibly giving 1 or more extra touches to the attacking team. I'll leave this to your judgement depending on your team's age, skill level, and your session target/s. The attacking team can sustain three touches before they have to kick. Their kick should be as it would be in the game: a kick to touch, a kick for territory, or a kick that can be regained e.g. a grubber kick. The defenders should behave as they would in a real game. Quick put in's from the touchlines replace lineouts. Defenders who take the ball from an attacking kick should counter attack. A forth touch results in a turn over. The Scrum Half has a maxium of 5 seconds to move the ball from the point of touch. A ball kicked directly to touch from outside the attacking teams 22, or where the ball has been taken into the 22 by the attacking team and then kicked into touch - will result in a turn over with play starting on the five meter line closest to where the kick was made. The defence should be 10 meters back. A ball kicked from inside the attacking teams 22 can go directly to touch, as long as the attacking team did not carry the ball into their own 22 before the kick. The resulting put in will be to the opposition from where the ball has went into touch. Quick put-in's are enoucraged, if not possible the ball is played from the 5 meter line with the defence 10 meters back. Give points for quick put ins that work. Feel free to play with any of noted laws, let us know the law variations that work for you!

Drill to warm up/practice different types of kick.Players form two lines in the 15m channels with all the balls starting on one side.The player with the ball at the front of the line runs out and does a cross-field punt to a partner on the opposite side of the pitch - kick labelled 1.The partner catches the ball, and does a chip kick which they chase and gather themselves - kick labelled 2. Once they have gathered their chip kick they perform a grubber kick to their partner who has continued their run. Aiming to kick the ball between the posts for their partner to gather and score - kick labelled 3.Players jog back to join the back of the opposite line.Once the first pair have performed the chip kick, the next pair in line can go.

Be brief when telling the players the laws of this game, it's important to get them moving quickly. This is not a contact game. Break your players into two teams, giving each team their own colour of bibs if necessary. One team goes to attack, and one to defense. Nominate a Scrum Half for each team. There is no kicking in this game. Normal laws of rugby apply e.g. a forward pass will result in the ball being turned over to the opposition. If an attacking player is touched: they must go to ground, present the ball, two of their teammates ruck over (staying over the ball), and the Scrum Half moves the ball for the next phase of attack. When you start playing this game make sure that the defense is employing your defensive pattern around the ruck. As the game develops consider telling the defenders that they must have one or more players at the back of the ruck, if they are not fast enough to do this - push them back 10 meters. Have attacking players do what they normally would at the ruck. Depending on your goals decide on the number of touches you wish to allow e.g. unlimited is not a bad option as mistakes will be made! Don't hesitate to shape the game to focus on your session goals, and let us and other coaches know what worked for you!

Break your players into two teams. One team goes to attack, and one to defence. There is no kicking in this game. Normal laws of rugby do not apply e.g. the ball can be passed in any direction. The ball is passed from player to player, but once the ball is caught - the ball carrier must stop moving. They can move only to pass the ball to another player. The defenders can close down attackers, working to remove attacking options. Defenders can intercept the ball, but must leave the ball carrier alone once the ball is cause. They can apply pressure on the pass, similar to the pressure that a bastleball player might apply (but consider using this as a progression). Tries can be scored by attackers who catch the ball inside the oppositions in goal area. Dropped balls result in a turn over.

Be brief when telling the players the laws of this game, it's important to get them moving quickly. This is not a contact game. Break your players into two teams, giving each team their own colour of bibs if necessary. One team goes to attack, and one to defense. Nominate a Scrum Half for each team. There is no kicking in this game. Normal laws of rugby apply e.g. a forward pass will result in the ball being turned over to the opposition. If an attacking player is touched: they must go to ground, present the ball, two of their teammates ruck over (staying over the ball), and the Scrum Half moves the ball for the next phase of attack.The defence must commit three players to every ruck, or risk an infringement which will see tem pushed back ten meters. The ball must be moved from the ruck within 5 seconds. Make sure that the defense is employing your defensive pattern around the ruck.  Throughout the game the coach call the point of attack e,g, attack RED ZONE or Zone 2. The coach can also call the scoring zone, Score At Zone Yellow or Zone 3. As the game progresses have the players call the point of attack, and the scoring zones - but they must do this early and they must committ to that attack for a period of time. Have attacking players do what they normally would at the ruck. Depending on your goals decide on the number of touches you wish to allow e.g. unlimited is not a bad option as mistakes will be made! On a mistake or after a period of time, turn the ball over so that both teams get time in attack and defence. Don't hesitate to shape the game to focus on your session goals, and let us and other coaches know what worked for you!

Be brief when telling the players the laws of this game, it's important to get them moving quickly. This is not a contact game, but there will be some light contact. Break your players into two teams, giving each team their own colour of bibs if necessary. One team goes to attack, and one to defence. Nominate a Scrum Half for each team, it will be their job to move the ball from the back of the maul and out to an attacking line. There is no kicking in this game. Normal laws of rugby apply e.g. a forward pass will result in the ball being turned over to the opposition. If an attacking player is touched: they must stop and turn, a maul is then built based on how you have trained your players to Maul. Only four players should be in the maul - but every player should be able to maul - including the backs! When you start playing this game make sure that the defence is employing your defensive pattern around the maul. They will commit 4 players, but will not do anything more than provide light resistance. Once formed the maul can take four steps before moving the ball. If there is a delay in creating the maul, or the quality of the maul is poor - the ball can be turned over. Depending on your goals decide on the number of touches you wish to allow e.g. unlimited is not a bad option as mistakes will be made! If a team has been in possession for a long time, don't forget to turn the ball over to give the opposition a run. Don't hesitate to shape the game to focus on your session goals, and let us and other coaches know what worked for you.

Have four players stand at the four cones, the other players, in their own running groups of four should, be behind them - ready to go when their turn comes. Give the first player, the player with the ladder furthest away, a ball. The other players should lay down on the ground. When the first player runs and reaches the ladder, the second player can get up and attack, the third player can attack when the second player reaches their ladder, and the forth player can get up and attack when the third player reaches their ladder. The pass should be passed down the line, but you can only pass when you're inside your own ladder and you can only receive when you are inside you own ladder. Players aim to get the ball down the line, and should, score at the end before passing the ball to the first receiver in the next group. Players cannot stop inside a ladder or at any time during the attack.

Tell the players: The player in possession of the ball when the coach blows their whistle has to run around the cone at the end of the grid to try and run the full length of the grid to score a try. The player from the opposition in line with the player that is running can try to stop the player scoring by running around the cone and tagging the runner before they reach the line. For tag rugby players, provide all players with tags. In other variations decide on touch or contact, depending on how warm the players are - and your training goals. Provide coaching on the go with encouraging feedback.

 The Moles want to turn the cones onto their head, and the Green-keepers want the cones the right way up. Let the kids play, you can start the game by shouting '123 Play Divots!'. After playing for some time, lets find out who is winning - but don't take too long counting. Now tell the players that they must do one press-up before turning a cone - let the game start again. Play for another minute or two.

The aim of the drill improve accuracy and strike.

2 teams  Bibs  Balls  One team must try and complete 10 passes in a small grid.  When the player has the ball in his hand he cannot move, the other team must try to intercept the ball to stop them completing 10 passes.  Defending team must stand 1 metre away from ball carrier. If the ball is dropped or intercepted its a turn over.  If a team knock the ball down its a knock on and the same attacking team keep the ball. 

The aim of the drill is to develop reactive long kicking game.

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 aim of the drill is to develop reactive scanning kicking game.

Within each group of 10, there should be 4 attackers and 6 defenders. The defenders should be in the outer grid and the attackers will be in the inner grid. The defenders cannot enter the inner grid. The players can pass the ball in any direction inside the inner grid, and can move around as much as they like. When they attack outside the inner grid, they can only use non forward passes. The aim of the game is for the attackers to touch the ball down outside the outer grid, without getting touched. If the attacker gets touch, they swap places with the defender that touched them - they become a defended and the defender now becomes an attacker. Decide on two handed or one handed touch, it's your call. You might also decide to give your four attackers a period of time and unlimited touches before switching defensive and attacking players. Don't forget to give everyone a chance in attack and defence.

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.

Set up a running slalom for your players to run through at the end of their training. It should be approximately 10 by 5m in size.Slalom through the blue conesFrom the final blue cone players run backwards to the 1st red coneThen run forward out to the next red cone, then backwards again (repeat pattern until final red cone)Quick turn around the final red cone and then <em>sprint</em> to the end of the courseJog back to the start line and repeat.

Groups of 3 BallOne Player lies in a Long placement on the floor. Another player (Jackaler) comes over the top of the player, to compete for ball. Another player pushes, pulls and tries to make the player off balance.

Groups of four, players stand in a T shape with about two yards between each player.The player in the middle is the focal point and each round is designed to test that middle player as they will be doing the most passing and receiving.Player A - Player BPlayer B - Player CPlayer D - Player BPlayer B - Player DPlayer C - Player BPlayer B - Player APlayer D - Player BPlayer B - Player DThe middle player must receive from the side and pass out the other side.The middle player then plays a one-two return pass with the player opposite.The middle player then receives the ball from the side player they just gave it to and passes it back across to the original passer.Another one-two with the player opposite is then played.Switch positions clockwise after 20/30 seconds.

In fours players are moving up a channel. The support runner (blue player in the animation) calls themselves into the line, receives a pass, offloads and repeats down the second channel. Ideally you would like your players to form a diamond: a ball carrier, support running left, support running right, and a support runner behind who can come onto the ball at any angle. When the first group leaves the first channel, the second group should begin. That way there will always be activity. Players should change their positions in the diamond.

Groups of 2.Everyone find some space.Stand opposite your partner.One of the players (attacker) use footwork and move arround.The other (defender), try to keep as close as they can to the moving player.The attackers claps at a point of his choice, this is when the defender makes a shoulders on contact.Low Impact.Shoulders on.

The box kick is a very dangerous tactic for attack and defense. When attacking it can apply immense pressure on a team by putting the ball behind them. It also isolates the receiver making them vulnerable to turnover. It can also be dangerous if not executed correctly as you can end up giving away possession.

Kicking from hands requires the player to kick the ball before it bounces, unlike a drop kick. 1 ball, cones to give areas for scoring games etc.

This passing exercise will keep large groups of players busy passing, running onto, and moving the ball in traffic without the need to spend large amounts of time standing around and doing very little. It's a little confusing to start with, but when the players get going - it's great fun and very busy. Create a large box, the size is up to you and can be varied depending on your coaching goals. Each side of the box should have 4/5 players, more or less if you wish, standing in an attacking passing line - ready to go. You'll need two balls, give one ball to the first player on one of the lines, and the other to the last player on the line opposite. The lines advance passing the ball down the line as they go - they will pass through one another. When the ball gets to the end of the line, the last ball holder passes the ball to the first receiver of the line closest to them - and that line advances. There should be two lines active at any one time, and two lines getting ready to go. I hope that makes sense!

Groups of 3. - 1 player is active, 2 players are resisiting. - Active player gets into scrumage position between 2 defending players.- Tries to push both players back, like a scrum.

The lead runner chooses one of two sides to run.One or two players behind have to react and chase the lead runner around the arch.

The aim of the drill is to develop reactive short kicking game.

With each new instruction to players you'll be having a race, lets see which group is the fastest - no cheating! Don't spend too much time talking, get the players into their groups quickly and tell them to do the following: Pass the ball between your legs to the person behind you - keep going until the ball reaches the end of the line. Same thing as above, but this time when the ball reaches the end of the line, the player at the end runs the ball back and the ball starts the same journey again. This is repeating until the every player has run from the back to the front of the line. Same idea but this time under legs then next person passes over head, next under legs (under/over/under etc.) Same idea but twist hips to pass to person behind first to the left then to the right - back person runs to front. As above but just over the head. Progress this with your own ideas e.g. pass to the person behind you with one hand etc. This warm-up should be full of fun.