Rugby: maul attack

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.

This is good for upper body strength. 5 or 6 defenders, 1 ball, 2 attackers</ br> Defenders must stand in a circle about 2 metres apart to keep contact away from injuring anybody unnecessarily. The ball carrier works into a defender who must wrap around and keep hold of the ball, the support attacker must rip the ball from his partner and move onto a different defender for the process to repeat. The 2 attackers are given a time limit to work as hard as possible.

Touch rugby in teams of 5. Once a team has been touched three times change possession. When a player is touched, the tackler stays in passive contact until the nearest attacker comes in and supports their players by mauling the ball away to continue the game.

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.

Playing area of 25m in length - adjust width to suit numbers- equal numbers in both teams Full LEG tackles ONLY - ball carrier when tackled can off load immediately or IF no support present when support arrives - game continues until knock or forward pass occurs. When a try is scored the try scorer turns to attack the other try line game continues playing the opposite way. No rucks or mauls.

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.

The exercise starts with the first attacking unit running around the bottom of the grid, as they do the first defending unit run around the top of the grid. The first defender run up to defend in line with the first cone, the second defender in line with the middle cone, and the last defender is at the end of the grid. Therefore the attack will aim to beat the 3 defenders, in three 3 v 1 situations. When the attack finishes, they pass the ball to the next attacking unit, and the exercise starts again with the new attacking and defending unit. The last two attacking and defending units, switch sides returning to starting positions, ready to go again.

Practice short kicks while attacking forward (not standing still).The attackers are aiming to land their kick in the target area (yellow cones). Adapt the size based on their ability (e.g. senior players 5m x 5m, junior players 10m x 10m).Set up two cones (red) to simulate the area of a ruck/scrum/line out and give a defensive offside line. Two defenders (red) position themselves on the offside line opposite two attackers (blue).One attacker (1) acts a scrum half and passes the ball to the first receiver (2). The first receiver (2) catches the ball and tries to perform a chip or grubber kick into the target area . The second attacker (3) chases the kick and tries to regather it.The two defenders aim to put pressure on the kicker.Once the attack have gathered the kick they should return it to the feeder and join the back of the line to start again.PROGRESSION:Defenders to start passive and increase pressure as attackers gain confidenceStart with a chip kick and progress to grubber or vice versa.

Drill to practice attacking from different positions.Set up a grid roughly 20m wide and 15m long with three defenders (yellow) and four attackers (blue). Within the grid place a number of different coloured cones.The attack start with the ball and the coach will shout the colour of a cone, the attack must touch the ball on that cone before they can attack. Once the attack have touched the ball on the cone the defence can start to defend.PROGRESSION:To start with the defence can only move laterally along the try line, then are allowed to move off the try line.

Drill to practice overlap situations.Set up a grid roughly 10m x 10m, with another grid roughly 5m x 5m adjacent to it (see diagram - red cones and green cones).In the bigger grid have two defenders (red) and in the smaller grid have one defender (red).Three attackers (blue) attack the 2 defenders in the first grid. Once they have completed the 3 v 2 situation the player with the ball and one other support player run around the cone and attack the one defender in the smaller grid.Swap the attack and defence after 3-5 repetitions. PROGRESSION:The ball starts on the opposite side to practice passing in both directions.A coach/other player feeds the ball to the three attackers so the drill can start in any position. The coach/other player can kick or roll the ball to the attack to start the drill.

<p class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>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: <ul type=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;disc&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;> <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>Keep the law briefing, brief! Get your players moving as quickly as you can. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>Start this game with a rugby league style touch game - when touched a player can set the ball down, standing over the ball, another player moves the ball from the ground; restarting the attack. Make it a two touch turnover game to start with.<br /> <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>Punish every mistake; forward passes, off sides, everything; be harsh. Each mistake results in a turn over. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>When the players get going; tell them that every touch will result in a turn over. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>On a turn over ball the defence must retreat 10 Meters. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>Be harsh; any touch and the attack lose the ball. Any law infringements; and the attack lose the ball. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>Referee the defense equally harshly; if they infringe; force them back 10 meters and allow the attack to continue. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;&quot;>Change the laws as you see fit, and let us know the variations that work for you.

The drill starts with 2 defenders and 2 attackers. The 2 attackers start one behind the other, about 3+ meters apart, the first players job is to either draw and pass to his supporter in space, or to beat the first man and draw and pass the second man.The defenders again will be split seconds behind as they will see the ball after the attackers. Use your whistle to set off the pass to the attackers.The first cones stay the same distance away, for the next set of cones for defenders double the distances.

See the diagram for suggested starting positions. 10 moves forward carrying the ball. 12 loops around 13, and wide outside towards 14. 10 passes to 13, missing out the 12 channel. 15 moves forward outside 13. 13 takes and passes to 15. 15 carries the ball forward, and out. 15 passes to 12, who passes to 14.