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ru DRILLS
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3 v 2 Fixing Defenders

This is a backs moves passing exercise, aimed at drawing and fixing up a defender, to give a supporting teammate more space and take the defender out of the play 3 attackers line up along one side of the area, 2 defenders stand next to each other on the short side next to the coach On GO, the defenders run into position and the coach passes to the first attacker The attacker runs with the ball towards the first defender before passing sideways to their teammate That player then runs at the second defender and before contact passes across to the spare attacker to run to the other end of the area.

Passing

4 vs 1

Groups of 5 Combine grids to make 2 channels each 10m x 20m 1 Ball per group Ball carrier tries to score a try by running past the defender. Support players follow the ball carrier. If tagged, the ball carrier must pass the to one of his / her support players. The defender must GIVE the tag back before trying to make a second tackle.

Tag Rugby

Crash Through 2 Tackle Bags

Basic but good warm up drill for matches. 4 cones set up a grid of about 5-10m by 5-10m. 2 defenders with tackle shields start in the centre. Attacker starts at the base of grid running onto and catching a pass from the next attacker. Attackers then run through the two defenders with tackle shields to score a try. The attacker that passed the ball immediately goes to starting position (base of grid) to be passed a ball and start the next repetition while the scorer joins the line to make a pass.

Tackling

Realignment & Depth - 5 v 4

The realignment and depth hands drill is a quick drill to focus the players in sharpening their alignment and depth before a session. You can spend as long or as short on this drill as you need. The aim of the drill is to develop the speed at which players realign themselves, to support their early hand-catch, quick and accurate transfer of the ball to a support player. Set a 5 cones 1.5 meter apart in straight line. This will mark where the players will start the drill from Set 4 cones at a diagonal in line with the starting cones from one edge. This will be the cones that the defending players need to retreat to before coming up to pressure the attacking players. The first attacking player needs to step back 1 meter and will receive the ball from the first defending player who has also stepped back 1 meter to his designated cone Divide the group into 4 attacking player and 5 defending players, there should be a free attacking player The ball starts with the defending player On the coaches call, all defending players need to work back to their designated cone and then come forward in a straight line to their opposite attacking player The attacking players set their own depth to ensure they have time to catch and pass effectively On the coaches call, the first defending player will move back to their cone, once they get to the cone they pass the ball to the first attacking player, and then the first defending player tries to put pressure on the first attacking player The attacking players try to get the ball to the 5th player without being ‘touched’ by a defending player

Decision making

Red Arrows

Players work in groups of 5, with 1 ball per group - starting in a single file. The first player runs out 5m then stops, turns slightly and gives a little pop pass to player 2 who runs out another 5m then stops, turns slightly and gives a little pop pass to player 3.

Tag Rugby

Rip and Ruck

Players stand in a circle, about 5 meters apart.Two player, one with a ball, positioned in the centre of the circle.The ball carrier (player 1) runs towards on of the players in the circle and drives into them for about 1 meter.The ball carrier then drops to the ground before presenting the ball for the supportive player (player 2).The supportive player then clears the ball out and passes it to another player in the circle.Player 1 the regains to their feet, moves onto the next player in the circle who has the ball, secures the ball from them, drives forwards a meter, drops to the ground and presents the ball.The drill continues.

Maul

Ruck clear-out work

tackle sausage Place 2 sausages perpendicular from eachother in a T shape. Have one player line up a couple meters away from the bag. Conditioning drill, the player does reps of clearing the bag, running back to the line, doing a down up and going again.

Contact Skills

Run and touchdown

6 players line up in a coned area each with a ball. Players run out to score a try at the opposite end, and then return with the ball and pass to their partner. Next 6 players go. The drill is repeated and continuous. Develop the drill by racing against each other

Practices for Juniors

Side step practice

Simple game for players to work on their ability to side step and beat opponents 1 v 1. The defender starts with the ball on one coned corner of the playing area. The defender passes the ball to the attacker standing on the opposite cone. The game is then a 1 v 1 and the attacker must side step the defender to reach one side of the squared area.

Agility & Running Skills

Winger's Drill 1

Run to the first cone at 3/4 pace. Upon reaching the first cone perform a slight side step and change direction. Continue to accelerate to the 2nd cone, once again using a slight side step/ change of direction before finishing with a 100% sprint.

Agility & Running Skills

Lesson 3 Layout Tag Rugby - Sp...

General

Offloading Off The Floor Off L...

The aim of the exercise is to develop ball control and offloading off the floor.

General

Four Handed Touch Warm Up - Ru...

The following are the laws for this game: Equal number of defenders and attackers. Use bibs to identify both teams. Normal laws of 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. It would be ok to have unlimited touches, changing the defence and attack after a set period of time. A player is touched only when two defenders have all four hands on them, if this is not the case - the attacker can play on. Defenders cannot hold the attacker, nor can the attacker use significant force to push through defenders. If a player is touched: they stop, set the ball down, stand over it, and the scrum half is allowed to move the ball again to restart the attack. The defence must remain onside following a touch. Only when the support player passes the ball out can the defence press up on the attack. If the defence goes offside or operates illegally, the attack gains 10 meters. Don't forget to switch the teams around. There is no kicking.

General

Building The Loop Passing - Ru...

Tell your players the following..... One group of 4 players will be in defence. The other two groups of 4 will be in attack, they will attack one group at a time. There will be two attackerss and two defenders in the first two channels, the third channel will be open and free of attackers and defenders. The fourth channel will have an attacker and defender, the fifth channel will be free of attackers and defenders, the sixth channel will have an attacker and defender, and the last channel will be free of attackers or defenders. Defenders can move forward and side to side within their own channel, but they cannot leave their channel. Attackers attack their own channels, but can call a loop (L1,L2,L3 etc.) in order to attack the open channels. Allow players to discover solutions, question - try not to tell. Change the defenders.

General

Bulldog on knees Tackling - Ru...

Simple game for teaching tackling when on your knees. Starting with initially two tacklers and the rest as attackers, players must try to go from one side to the other with a ball in their hands without being tackled. If a player is tackled they must throw their ball out of the area and become a tackler in the next round of the game.

General

Round and Realign Passing - Ru...

Tell your players the following...... There will be one ball to each group, any player can be the ball carrier. On GO, the group moves towards the closest cone.At the cone, the players spread out and attack the line at pace and with width. They should realign following the attack left, to attack again right. When the second groups sees the first group complete their first set of passes, they should begin without waiting.

General

Pace Onto The Ball Sevens - Ru...

Tell your players the following..... Every receiver following the the ball carrier should lay on the ground, they can get up only when the ball carrier has advanced 1 meter, that is the person that will pass to them. They continue down the line, and when the ball gets to the end of the line it is passed to the first receiver in the next line.

General

Rugby: Introduction to ruck - ...

In small teams, play a modified game where if the ball carrier is touched on the shorts with both hands of a defender, the ball carrier must go to ground and present the ball to a support player who passes the ball from the ground unopposed Change possession once a try has been scored.

General

Ruck 5 Ruck - Rugby Drills, Ru...

General

Support play touch School - Ru...

Develop speed to break down and attacking skills. When the player was touched, laid down and presents properly (turnover if it is not done properly) Next play clears (Low and in a strong position). Third player is the 9. The team that will win is a team that can get the player over and the 9 there are the quickest. Develop anticipation of when players are going to tackled. Any player that touches an attacker must go on their stomach before returning to the game. 40 m x 40 m area, a decided ideal. The team that scores keep hold of the ball and attack the other way.

General

Rugby Blank Coaching tool - Sp...

General

Fast And Pressured Sevens - Ru...

Tell your players the following...... There will be one runner. 1 player, static, on each cone. 4 players on the cones in total. There will also be two players in defence, they will have a tackle/ruck pad each. The defenders will be 3 meters in from the start of the grid, the second defender 7 meters behind the first. The defenders can move left and right, but not backward and forward. There will be a ball on the first left cone, and on the second right cone. The player at the first cone with the ball will pass the ball to the runner, who avoids the defender and passes the ball to the reciever on the opposite first cone. The runner then catches the second ball, passed by the player on the second cones. The runner passes the ball to the opposite reciever, avoid contact with the defender. The runner then turns and does the same again - the defender steps back a bit. Don't forget to change the defenders, proving all players will the chance to attack.

General

Escape To Victory Warm Up - Ru...

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.

General

Running Lines with Defence Pas...

Running straight and changing your running line will make players better attackers and underpins an effective 2 v 1Start with a 5 v 3 situation, all five attackers start in a slightly angled line with the end player with ball in handOn Go, the play starts and the first pass is made. The receiving player runs a straight line toward the opposing player and 'fixes them up', meaning the defender is square on and must make the decision to either tackle or anticipate the pass

General

Lesson 2 Layout Tag Rugby - Sp...

General

Keep The Ball Game Sevens - Ru...

Tell your players the following: One group of two players will be defenders, you might want to give them bibs. The attackers just need to keep the ball moving without getting touched while holding the ball. The passes can be forward. Attackers can move around the training area. If a player gets touched while holding the ball they and their partner become the defenders - the old defenders become attackers. If the ball is dropped, the pass is bad, or goes outside the training area - the player that made the mistake and their partner become the new defenders, replacing the old defence. This should be fun, but players should strive to control the ball, moving it into space and away from the defence.

General

Shoulder stretch. Agility & Ru...

Raise both arms up to shoulder height.<BR>Keeping both arms straight, start with arm just forward of shoulders.<BR>Bring both arms back behind shoulders as far as possible.<BR>Hold for 15 seconds and repete.

General

Rugby: Corner line Tag - Sport...

The aim is that when the coach signals the start the defending players will spread across to the other side of the field quickly and defend the entire field width. Explain to the players the importance of spreading out and defending in a line.Game Organisation and Rules The aim of this game is to get the defending team to understand the importance of spreading out in defence. This game is aprogression of Line Tag. Set up a narrow rectangle approximately 10m wide x 5m long. Split the players into 2 even teams and get them to face each other on opposite 10 meter lines. Explain to the players that 1 team will be attacking and their task is to get across the opposition line without being tagged (2 handed tag). The defending team are told to line up at one corner of the field and when signalled by the coach they are to attempt to tag the attacking players before they get across the line. As the game develops the attackers will naturally start on the side furthest away to the defenders, to stop this place the fastest runners on the side closest to the defenders. Explain to the attackers about the idea of changing running gale to step the defenders. <div id=miniAd>R1</div>

General

Double Tag Rugby Tackling - Sp...

Tackler must remove both tags simultaneously

General

Offload central Off Loads - Ru...

Set Up Small 10 x 10m grid - 1/3rd of group on knees - 1/3rd with ball - 1/3rd supporting Players move around grid - take tackle and off load to supporting player repeat continuously for 30 seconds - change roles

General

Clockwork Passing Warm Up - Ru...

4 + groups Balls All players have a ball, start by passing the ball once left then twice right, then 3 times left etc. if the ball goes down you start again. Winning team is the team who competes the most amount of passes without the ball going down.

General

Vary the distance Passing - Ru...

In groups of 4 - 1 ball straight hands across. on the other side pass the ball to the next group. Start with 2 close passes and on pass 3 and 4 vary the distance. Players should try to introduce some oni scissors/ behind the ball

General

Wide Passing Lines Sevens - Ru...

The two feeders should be 15 meters apart and will........ Feed the left most attacking unit with a ball, they will move forward at pace passing down the line and setting the ball down when it hits the last receiver. The first feeder will without delay pass the ball onto the right attacking unit, they will do the same as the left attacking unit, on their side of the pitch. Both attacking lines should realign and take a ball from the second feeder, before turning and working their way up the pitch, running the same exercise. Players should change their position in the line.

General

Lesson 4 Layout Tag Rugby - Sp...

General

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ru DRILL CATEGORIES
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Agility & Running Skills
Backs Moves Drills
Contact Skills
Decision making Drills
Defensive Patterns Drills
Handling Drills
Kicking Drills
Match Related Drills
Maul Drills
Practices for Juniors
Ruck Drills
Ruck Clear Out Drills
Scrum Drills
Sevens Drills
Tackling Drills
Tag Rugby Drills
Tutorials Drills
Agility & Running Skills
Backs Moves Drills
Contact Skills
ru SESSIONS
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Performing when tired - Endurance Running session

Find out if your team can drive out a difficult win! Work your team hard and test their match-skills when tired!

Quick Ruck for Quick Ball

Quick rucking that produces quick ball is the first step towards a dangerous attacking side. Use this session to get your team rucking quickly, efficiently and effectively!

Developing Invasive Attacking Skills!

Improve your players decision making to help them recognise where the space will develop and how they can maximise their success when they create the space, either by going into contact and offloading, or passing before the tackle.

Developing offloading and 2nd wave defence

Here's a bumper session that covers two crucial elements of the game - it's not one to be missed. Click through below and try it with your squad tonight

Using the Overlap

Make sure your players support their team-mates with this session, by using the overlap in attack

Confidence in Contact: part 2

Continue to improve your player's confidence when using contact, with the second of our Confidence in Contact sessions

Confidence in Contact: part 1

Help your players get over their fears and watch them gain confidence in contact!

Improving Rucking Technique

React the quicker and get on the front foot in attack with this session, by improving their rucking technique!

Guard the Ruck - Organisation in Defence

High tempo defending and handling plan. Improve your rugby players' communication, organisation and line speed for a more solid backline

Forwards and Backs Skills

Make sure your forwards and backs have the skills needed in Rugby with this session, improving areas such as the punt kick and scrum!

Improving your Passing Skills

Get your players passing accurately and with variety in this session

Phase Play and Continuity

Continue to build the phases in your play and get your team working as an unit to offer support with this session!

Developing Handling Skills

Get your players handling skills super sharp so that no loose balls are given up. Gradually build up pressure to test their handling ability when confronted with defence.

Contact: Rucking technical session

Master the ?Smash? and the ?Roll? rucking technique so that when the pressure is on and a clear decision needs to be made, clearing the ruck becomes second nature to your players.

Developing reactions and decision making skills to dominate support play

A player needs to make hundreds of decisions on the pitch. Get them making the right ones when in attack to utilise the support to sustain attacking pressure on the opposition.

Introduction to Handling and Unit Plays

Set out the targets for the season and develop your players handling skills after an intense physical pre-season. Put the final touches to your game with this session.
ru ANSWERS
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just signed up to coaching under 6s,would like to hear?

just signed up to coaching under 6s,would like to hear what exercises / "drills" work best aside from making sure they all have a laugh?

Archived User Coach

Scrum half approach to the ruc...

I'm a new player trying to learn to play Scrum half. I have a general idea of how the game works having played back positions a few times. However, I'm confused about one thing (and this might be dumb but bear with me). The thing is, I'm pretty quick. I can usually make it to a ruck before the forwards have fully formed it. When this happens I don't really have a good sense of where to stand in order ot have good access to the ball but also avoid blocking other forwards coming in to ruck.  Usually I've already surveyed the field (to my newbie abilities anyway) and made a decision as to what I want to do with the ball, yelled the call on my way to the ruck, etc, so that puts me in a mindset that I REALLY want to be close to the ball so I can make it happen.  Should I just keep my distance instead until the ruck is fully formed? Where specifically should I be standing and how quickly should I get there? Thanks!

Archived User Coach

Rules on hand offs - Sportplan

Ask a question and have it answered by Coaches from around the world and IRB Educators.

Archived User Coach

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