Rugby Drills

Pitch 20m x 20m. All players wearing tag belts Start the game with a free pass, defenders must be 7m back at the start Attacking players must try to run past the defenders to score a try. If tagged, the attacker must pass the ball backwards to a team-mate. After a tackle, the defenders must give the tag belt back, stay on their own side of the ball and NOT intercept or obstruct the pass.

The pitch is divided into two halves The defenders must start at opposite corners of the pitch The attacker must have at least one player in either half. The middle player starts with the ball.

Give each training area one ball and tell the players the following...... Let's 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 advance using lateral passing - with the last player in each line passing the ball to the first player in the opposite line. Every passer must follow their pass, making themselves available as a support runner for the ball carrier. A ball carrier with a support runner has two options - a backwards flick to the support runner - or to pass the ball out to the next receiver. They may also have an additional option back inside, but best to keep it simple to start with. If a support runner receives a flicked pass, they can run with it and pass it to the next player down the line. The passer of the ball becomes the support runner. If the support runner does not receive a flick pass and the ball is passed from the player they are supporting, they should return to their original channel. In the case of a support runner becoming the next passer - they should follow their pass - and the other players should reorganize the line - not fixating on maintaining their original position in the line. Players should change positions in the line following each attack.

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.

Drill to practice 3 v 2 attacking scenarios. Set up a channel 20m long and 15m wide with cones every 10m along the length (red, yellow, green). Set up 5 lines of players between the first two cones, the two players on each end are the defenders (red), and the three in the middle are attackers (blue). The ball starts with one of the defenders on one side and that player runs forward and throws a long pass to the defender at the other end of line. He then continues his run around the far (green) cone to defend. The defender who has caught the ball puts it down on the middle (yellow) cone and continues his run around the far (green) cone to defend. Once the second defender has put the ball down on the yellow cone the attackers may begin their attack. The player nearest the cone runs to pick up the ball and then they attack the two defenders, trying to score over the line marked by the green cones.   PROGRESSION: Start from the opposite side to practice passing in both directions. Reduce the width of the channel to make it harder for the attackers to score Add a defender to come round late and create a 2 v 1 after the 3 v 2

Attackers react to the defensive line in a 3 v 2 situation If defence is compressed - overs - an outside line should be exploited. Can use two or three attackers to attack into the wide space If defence is wide - unders - a tight inside line should be hit by the middle player into the gap between two defenders.

Players line up together along the line of the 1st set of cones. On the signal of the coach all the players advance to the 3rd set of cones (20 meters away), making sure they all keep together in a straight line. The players then retreat 10 meters to the 2nd set of cones, making sure they stay in line. From the 2nd set of cones the players then advance a further 20 metres to the 4th set of cones and then retreat 10 meters back, to the previous set of cones.

2 defenders work together to force 5 players to pass and work them towards touch. The golden rule is for them to keep their spacing even, ensure that the inside defender covers the outside defenders inside, and that they do not rush up to commit to the tackle, but hover across and "swim" past the passer to reach the next and the next attacker.   If an attacker draws and passes so well that he then tries to block the defender, he needs to work hard and swim across that blocker to return to his defending role.

Tell you players the following...... There will be two players on one side of the middle line of cones, and another group on the other side. They will be two separate teams. It's rugby tennis, so the aim of the game is to pass the ball in such a way that the other two players won't be able to stop it from going out of play, however. The ball must be a normal rugby pass, and the ball must hit the ground inside the tennis court on the oppositions side. The passer must be 2 meters behind the center line. That's it, lets play.

Get all players into teams of 3 One group of 3 with bibs start as defenders  In a 10mx10m grid - the other groups line up either side of the grid as attackers. Split evenly. The defenders work together to stop the attacking side scoring and getting through  After a tackle is made or a try is scored, the attacking team pop the ball off to a team on the other side of the grid who attack straight away Defending side need to react and realign quickly to stop the next team from scoring Start as shoulder on and then can progress to full contact Defence works for 1 minute and then change Competition - Team with the least tries scored against them wins

6x6m Grid  Ball  Players line up in 3s opposite sides of the grid.  Simply pass the ball along the line.  1 defender is in the middle of the grid putting pressure on all ball carriers. Once hand completed the next line starts immediately.  Defender swaps out when there is a mistake or when he touches someone with the ball.  Progression: add another defender, make the passes wider. 

WHY? Put pressure on attacking side.  Force ball back inside.  More numbers in defence than attackers.  WHEN? When the ball is at the edge of the field near 5m lines.  Attackers playing close to the game line.  HOW? Lead from Outside backs.  Line up outside shoulder of attackers.  Run Up and In.  Fast Line speed.  Stay connected to inside man.  Resposible for the space inside you.  Aim for Man&Ball hits or interceptions.   

4 Tackle Bags. 10 Cones and 1 Ball. 10m x 30m. The first player in the line begins with the ball. As he approaches the first cone and passes to player 2 who is supporting. Player 1 carries on their run and hits the tackle bag before running backwards to player 2 original position. Player 2 on receiving the ball passes the ball onto player 3 before hitting the tackle bag and back pedalling to player 3 original position. When the ball reaches player 5, that player side steps behind the others back to position 1 where the drill is repeated.

Players line up in two groups on the first cone. On GO, the first players side step to the second cone, go around it and run backwards to cone three where they side step the opposite direction to cone four where they turn and sprint back to the start and pass the ball to the next player. When both players have received a ball they repeat the drill Its a good idea to have groups next to each other so they can compete against each other.

Player, with the ball, should make a fake pass. After the dummy pass their objective should be to change pace and direction as quickly as possible to leave their opponent standing and attack the empty space they will have just created.

Explain to thescrum halfs that they are to attempt to pass the ball at the attackers and attempt to hit them below the shoulders. It won't be a completed pass as the attackers are just trying to avoid getting hit. The scrum halfs can move sideways along the edge of grid, however, cannot move forward into the grid. The attackers can attack when they like, and if hit they can be out - or have more than one life. When an scrum half makes it through the grid successfully, with out being directly hit by a pass, they wait at the other end till all the other attackers make it. The scrum halfs must make their passes/hits from the groud.