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react DRILLS
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Continuous Attacking

Groups of four, 1 attacker and three defenders Coach calls out the number of a defender as the attacker retreats to allow that defender and the attacker to continue the drill Attacker reacts to defender and attempts to score

Agility & Running Skills

Defender - Round and Realign

Tell your players the following...... There will be one ball to each group, any player can be the ball carrier. Each group will have one defender, the defenfer will not have to go around the cone. 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. The defender should swap with another player in their group. Variations: Make the training area small to force quick hands. Make the training area wider to increase the length of the pass. Allow players to be creative in attack.

Passing

Diamond Geezer

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.

Agility & Running Skills

One v One

Coach calls out a number/colour and that pair of players reacts, have the players decide who is the defender and who is the attack - this should change each time. One player attacks, and the other defends. The attacker will be carrying the ball. Keep the tempo of the exercise high.

Agility & Running Skills

Split with Trailer

Tell your players the following...... Player A passes to D and cuts - not getting ball back , but holding up - B cuts and receives the ball off D, then turns it back inside to C, who passes to A to score out wide on Right. Players change position after each attack, the static player will be a runner in the next attack.

Passing

Square - Improve reactions

Players stand on a blue cone. On Go, the player passes the ball and sprints out to the nearest cone in the middle then back steps back to the next blue cone in line.

Handling

Standing and Passing - Variation

Keep your player briefing, brief! Tell your players the folloiwng......... Players should be moving, staying around 5 meters part - running with the ball and attacking space. After the first catch - pass ball around body. After the second catch - pass ball through legs from front and behind left leg. After the third catch - pass ball through legs from front and behind right leg. You might consider asking players to pass the ball with just one hand, off their hip

Passing

Standing and Passing

Keep your player briefing, brief! Tell your players the folloiwng......... Players should be 5m apart. After the first catch - pass ball around body. After the second catch - pass ball through legs from front and behind left leg. After the third catch - pass ball through legs from front and behind right leg. You might consider asking players to pass the ball with just one hand, off their hip.

Passing

The Three S Drill (Speed, Swerve and Sidestep)

Coach calls a number, that player acts as a defender. Attacker tries to score without being tagged using one of the three S (Speed, Swerve, and Sidestep)

Agility & Running Skills

React and Defend Defensive Pat...

Drill to test defenders reactions to situations.Set up a 15m x 15m grid with 3 defenders (blue) and 4 attackers (red).All start on the side with the green cones, and jog towards the side with the red cones, defenders about 5m infront of the attackers.On the coaches call the defenders turn to defend and have to adjust to the attack.

General

React to Situation - 3 vs 2 De...

Players should pass in a line on the whistle. The 2 players closest to the ball go out to the line and as soon as they turn the 3 remaining players then attack with the intention of scoring.

General

React to space and attack Back...

5 players start on a straight line of cones about 5m apart. 10m away there are 5 more cones. Two of the 5 cones are blue, and two are red, and the middle cone is orange. The player on the orange cone never defends, he always attacks and always starts with the ball in hand.The coach shouts a colour and the players who are standing on those cones must run forward and touch the cone 10m away from them. It will always be 2 defenders, but their positions will slightly vary. Once the first defending player has touched the furthest cone across from where he started the orange player can initiate attack. The orange player will have 2 supporters, one either side of him.The ball carrier should look to attack the "Mid-Space" i.e. the space between the 2 defenders, as hard as he possibly can. This will cause at least one of the defenders to move in towards him, and therefore open up space for the supporter.You will notice as the drill goes on, if the ball carrier runs at this space hard enough, the defenders are sometimes caught in two minds of "its your man" and the attacker will glide straight through the gap, but only if he is explosive from the word go!!

General

React, run and defend Decision...

Defenders and attackers line up outside the coned area in lines of five. The coach will call out two numbers, the first refers to how many attackers should enter the area and the second refers to the defenders. So 2-1 would see two attackers reacting and running around the cones and lining up against one defender. The coach can call any variation from 1-1 to 5-5.

General

Kick and join the attack 5 v 4...

One player kicks the ball to the 1 player left at the end of the grid as soon as the kick goes in the air the rest of the kicking team run to support the catcher to play a 5 v 4 against the defence. The defence can not start until the ball is caught.

General

Simple Handling Handling - Rug...

3 vs 1 vs 1 Ball Carrier passes the ball into the post player and runs across the front of him and receives the ball back. His 2 supporting players then react to his body language and execute 2 x 3 vs 1.

General

Competitive Arch Sprints Warm ...

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.

General

Organisation Decision making -...

Groups of three1 ball per groupDefender can choose any line as a start point.On the word GO, 2 attackers attempt to score a try (1 point) by handling and evasion skills

General

4v1v1 Down the Line Decision m...

Attackers (red players) work down the channel in 4s, working the runners left and right to create space. Defenders are only allowed to defend along their line, marked out with 2 cones. Attackers run in a diamond shape, onto the ball at pace. It's key the support do not get too flat and shoud all be involved. Focus on pass target.

General

Continuous 3 vs 2 Decision mak...

Set up a grid roughly 7m x 5m with three lines of attackers on one side (blue), and two defenders on the other (red). The aim of the drill is for attackers to execute 3 vs 2 situations and score. The defenders can only move side to side between the red cones.The attackers start with the ball and run towards the try line (red cones). The ball carrier has two options of who to pass to, the near support player or the wide support player. The ball carrier must draw the first defender and then react to the movement of the second defender to decide who to pass to. He passes to his support player who scores. Once the attacker scores he passes the ball to the next set of attackers who attack against the same defenders. The previous attackers get in position for the next repetition.The attack can start from any of the players, it does not have to start at the same side each time.

General

2 v 2 Box Sevens - Rugby Drill...

Tell your players the following...... Whichever group of 2 is given the ball becomes the attack, and should attack upon receiving the ball. The opposite group of 2 becomes the defence, and should defend right away. The object of the exercise is for the defence to turn the ball, and for the attack to score a try by cross the defences line and touching the ball down. Dropped balls, knocked on, forward passes etc. are illegal and will be consider a point for the defence. Illegal actions by the defence will be consider a point for the attack. Each group of two should keep their own score. When the attack is over, the ball should be returned to the coach for the next phase. Have more than one training area in order to keep your players as active as possible.

General

Colour Agility Agility & Runni...

The coach sets off the players one by one. As players run in a straight line they progress to the first cone and need to react to the colour called out by the coach. Players step in the direction of the call and then step back inside again, straightening up and accelerating out!

General

3 v 2 Positioning Decision mak...

The aim of the drill is to develop handling in a short space.

General

Simple Handling Ball handling ...

3 vs 1 vs 1 Ball Carrier passes the ball into the post player and runs across the front of him and receives the ball back. His 2 supporting players then react to his body language and execute 2 x 3 vs 1.

General

Attack until youre tackled Off...

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.

General

3 v Tackle Bag and body Suit T...

3 attackers start at the beginning of the grid who will go up against the tackle bag first and then the person in the body suit second; these two should not stand next to each other unless you move on to the progression. At the coaches command the attackers will go into the tackle shield first with the ball carrier going to ground and the two supporters either both clearing out or one person clearing and the next picking up the ball and going into the next defender 5 metres behind who will be in a bodysuit. The ball carrier here will try to stay strong on his feet and offload to the two support runners or one of them will come in and rip the ball and offload to the support runner who will finish by crossing over the line.

General

Two Man Piggy In The Middle Pa...

Tell your players the following...... Two players will be defenders, it's their job to try and intercept the ball. The rest of the players will be passers, it's their job to keep the ball away from the defenders and to keep the ball moving. If a defender gets the ball, they become a passer - and the passes becomes the defender. That's it - lets get playing! Don't forget to change the defender if they stay in place for too long.

General

Passing Grid-Under pressure Ha...

Groups of 12+ Balls Cones4 defenders lineup in a passing grid, that has laid out 2 red cones and 2 blue cones as shown in diagram. 4 attackers line up opposite passing the ball up and down there line of 4.When the coach shouts blue or red, the attackers set off, and the defenders on the coloured cone the coach shouts out. The Attckers must react fix the defenders, identify the space and score.

General

Support Lines Decision making ...

The aim of the drill is to develop players understanding of support lines Players work in groups of 4 in attackSet up 5 defenders with pads, in a 2-2-1 formationAttackers focus on beating the defence by drawing the opposition or breaking through the pad and offloading to supporting players

General

Run, re-align & tackle Tacklin...

4 sausages  4 Bags  The sausages and bags are lined up alternately in a line. 8 defenders start lined up outside of the tackle grid. Whistle goes, the tacklers must shuffle across as a team (in a line) to line up opposite a bag or sausage before making a hit. 

General

Split with Trailer Passing - R...

Tell your players the following...... Player A passes to D and cuts - not getting ball back , but holding up - B cuts and receives the ball off D, then turns it back inside to C, who passes to A to score out wide on Right. Players change position after each attack, the static player will be a runner in the next attack.

General

Pass to Space zPassing - Rugby...

UPDATE

General

3 v Tackle Bag and body Suit O...

3 attackers start at the beginning of the grid who will go up against the tackle bag first and then the person in the body suit second; these two should not stand next to each other unless you move on to the progression. At the coaches command the attackers will go into the tackle shield first with the ball carrier going to ground and the two supporters either both clearing out or one person clearing and the next picking up the ball and going into the next defender 5 metres behind who will be in a bodysuit. The ball carrier here will try to stay strong on his feet and offload to the two support runners or one of them will come in and rip the ball and offload to the support runner who will finish by crossing over the line.

General

Releasing the overlap Decision...

The scrum half starts with the ball. They pass to the first red player who then passes to the second red player who then passes to red player three into the free space To start with red defenders must only defend against red 1 and 2.

General

3 vs 2 - Sprint to support Dec...

15m x 35m Grid. 1 Attacker starts on the half way line of the grid, with the other two outside of the grid back to back with two defenders. On the command the one attacker runs around the red cone, with the other one running around the blue cone - likewise for the defenders. Once they have run around the cones a 3 vs 2 will develop. If the player with the ball passes immediately this will give a 3 vs 2 in the middle of the pitch.

General

Piston Jumping Lineout - Rugby...

The ball starts with one pod. As they are lifted the jumper is held in the air until the next pod is lifted. When the next pod reaches the top of their jump the ball is lobbed to that jumper. Once the ball has been caught they can go back to ground. The drill continues in this way, with players working together in a piston like fashion.

General

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react SESSIONS
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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!

Improving Rucking Technique

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

Defensive Skills: Contest Possession

Pile the pressure on the oppositions attack with this defensive skills session. Get them scanning the attack to put pressure on the ball carrier and anticipate the attack.

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.

Developing Kicking Skills - the Punt Kick

Make sure all of your players can kick the perfect Punt, with this kicking skills session

Tackling Success - 1 to 1 and Double Tackling

Focus on technique to ensure your players tackle safely and powerfully, as well as looking at the progression from a 1-to-1 'fit' tackle to a positive double tackle

Understanding the importance of effective offloading to secure possession

Develop your team's decision making ability to recognise how and when to set up an offload to unlock the defence.

Heads up Rugby - Think fast

Attack the space! Develop your players' speed, reaction and decision making to improve their ability to get through holes in defences.

Lineout Logistics

Don't get pipped to the pass - teach your players to jump and lift safely to help them become masters of the lineout!

Proactive Attack!

Improve your players decision making and passing ability and timing and attack proactively with pace and decisiveness to cut through defences at will.

The breakdown: Turning the Ball Over - Part Two

Teach your players to make the right decisions in the breakdown - don't lose possession when your players go to ground.

Front Foot Attack - Improving Decision Making

Hesitation is the enemy in this conditioned games session - use this plan to improve your players' passing and offloading under pressure

Backline Scanning - Reacting to the unknown!

Don't let your team succumb to static rugby - instead teach them to look up and play against what's in front of them

Defensive Line Speed, Organisation and Ruck Defence

Improve your team's understanding and performance when defending at the ruck - teaching them to defend as an aggressive, loud and confident unit

Colours for quick decision making & reactions

Get your players' thinking up to speed with a series of drills designed to improve reaction and decision making

Scanning Session - Scanning in the Tackle

Use this plan to Improve your players' pass selection and completion - helping them to pick the right pass
react ANSWERS
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how do you coach back line defence against attack from?

how do you coach back line defence against attack from midfield scrum

Mike Taylor Coach, England

how do i develop the ability of the backs to attack?

how do i develop the ability of the backs to attack from loose play to break the tackle and gain line?

Jeremy Porteous Coach, England

I need some drills to improve a centre's hand speed?

I need some drills to improve a centre's hand speed in tight situations as well as some backline moves that i can use off a lineout where there is a cut back move as well as a wide move.

Archived User Coach

what drill do i use to teach realigning to take a pass?

what drill do i use to teach realigning to take a pass running from depth.

Archived User Coach

Hi Guys Though we all fully enjoyed it, We have just?

Hi Guys Though we all fully enjoyed it, We have just lost a tournament - mainly because the forwards were not offloading in contact and were getting turned over. Does anyone have a forwards type game I can use with the boys to play instead of drills, to strengthen their skills in this area? The team is a under 12 group. And I have 14 forwards. Thanks for you help in advance. Cheers Iain

Iain Hughes Coach, England

how do you coach aggression?

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

Ed Burns Coach, Ireland

Drill to help to teach backs how to check their line?

Drill to help to teach backs how to check their line up from defensive to attacking

Archived User Coach

Are there any drills to encourage my 3/4s to return to midfield quickly?

Are there any drills to encourage three-quarters to quickly return to the midfield to defend 2nd phase possession? My U11s backs get drawn into rucks amp; mauls and leave the opposition too much attacking space in midfield. Thanks

Simon Luxton Coach, England

how to keep a defensive line for u7+u8

i currently help out with the coaching of the u7+u8 tag rugby but we are struggling to keep a defensive line can have anybody got any drills

jason halse Coach, Wales

Shortened lineup. Where should my forwards position themselves...?

Any advice as to where rest of forwards should line up without getting in way of fly half and other backs for example in a 3 man lineout?

Archived User Coach

Is this penalty play legal?

I want to run a play that catches opposing players off guard when my team has been given a penalty. Is it legal to call for a shot at the posts, place the ball on the tee, and go through the motions of a penalty kick. However, I keep four or so guys ready behind my kicker, who only kicks the ball off the tee 10m in front. Both the kicker and 4 team mates then run onto the ball, scoop it up and put it through the hands if required to score. I notice a lot of our opposition huddle under the posts, or leave massive areas open, when we call for a shot. Can you call for a shot, but not actually take a shot?

Archived User Coach

Trouble gettng the ball to our winger from first phase ball

We have two very fast wingers but we cannot get them the ball . Teams are coming up fast and we are lucky to get the ball to the O. C. We have tried setting up further back but too many times we are getting caught behind the gain lines when we do that. Any ideas?

john mcmullen Coach, United States of America

Jackel at breakdown and ruck

Lòoking for tips on jackling at breakdown ruck Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

billy beggs Coach, New Zealand

How do I get my players to qui...

How do I get my players to quickly react on turnovers? Because when they are attacking, lose the ball in contact-situations and then chance from attacking to defending takes too long!

Willem Nas Coach, Netherlands

My fowards seem afraid to ruck...

My fowards seem afraid to ruck and stand around the ruck while in the way of the scrum half trying to get the ball out to the backs. They also don't support the ball carrier while he is being tackled. Please help me with any suggestions!!!

William Barrett Coach, United States of America

Improving game awareness. How ...

Improving game awareness. How can I improve players insight into "what happens next", besides by whatching (games)? Players tend to be fixed on the ball(situation) and seldom look at what is in front of them%3A how can I stimulated them to take time to quickly look around and assess the situation?

Yvonne Bouman Coach, Netherlands

Reaction time Improvement | Sp...

How can I improve my U15 reaction timings? They seem so much slower to react than most of the teams they play.

Noel Hill Coach, England

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