Rugby: warming up

This exercise is all about getting deep lines of support, speed onto the ball, warming up the entire body, and getting fit for rugby - in this one we're doing lots and achieving more than your players may realize. Using cones, mark out a box - size depends on your coaching goals. Have 4 passing units, 1 on each side of the box. Decide on the numbers that you would like in each unit, depends on the number of players at training and your goals for the training session. Give the first player in one of the units a ball, and the last player in the opposite facing unit a ball. The ball carrier starts on their feet, but the rest of the unit starts laying down on the ground. They can only get up to receive the ball when the ball carrier (who will be passing the ball to them) has advanced 1 meter. When the ball gets to the end of the line, the last receiver passes to the first receiver in the line closest to them. The units that have just finished should quickly change place to that the first runner is different each time, they should set and get ready to go again. Keep the action going.

SAQ (Speed, Agility, Quickness) drill for warm ups, handling the ball and warming up muscles. 4 or 5 small SAQ hurdles, 1 ladder Make up course of your choice and run through giving various commands. After the ladder you can put two cones left and right about 2 metres ahead to give commands left or right etc.

Make sure that you have your warm-up area marked out before your players arrive, it's important that you get them working right away. You can decide to play this game in smaller grids, or a larger playing area with the entire team. If using small grids, they can be 10 meters x 10 meters - and mark out as many as you need depending on the size of your team. If playing in a large area with the entire team, have two players working as taggers. The rest will be attackers - running around the playing area trying to avoid the taggers/defenders. If playing in a smaller area, have 2 defenders/taggers and 6 attackers. Give the taggers/defenders a ball each. Keep your law briefing, brief! It's important to get the players working as soon as possible. Tell the players that the two players with the balls will be chasing and looking to tag the rest of the players. If you get tagged, you join the taggers team. Play the game until all players are tagged. The last two players tagged, become the first two taggers for the next game. The ball cannot be thrown.

This is a great warm-up for defensive and evasion sessions, or it might even be a warm-up that helps you reinforce coaching points made during a previous session. The best bit is that it's fun and relevant to all ages. If you're coaching tag rugby, change the warm-up exercise from contact to tags. One team runs clockwise round the inside of the circle with the other team running anti-clockwise around the outside of the circle. The circle in this case is marked out using blue cones, but you can use whatever colour you like. When the coach shouts 'Jailbreak' the players inside the inner circle try to 'escape' to outside the 10m x 10m square (yellow cones). The size of the square and distance from the circle is a suggestion, play with it a little and let us know your variations! The inside team scores a point for each 'jailbreaker' - swap over. If you have an odd number of players give the defenders the extra man.

From the start position, run out to the centre set of cones. Quickly move sideways to the left set of cones and then move quickly sideways to the right set of cones. Return sideways to the center set of cones and then run quickly backwards to the start position.

This exercise is all about getting deep lines of support, speed onto the ball, warming up the entire body, and getting fit for rugby - in this one we're doing lots and achieving more than your players may realize. Using cones, mark out a box - size depends on your coaching goals. Have 4 passing units, 1 on each side of the box. Decide on the numbers that you would like in each unit, depends on the number of players at training and your goals for the training session. Give the first player in one of the units a ball, and the last player in the opposite facing unit a ball. The ball carrier starts on their feet, but the rest of the unit starts laying down on the ground. They can only get up to receive the ball when the ball carrier (who will be passing the ball to them) has advanced 1 meter. When the ball gets to the end of the line, the last receiver passes to the first receiver in the line closest to them. The units that have just finished should quickly change place to that the first runner is different each time, they should set and get ready to go again. Keep the action going.

Keep your player briefing, brief! Tell the players the following laws for this exercise..... Players must start the game behind the outer cone of their corner and only one of them can enter the grid at any one time. This game works on a relay basis, one and only one player in the grid from each group at a time - and the next player must be touched before they may enter the playing area. While balls are in the center of the grid, one relay robber from each team can enter the grid to steel a ball from the center of the grid and bring it back to their own box or bank. If all the balls in the center of the grid have been stolen, teams can now steel each others balls - but the same relay rules apply. The winning team is the team that can get 4 balls into their box. Adjust this to allow your players to experience success or to make the game harder. You can add or remove balls to make the game harder or easier. No cheating! Only one ball can be carried at a time, only one player from each team in the grid, and you cannot go until tagged.

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.

Keep your playing briefing, brief and tell the players the following laws. Both teams are in attack and both teams are in defence, at the same time! It is up to you how many players you allocate to your attack and how many you allocate to your defence. If you are touched while carrying the ball (decide if the touch is one handed or two handed), you and your entire team must return to your red zone before being able to restart your attack. While your team is returning to your own zone - you cannot defend the neutral zone and any touches in there will not count. If your team makes a mistake e.g. a dropped ball or forward pass. Your entire team must return to your own red zone, not defending the neutral zone as you retreat. The winning team is the team that invades the oppositions space and scores a try, just outside the grid, first. There is no offside in defence. There is no kicking.

2 players pair up, site back to back and lock arms together. The coach tells each player to lean a side. when the coach blows hs whistle they players wrestle to get there shoulder to the gorund the coach said. Once one player has won, you must reset and start again.

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.

Players start at the top of the triangle. Coach calls colours, 2/3 at a time. Player moves to the called cone, and returns to the start each time. Player should remain facing forward at all times, back tracking when they need to. Coach calls GO and players sprint 10 meters.

Groups of 3. - 2 players get into a strong T.O.P position.- Another player starts to to standing press ups on to the heads of the 2 players. - This encoruages neck and core strenth essential for a safe scrum.

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.

<div class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>Be brief when telling the players the laws of this game, it's important to get them moving quickly. </div> <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>This is not a contact game. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>Break your players into two teams, giving each team their own colour of bibs if necessary. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>One team goes to attack, and one to defence. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>Nominate a Scrum Half for each team. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>There is no kicking in this game. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>Normal laws of rugby apply e.g. a forward pass will result in the ball being turned over to the opposition. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>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. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>When you start playing this game make sure that the defence 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. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>It’s important that defenders are employing their defensive pattern behind the primary defensive line. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>Have attacking players do what they normally would at the ruck. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>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! <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>When you feel the time is appropriate, usually during a ruck, blow you whistle and should FLIP IT – kicking in or throwing in a second ball to the back 3/2 defenders on the team currently in defence OR just kick it behind the defenders. The defensive team goes, without hesitation, into attack. The team that was attacking goes into defence and you or an assistant coach remove the other ball from play when you can. Ideally you might have two balls with different markings. <li class=&quot;&quot;&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&quot;&quot;>Don't hesitate to shape the game to focus on your session goals, and let us and other coaches know what worked for you!

Tell the players that one group is the Mice and that mice have tails, their tags. The other group is not happy with the Mice, they are the Farmers Wives and - they need to chop the tails of the Mice off! The tails are the tags. The Farmers wives can run anywhere, in all directions, within the playing area - as can the Mice. The Farmers Wives can work together to hunt a Mouse. When a Mouse has their tail chopped off, they have to go to the chop zone (there might be some light fitness work there for them, your call. With older players you might have more interesting fitness work or challenges in the Chop Zone). You might decide that one tail is enough to be sent to the chop zone, or maybe they have a second chance and the Farmers Wives need to get both tails. Don't forget to change over after a period of time, counting the number of Mice in the chop zone. The winning team is the team with fewer Mice in the chop zone at the end of their playing time. You might decide on about five minutes a half. Have a bit of fun with this and let us know what variations worked for you!

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.

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!

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.

They pass the ball around either clock wise or anti clock wise, you can decide to change the direction youself at any point during the exercise. After the player passes the ball they have to follow their pass, touching the cone of the player they passed to - then get back to their cone before receiving the next pass. The tempo of this exercise should be high.

<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>Set up: the cones as shown with a cone 10 meters each side of the posts on the try line. This will mark where the ball will be passed from (feeder) preferably from a scrum half.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>Divide the group into 3 and ask them to stand in single file behind each cone.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The ball is fed from a position alternately from either side of the post. This will encourage the players to scan, communicate and to be expectant of the ball.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The players on the cones opposite the posts will either be the 1st receiver or the BANG option runner. The BANG runner is always running an out to in, or up to in line to fix the 2nd defender.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The players on the middle cone will receive the ball in the BINGO (pull back) option outside the ‘outside’ post or just in behind the BANG player.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The BINGO players should run and an arced run to receive the ball outside the outer post. The BINGO player should try to straighten up prior to receiving or on receiving the ball.<br>Progression:<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>Get 2 players or coaches to stand in front of the posts with 2 different coloured cones in their hands on their hips.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The cones will represent the ‘hips’ of the 2nd defender.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The aim is to encourage the 1st receiver to scan, look, and make a quick decision (choice of pass) depending on what the defender is doing.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>If the 1st receivers sees the ‘inside’ cone on the 2nd defender then they must assume the defenders hips are turned OUT and make a short pass to the BANG runner.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>If the 1st receivers sees the ‘outside’ cone on the 2nd defender then they must assume the defenders hips are turned IN and make a PULL BACK pass to the BINGO runner.

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.

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.

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.

Two teamsAttacking and defensive focusNormal game of touch rugby, however whenever the defender touches an attacker, they must run back to their own try line and stay out the game until the play breaks downAttacking team look to identify the space created from defensive drop outWorking on defensive communication and work rate

Break your players down into groups of 3. In each area there should be 1 player with a tackle shield, 1 player with a tackle bag, and one with nothing. Tell players to do the following..... One player stands five meters from the start of the channel holding up a tackle bag. One player stands at the opposite end of the channel with a tackle shield. One player will be running and making contact at any given time. The Player with nothing in hand runs to the player with the pad and drives them across the grid. On reaching the end they swap roles and the other player runs across the grid to the tackle bag, hits hard, and makes a tackle at the end of the grid. Following the tackle the players swap roles the new player runs across to the player with the pad and the exercise continues.

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. 

Tell players the following.... Each Player will work individually, unless told otherwise. Players can run in any direction: moving forward or side to side. They must remain within the grid trying to avoid contact by running into space, sidestepping for example. They will have a ball each. When the coach calls stop, all players must be at least 1m from the nearest player. From time to time players will be ask to do things e.g. 1 press-up. Following completing the instruction - players should keep moving. You will be asked to pass your ball - before doing anything make sure you communicate with another player, you agree to pass to each other, and then you make the pass! This part of your warm-up should be no more than five minutes.

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!

<li dir=&quot;ltr&quot;>Two players are competing to manoeuver around the sticks or cones and get over the line.<li dir=&quot;ltr&quot;>Set up sticks (or cones) on the pitch as shown in the video.<li dir=&quot;ltr&quot;>Players line up in two lines and on the coaches signal/whistle players begin the drill.