EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
01/19/2019 |
There are over 3000 different pages of content on this site. Here's a guide of where to start if you want to solve the following problems. MORE
01/13/2019 | Tackling
Develop good footwork in the last few steps before the tackle. First, to power into a tackle situation, and then to adjust as the tackle target moves either to the left or the right. This activity uses low-impact outcomes with tackle tubes to focus on the technical aspects of the skill. MORE
01/5/2019 | Rugby coaching
Teach the basics of the game, with a game, playing walking rugby. Stop the game to highlight key areas and ask the players for solutions. MORE
05/4/2019 | Small-sided games
We know what a challenge getting youngsters to listen can be. So how do you get them motivated and having fun? It starts with the warm-up, when you need to set the tempo for your session… MORE
03/23/2019 | Rugby drills
Use this tag game to improve tagging ability. You could also change up the tag to grab or even full tackling for older, more experienced players. MORE
11/13/2018 | Email Newsletters
Need to inject some new ideas in training. Sometimes the old games have run their course. Well, for the time being anyway. Here are some fun games which are quick to set-up and, with few rules, give the players new challenges. Though they are primarily aimed at mini-tag, you can easily adapt them for older players. I think you find the energy generated quite uplifting. MORE
02/25/2019 | Rugby drills
Challenge your players to work out better ways to use the 22m drop-out as a way of pressurising the opposition. This fun game promotes accurate kicking, hard chasing and role understanding. MORE
02/3/2019 | Rugby drills
Create a heads-up defensive system where the players are far more aware of the situation in front of them. That means they know if they can commit to a dominant tackle, or have to hold their position to ensure the attacking team can't exploit gaps. MORE
01/6/2019 | Rugby drills
Split your playing group into three teams. Two teams on, one off. Play in a narrow channel, swapping teams when there's an error or a try. MORE
05/18/2019 | Contact
05/16/2019 | Rugby drills
05/15/2019 | Rugby drills
05/14/2019 | Rugby drills
05/13/2019 | Rugby drills
05/11/2019 | Rugby coaching
05/14/2019 |
A “willingness to fight to win the breakdown battle” is such a key area that the team that wins it almost invariably wins the game. “Ruck wrecker” will develop your players’ techniques and their attitude to winning the breakdown. MORE
05/13/2019 |
Defending is about stopping the opposition taking the simplest option and making them do something more risky. Generally, the wider the attack, the riskier it is. “Inside out” will help build a defence to cut off the simple close options, making opponents take risks. It’s about trust, organisation and the players knowing their roles. MORE
05/7/2019 |
The ball spends more time on the ground in matches than we allocate time for in training. Dropped passes or aimless kicks are frequent so all your players need to be ready to drop on a ball on the ground, gather it and get back up. MORE
03/16/2019 | Rugby drills
Improve the body positions to drive in a maul, scrum and through a ruck with this simple body drive warm up. MORE
02/24/2019 | Rugby drills
Improve the catching agility of your players, so they can get used to taking passes from lots of different angles. MORE
12/30/2018 | Rugby drills
Use this activity to warm-up players' footwork and handling the ball skills. In particular, it develops avoiding obstacles without losing speed. MORE
05/17/2019 | Rugby coaching
It’s been a long season and the finishing line is in sight. Now’s the time to energise your coaching to help your team end with a flourish. These four tried-and-tested methods will see you right… MORE
05/9/2019 | Podcast
Liza "Bird" Burgess was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2018. With 93 caps for Wales and GB, she's also an experienced international and club coach. Now assisting Susie Appleby at Gloucester-Hartbury in the Tyrrells English Premiership, she shares her approach to coaching, what inspires her and how she's changed her delivery. These are exciting times for the women's game as more women take up the coaching reigns - it was great to catch with a good friend and a beacon for the game. MORE
05/1/2019 | Rugby coaching
Coaches should engage continually with young players to ensure messages are being received and understood. But what questions should you never miss out? Here’s what to ask in the next session… MORE
04/30/2019 | Tackling
Improve your tacklers by understanding how the best defenders grew as players. I spoke to one player whose technical expertise stands out amongst her peers. Pic from Omega Photography Sophie Ellis, a 17-year-old student in North Wales, has been playing rugby for the last four years. She’s one of the standout tacklers in her regional... MORE
05/16/2019
The Sky Sports try of 2018 was scored by Jersey Reds in their English Championship game against London Irish. Their attack coach Ed Robinson gave me some amazing insights into how the try was crafted, including nuggets you probably won't pick up from just watching the clip. MORE
05/14/2019
Ruck pads, also known as tackle shields, provide a soft landing for shoulders (and heads sometimes) when practising rucking. They are not an alternative to rucking practice. Instead, they should help players to concentrate on details that they can apply to a bone-on-bone practice later in the session. MORE
05/9/2019
Keep the ball alive after the tackle. That means avoiding a ruck, or a chance for the opposition to steal the ball. MORE
“The boys have really enjoyed the drills from Rugby Coach Weekly. It's been great having them at my fingertips and every training session this season we tried new things, which I believe helped keep the boys interested and enthusiastic.”
Phil Hopkins, Perigueux, France
72 of the Game's Tactical Concepts in Simple, Plain Language MORE
With so much to cover when coaching young players, it can be a daunting task to know the basics... now there's help MORE
