EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
08/23/2019 |
Here's a collection of our latest sessions, activities, drills, games and advice so you can make the difference this season. 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
08/21/2019 | Rugby coaching
A message to the Twitter rugby community. What would you do differently? How would you improve the players? What you suggest to do next? #coachingthoughts #strainthebrain. This is what Twitter suggested after they had watched this video MORE
08/19/2019 | Rugby drills
Use this scenario to develop your players' ability to get back into the game quickly and make good decisions. They also have to scan as they recover. MORE
08/10/2019 | Small-sided games
Using games in training is acknowledged throughout the coaching profession - from grassroots to the top of the professional game - as one of the best ways to improve rugby skills and tactics. Here three games, "power passing", "no-go zones" and "one pass" to develop your players. MORE
08/22/2019 | Rugby drills
08/15/2019 | Rugby drills
08/13/2019 | Girls/Womens
08/12/2019 | Passing & Handling
08/5/2019 | Small-sided games
08/2/2019 | Rugby coaching videos
08/20/2019 |
Do your players have the guts to challenge for a 50:50 ball? Often this is all that separates teams in close encounters. When the ball is on the ground, players need to react aggressively to win it – be like Shakespeare’s “dogs of war” – before driving forward. MORE
08/19/2019 |
It happens frequently – a ball carrier facing two defenders, isolated from team mates. Players in these situations need to work out how to protect the ball and wait for support. This session works on the roles of both ball carrier and the support player. It is complementary because it also develops the defenders’ roles. MORE
08/13/2019 |
From successive rucks many teams simply keep attacking in the same direction until they have exhausted all the space. This draws in so many defenders they struggle to cover across for the next attack. This session looks at how to deal with this. MORE
08/6/2019 | Warm Ups
A physical, fun and warm-up, log rolls encourage teamwork and prepare players for contact. Split players into groups of at least six. Put five players in a row, on the ground, shoulder-to-shoulder. Put another player, on their back, across these players, lying across their middles. On your call, the group has to propel the... MORE
07/18/2019 | Rugby drills
One of the key influences you have on your team is in the hour or so before the match. Learn how to maximise that time to bring the best out of your players and get them flying from the first whistle. MORE
07/16/2019 | Email Newsletters
Getting ready for training needs players to get their bodies and minds in tune. Play lots of games to motivate and engage the players. Then break out into skills zones where your players can start to concentrate on the details. Here are four warm-up skills activities which can be mixed into your training routines, all from our growing video archive. MORE
08/25/2019 | Tactics
Q: “We’re good at winning our set-piece ball but often struggle with the ensuing phase. Can you suggest a move we could run from the set piece?” MORE
08/23/2019 | Podcast
In this collaborative podcast, Dan Cottrell talks to six coaches across the grassroots spectrum. He asks them about the new regulation for teams up to U18s in England, where all match day squad players must play at least half a game. MORE
08/21/2019 | Team Management
Don’t find yourself short of players for next season. Harness the power of parents to swell your ranks in August and September – these tips will help you plan your recruitment campaign. MORE
08/17/2019 | Pre-season
Erratic attendance rates make pre-season planning a complicated task. So ensure your plans match your needs and the reality of the situation to help your players work effectively. MORE
08/22/2019
Because there are so many possible situations at rucks, teaching these skills is a real challenge for coaches. You need to create a balance of good techniques first and then bring them into game contexts as soon as possible. MORE
08/6/2019
You want to keep training interesting and engaging while still working on core skills. You also want to challenge the players' brains as well. MORE
07/30/2019
Encourage your players to make themselves more difficult to tackle with evasive skills. Here are four different sessions to help players understand and then development their footwork. 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
