Use these two “change” games to create different problems to challenge players to think about more than just executing skills. Ideal for all ages, you might find some attractive solutions.
These games are quick to set up and the rules are very obvious. The solutions to win aren’t though. And they are different for both teams. Ideal to make your players think more. MORE
If you have some cones, a stopwatch and some space, here are five great fitness tests to check your players’ conditioning progress. Measure them regularly through the season. MORE
Improve your players’ footwork before contact and how they protect the ball, so they retain possession. An excellent breakout exercise during a normal session.
The attacker should dominate any contact whether to offload or wait for support. MORE
Use parent stations to allow you to run lots of activities with a parent overseeing each activity.
It requires one parent, minimal setup and minimal instructions. Each station runs for two to three minutes before the players move to another station. MORE
Use parent stations to allow you to run lots of activities with a parent overseeing each activity.
It requires one parent, minimal setup and minimal instructions. Each station runs for two to three minutes before the players move to another station. MORE
Get your ball carriers used to running forward to score tries. This session can be run as a warm-up or as a proper tackling session as well.
Often players fail to run forwards even when they know the try line is that way. This session should encourage them to attack a space in front them and go for it. MORE
Help players find the soft edges in a defence by exposing them to lots of match-type scenarios. This game creates opportunities for attackers to react to space and attack it. MORE
Need to build up players' contact confidence or create more physical sessions? Here are four tried-and-test methods that help players understand how to adapt. MORE
The attackers recover ball bounced into the space and then attack. They lose if caught in possession, drop the ball or even worse, let it out of the bigger box. MORE
Work on improving player timing and realignment by forcing players to begin a phase from a static start. Though many drills start in this way, you want to emphasise the stationary position. This will activate the mind because players will be thinking ahead. This might sort the more astute from the tactically less aware. MORE
There are currently two fashionable tackles: The chop, where the tackler “chops” the legs of the ball carrier and a ball tackle, where the tackler aims to put his shoulder and/or arms on the ball, thus preventing an offload. This is sometimes known as the “choke” as well. It requires a different set of footwork, because the angle of attack is upwards, rather than horizontal. MORE
Legally slow down opposition ball at the ruck by attacking the cross point of the ruck - this is the area behind the tackle and immediately to the sides. First, the defender aims to get over the ball (knowing that he might not win it but will not give away a penalty). Second, the defender drives into and angles away any attacker over the ball – the attack will have to bring in another player. MORE
Get your players ready for contact with these games. They'll warm up your players’ shoulders and upper bodies in a fun way to prepare for sessions involving contact. It will put them into dynamic positions that they might not usually be used to. MORE
Get your session buzzing with these three activities for an active warm-up. By using games, chaos and lots of movement, the players will be using all the key physical literacy skills in a busy environment. MORE
Dan chats to England's U18 men's head coach Jon Pendlebury about this role and how he goes about his week looking after this exciting group of players.
A former professional player with Leeds, and then heading up the Yorkshire and Wasps academies, Jon became head coach of England U18s in 2019. In this role, he is also the Pathway Development Coach for the 14 England academies. He is just completing an MSc in Sports Coaching at Leeds Beckett University. MORE
Host Phil Llewellyn with guests review some of the many great podcasts, books, articles and webinars from the last week.
This week's guests: Dr Amy Whitehead, Reader, Associate Professor, Lecturer and Researcher in Sports Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University and Coaching and Chris Chapman, UK Coaching as Learning Experience Manager and Rugby Coach MORE
Have another coach watch you coach to power up your own coaching. Give them a clear agenda to help make the process focused, less invasive and ultimately positive. MORE
Dan chats with Dave Ellis, who has coached Super Rugby with the Blues, at Connacht with Pam Lam, as well as working with New Zealand rugby as a resource coach. MORE
Lineout training should be based around getting the basics right first. When Gary Gold was coaching the South African team with Victor Matfield and they were the best lineout in the world, he used to say: "They know where the ball is going, but Victor will always beat them into the air."
But a lineout is not just about the jump/lift. It's also about what happens afterwards. Here are four activities to develop different aspects of this set-piece situation. MORE
There are so many elements to passing, which ones do you concentrate on first and how do you train them?
Here are a bunch of the priority skills you need and then great ways to train them. MORE
The RFU has brought forward plans to reduce the tackle height at age grade rugby to below the armpits.
Talking to experienced school coaches in particular, they don't see much change in the impact on the game as a whole. However, it is an excellent opportunity to reexamine your tackle technique training. 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.”
