Rugby Coach Weekly

EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES

Featured

09/19/2018 | Attack

Attack in pairs

Double up in attack to draw in defenders or create space. This increases the ball carrying, offloading and technical skills of young players in a simple but effective way. Encouraging a player to run with the ball carrier to offer support not only puts an end to isolated attackers also but teaches that a support runner can benefit from being in the right place at the right time by scoring a try. MORE

07/22/2018 |

VIDEO: Turning the contact area into a positive

Ensure your players have the right detail in the contact area to make sure, if they are tackled, they can win the contest and present the ball back cleanly and quickly. MORE

07/18/2018 | Attack

Cone collectors: Heads up attack and defence

Create chaotic starts for the attack and defence so they have to play heads-up rugby, make decisions, connect and win the situation. MORE

Mini tag

08/28/2018 | Mini tag

Guide to coaching U7s and tag rugby

Participation and fun are the core outcomes for under 7s. However, concentrate on: Evasive running to score tries - that is running forward but able to step to the side of a defender. Catching and passing - probably when the players are static. Don’t worry about defence. MORE

07/20/2018 | Mini tag

How to make greedy ball hoggers pass

Use simple “house” rules in training and games to help reduce the chance of selfish players dominating your team’s possession and preventing you scoring more tries. MORE

06/29/2018 |

Turtle tag

Use this quick attack-defence-evasion game to improve your players' awareness and speed. It can easily be developed to include other elements like self-organisation and decision making. MORE

Small-Sided Games

08/24/2018 | Scrums & Lineouts

Build a scrum and win it!

A simple game that integrates the scrum within a competitive context and teaches the huge part scrums play in retaining or regaining possession. MORE

08/23/2018 | Small-sided games

Drop-off touch

Games that require all the players to participate develop all abilities. In drop-off touch, defenders have to fill in and attackers have to support, involving the whole group. MORE

08/19/2018 | Small-sided games

VIDEO: Going forward from every ruck

Use this simple game to build complex skills of realignment, changes of angle and pace onto the ball by letting the players discover the best solutions themselves. MORE

Rugby Skills

09/22/2018 | Tackling

VIDEO: Tackle low, like Dan Lydiate

09/16/2018 | Tackling

VIDEO: Angling for excellence with tackle tubes

09/10/2018 | Tackling

Tackle good, recover well, tackle again

09/5/2018 | Passing & Handling

Passing from the ground up

09/5/2018 | Warm Ups

VIDEO: Warm up with a wrestle

09/2/2018 | Rucking & Mauling

3 ways to keep rucking realistic

Practice Plans

09/17/2018 |

Perfect kicks

Plenty of your players come to rugby with some kicking ability from sports like soccer and then, with practice, become efficient kickers of the rugby ball. Work on their specific technique so they can develop that natural ability into a repeatable, accurate skill under pressure. MORE

How to improve body positions as forwards 3

09/17/2018 |

Body shape for forward units

Forwards need to get their basic body shapes right before they are ready to move on to more competitive unit work. This session can be used to prepare for unit work and as a whole session for forwards. You can also mix forwards and backs together because the skills are easily transferable (ruck positions for example). MORE

09/10/2018 |

Defence boxers

Use boxing-style footwork and arm movements to improve your players’ tackling. The players stay light on their feet, keep their arms active before “punching” like a jab towards the ball carrier, arms going to the side, shoulder engaging and head going into the side. MORE

Warm-Ups

08/15/2017 |

The Triangle

In this warm-up game, passing and catching are important, but vision and awareness are paramount. When the player is lining up to run, he needs to know who is going, when he needs to go, who he’ll receive from, who he’ll pass to and where he’ll line up next. MORE

08/15/2017 |

2v1 Continuous

This simple game is an excellent warmup exercise that will get your players thinking about their core skills, communication and, most importantly, decision-making. MORE

08/15/2017 | Warm Ups

Five Waves

This is a good warm-up game for a large group of players. It gets their minds and bodies moving and helps to sharpen up their core skills of handling, passing and catching. MORE

Coaching Advice

09/14/2018 | Tips

Create a deadeye hooker

Nail your lineouts every time with an accurate throw from your hooker. Here are the five key things to make accurate throws the norm rather than the exception. MORE

09/11/2018 | Tactics

What are tactics?

The word “tactics” is used so often that we tend to forget what it means and in the end, we confuse players. Know your tactics by knowing the true meaning of the word. MORE

09/1/2018 | Blog

When to put REAL defenders into a drill

The other week I was running some 4v2s. Initially, the attack was always successful. I suppose that is what you would expect but they were not succeeding as I wanted. Sloppy passing and drifting angles meant that although they were scoring, it was not improving their skill levels. It was time to make the defenders work harder. MORE

08/28/2018 | Mini tag

Guide to coaching U8s and tag rugby

Spend time on skills but see if you can develop them through games and competitive activities. MORE

Email newsletters

07/5/2018

Develop a player-centred defence

The basic principles of defence are: Go forward Provide support Apply pressure Regain possession As you can see, they don't explicitly say tackling. So, if we really want to improve our defence, we have to look at the whole, not just one of the parts. MORE

07/3/2018

Build scrum power, even with a small pack

Excellent technique in the scrum often outdoes a larger opposition team. Add to that a cohesive effort and your scrum should deliver clean ball when it matters. MORE

06/28/2018

Practise kicking in game-like situations

Great kicking can score tries. It takes awareness. And if you can create plenty of scenarios in training where players can test out their kicking, they improve both their tactical and technical prowess. This goes for kicks in open play and kick-offs. 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

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