EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
in Attack, Backs moves
We often need a collective movement in attack to break down a defence, because one player can't do it on their own. Leicester Tigers Junior Academy coach, Tom Brocklebank, discusses why you should think formations, not moves. MORE
Give players the challenge of adapting to changing pitch dimensions. The dimensions change depending on the performance of attack and defence. You set the criteria to decide when to change. MORE
in Warm Ups
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
Scenarios offer a great way of engaging your players in games. By putting the players in a specific point of a well known match, they get the opportunity to develop their game management. For younger players, scenarios give them the opportunity to be their favourite players of their favourite teams. For older players, scenarios give them the opportunity to challenge their decision making with regards to the score-line and also how to deal with specific threats or weaknesses in future opposition. MORE
in Tactics
In my previous article I introduced the idea of scenarios, why you may use them and how to use them. Here, I will be looking at a specific scenario that focuses on the principle of play ‘go forward’. MORE
“Blindfold” your players to encourage quick reactions to changing situations, testing their teamwork skills. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Small-sided games
Improve your kicking with a game of aerial noughts and crosses. Teams take it in turns to kick the ball and aim to drop it in a square which marks their nought or cross. Aerial noughts and crosses gives your players a chance to make accurate kicks with additional tactical pressures as you build the game. MORE
in Tactics
Transitions are great opportunities to score or win the ball back. They’re also a dangerous moment to lose the ball. By supporting your players to better understand transitions, you can help your team be more effective when winning the ball back: increasing their chances to score; and more effective when losing the ball: increasing their chances of winning the ball back and reducing the chances of conceding. MORE
This is an adaptation of a game I use in school. It’s great as a warm-up or as a game to encourage and support creativity before moving towards a more rugby-specific game. It encourages and challenges evasion skills, spatial awareness, communication, as well as passing, kicking and catching. MORE
in Attack, Defence, Small-sided games
Challenge your team’s go forward by seeing who can score a try the fastest. A full contact small-sided game which will add an additional pressure element to create a tactical edge. MORE
