Get ready for a safer rugby experience in 2021

Here’s a headline that’s not going to get your players back to training quickly: Tackling and Fitness Training.

However, as we focus on safety and reducing the exposure to a concussion, all the most recent data suggests we need to have better-prepared players. In particular, the fitter the player, the stronger they are, and more likely they will not be compromised technically. Technically, because the tackle is the most likely area for a concussion, we need to improve tackle basics.

Training sessions should provide some of the fitness outcomes you want just within the session itself if you keep the intensity high enough. In reality, that’s never enough. Fitness testing provides a good way to encourage players to work on their own fitness outside sessions.

Here are two practical guides for testing: 9 easy tests to monitor fitness and Test your team’s running fitness.

For tackling basics, I would try to make it as close to the game as possible. That means using games as part of the learning or relearing process.

First, here’s a Your three-week tackle tonic to bring your players back up to speed. Then, try Contact basics in the tackle with Richard Hill, the former England flanker, who worked in elite age-grade coaching.

So, if you want to appeal to longevity and safety, then these are key elements within your session planning.

9 easy tests to monitor fitness

in Fitness & Conditioning

The Wilf Paish rugby tests – named after the late British Olympics athletics coach – examine a player’s general fitness. All you need is a pitch, cones, 30m tape measure, stopwatch and a helper… MORE

Test your team’s running fitness

in Fitness & Conditioning

Before you begin training in earnest, you should establish what base your players are starting from. In the first of two articles on testing, we look at different ways to measure running fitness levels… MORE

Contact basics in the tackle with Richard Hill

in Rucking & Mauling, Rugby drills

Work on simple scenarios to improve your players’ execution of the ball presentation at the tackle collision. These skills should be practised throughout the season to speed up your ruck recycling. MORE

Your three-week tackle tonic

in Rugby drills, Tackling

You’re deep into the season and your team’s tackling is looking ragged. How do you reinvigorate the players? It’s time to initiate a programme of exercises to bring your defence back up to speed… MORE