EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
Like lots of you, I’m excited that we are beginning to return to play.
While the word “play” does stretch the feeling of what a session might look like now, we can still start to rebuild our connections with our players.
At present, most countries will not allow any form of contact training. Therefore, we will need to be patient, and think about what’s worthwhile.
Every union is giving out guidelines on what’s possible. Go to our Rugby and return to play guide to see how you can organise your training, plus links to the key governing bodies’ protocols.
First try out: Return to play: Social distancing session part one. It is a 20 minute session working on agility and handling under pressure.
You can also try out Open field kicking under pressure. Just take out the “charge down defender” to make it contact safe.
Plus, here’s an old favourite, Passing race which I think will work really well.
in Email Newsletters, Scrums & Lineouts
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
in Email Newsletters, Rugby drills
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
in Email Newsletters, Tackling
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
in Attack, Email Newsletters, Rugby drills
If our players communicated more effectively, then the ball carrier would know when to pass or when to take contact. Create more opportunities for this to happen by making it matter. The best exercises provide chances for players to see the value in calling for the ball. Here are four good activities to use. MORE
in Email Newsletters, Rugby coaching
Did Warren Gatland pick the right players for the British and Irish Lions summer tour to South Africa? His team of selectors will have been looking at balance and the style that they want to play. They might not pick the best players but more likely combinations that will complement each other. MORE
Against an organised defence, you can use closely packed groups of forwards to dent the line and then attack the recovering, disorganised defence. Often known as pods, this requires organisation, especially around the roles of the players in terms of carrying the ball and supporting that ball carrier. In its simplest format, after a set-piece like a scrum or lineout, the forwards who were not involved in winning the ball back after the first tackle, realign to take the next pass. This is in the expectation that the backline doesn't penetrate the line the first time. MORE
