Getting ready for training needs players to get their bodies and minds in tune. Play lots of games to motivate and engage the players. Then break out into skills zones where your players can start to concentrate on the details.
Here are four warm-up skills activities which can be mixed into your training routines, all from our growing video archive.
Prepare for full-on tackling practice with this low impact, no-pads warm up. The players develop their footwork, their head position and grip in a dynamic environment. Plus, they get in lots of repetitions.
Get your ruck defenders into the right position then create an awareness of the ball and the attacking threats in this simple ruck warm-up exercise. MORE
Prepare for full-on tackling practice with this low impact, no-pads warm up. The players develop their footwork, their head position and grip in a dynamic environment. Plus, they get in lots of repetitions. MORE
Use this template to get your team mentally and physically fired-up and ready for their match. Pre-match warm-ups aim to activate the body and mind ready for the kick-off. But, you cannot cover your complete game-plan in the warm-up. MORE
Whether you are refereeing in training (a good thing!) or have to referee your team on a Sunday (not such a good thing!), you will probably find yourself refereeing in some capacity this season. You will need to be confident that you can apply the laws as a coach to satisfy referees who take charge of your team. And if you do find yourself reffing, then it's far more than that...game management, crowd control, position, language, whistle control and signals. MORE
Because there are so many possible situations at rucks, teaching these skills is a real challenge for coaches. You need to create a balance of good techniques first and then bring them into game contexts as soon as possible. MORE
The more players learn, the more they improve. Learning is about retaining relevant knowledge and then using it in the right context. Our expectation is that our training sessions will do this. We are probably not that scientific in our approach, though the main thrust of what we do tends to lead to improvements. Let’s tighten this up with some training ideas and solutions to give our players more opportunities to learn MORE
A physical, fun and warm-up, log rolls encourage teamwork and prepare players for contact. Split players into groups of at least six. Put five players in a row, on the ground, shoulder-to-shoulder. Put another player, on their back, across these players, lying across their middles. On your call, the group has to propel the... MORE
