EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
Covering core and advanced skills, each Practice Plan provides the blueprint for an entire session for you to run with your team. A quick read through and you've got a ready-made session to take on to the pitch. Perfect for when you're running late and don't have time to hunt around for new ideas.
Practice Plans can be adapted by the coach to suit any age group from age 7 to 16, and are appropriate for adult teams. As a Rugby Coach Weekly subscriber you can access all 200 Practice Plans on the website covering the entire range of skills and tactics, in a format you can easily print and take to training.
in Practice plans, Scrums & Lineouts
Give your players the mental and physical edge at scrums by being the first to be ready to scrummage. Make them set themselves quickly and also bind effectively and efficiently. In a match, they will be arriving at each scrum tired, so this session aims to replicate these moments. MORE
Defensive organisation is a core unit skill. From second phase, players need to understand their defensive roles and, more importantly, work together to pressurise the attacking team. You can use this session and its elements throughout your season to achieve this. MORE
in Attack, Practice plans
Don’t let your team waste quick ball at rucks because they have taken the wrong decision. Forwards have to decide whether to “keep on going”, that is pick up the ball and drive on, or leave it for the scrum half. This session focuses on players having to make their decisions as they approach the breakdown. MORE
Keep your players balanced and stable in the contact situation by getting them to “bump, pop, rip”. The “bump” is a controlled drive into the contact area, so the ball carrier is never off balance. He can then pop the ball to a team mate or have it ripped away. The pop is more dynamic, the rip more secure. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Practice plans
Giving an accurate clearing pass should be a basic skill that all your players develop, just like running, passing and tackling. This session, “Clear it”, allows you to improve your players’ passing technique, while developing the decision making skills needed to fill in at 9. MORE
Being aggressive in the tackle and presenting the ball well will create quicker ball at the ruck. This session focuses on how your players take contact if they can’t avoid it. Winning the contest at the breakdown is a fundamental piece of your core unit skills. MORE
in Fitness & Conditioning, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
If your team are struggling for fitness, then running them up and down the pitch is one way of improving their conditioning. A better way is to use a ball. This session uses some simple exercises to improve skills as well as lung capacity. MORE
in Contact, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
This session concentrates on attacking the space behind the defence. The players will work on bursting through the gaps and then popping off to the supporting players. It shouldn’t just be seen as an attacking session though, because you can improve tackling and defensive skills at the same time. MORE
in Attack, Footwork and evasion, Practice plans
Scoring tries is too often a given skill. This session makes a virtue of good body positions. It creates a hard session which the players will enjoy because of the obvious potential outcomes, scoring tries. Your team will also learn how to protect the ball close to line and how to coordinate a last ditch defence. MORE
in Attack, Practice plans
Any player who loops around another or peels round from a lineout, is running around a corner. That corner is defended by just one player. Attacking around the corner creates an extra attacker. If the corner is taken sharply, without much loss of pace, then there is good chance for a break. This session develops those skills. MORE
