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 Fitness & Conditioning, Footwork and evasion, Practice plans, Touch, Tag & Sevens
This session is fun, easy to set up and works your players’ footwork and conditioning. The players will be jumping and side stepping around a “shipwreck” trying to avoid “pirates”. The game further develops the decision making elements from the initial session. (You can also get the players to set up the “wreck”.) MORE
in Practice plans, Rucking & Mauling
Mauling is a powerful weapon and you don’t have to be a big side to use it. A great tactic is to set up a maul from the back of a ruck to create go-forward and tie in their defenders. MORE
in Practice plans, Rucking & Mauling
Protect your rucks by covering against the “inside” defender in the tackle contest. Have a player who works on the “inside clean” to drive this potential stealer of the ball and the “outside clean” to check the even more savvy defender. MORE
Individual defenders have to react quickly to changes in potential ball carriers. This is because attacking teams use “blockers” and dummy runners to fool defences. A “blocker” runs flat and sometimes in front of the pass. This session develops a defender’s ability to slide on to the ball carrier, sometimes at the last moment. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Practice plans
Passing moves the ball to a player in a better position. Passes can also be used to manipulate the defence. A wide pass followed by a short pass back the other way is a surprisingly easy way to create gaps in the defence. Two backs could put a strong running forward into a gap, reducing the need for that forward to pass the ball. MORE
in Defence, Practice plans, Rucking & Mauling
Counter rucking spoils the attacking team’s quick ball. Either your players win back the ball or, at worst, disrupt the opposition scrum half’s attempt to clear it. Once techniques have been embedded, this session progresses to the decision-making process for counter rucking. MORE
Here is an easy-to-coach contact technique that will help break through defensive lines. It is especially good if you have a smaller team, a support player simply latches on to the ball carrier and pushes him through the defender. MORE
Better tacklers anticipate where a ball carrier is going. You can improve anticipation skills by using this session to help focus on the core of the ball carrier. The hips don’t dummy, so if the tackler can keep his eyes on this area, he should make more tackles. MORE
in Attack, Practice plans
Deception and pace break down organised defences. This session teaches a front line attack to pass to a player arriving at speed from a “hidden” second wave using timing, passing and running angles of both front and back players to hide the threat until the last moment. MORE
in Defence, Practice plans, Tackling
With a 5m ruling at scrums, teams tend to use drift defence. However, they need to practise not only the mechanics of the drift but also ways to cover the gap inside the 10, who has to catch up with his openside flanker. MORE
