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 Attack, Practice plans
Retrieving kicks can mean a chance to counter attack, but it carries risks. Your ball carrier is likely to be behind his team mates and therefore needs to find support so he does not become isolated. This session is about players’ options when running with the ball. MORE
Use this session to build tackling confidence and technique with low impacts. Low impact tackling still requires good skills to bring the ball carrier to the ground. It then focuses on completing the tackle by making the tackler get back into the game. MORE
in Practice plans, Rucking & Mauling
Disrupt teams that do not put enough players into the ruck by counter rucking at the right moments. The first skill is to know how to counter ruck, then when to do it. This session works on developing the technical and decision-making tools to slow down or steal opposition ball. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Practice plans
This is a great revision session because it works on core skills under pressure, especially short passing when the ball carrier is running “offline”. That means he is either running towards the intended receiver or away. This will test how much power he needs to put into the pass and highlights good timing. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Practice plans
This session works on jumping against opponents and can be transferred into lineout contests, high ball or kick-off challenges. Though there is a technical side to the catch, it also recognises that players need to be able to have the desire to want to win the ball in the air. MORE
in Attack, Contact, Practice plans
Continuity out of the tackle is one of the most powerful weapons to break down defences. Players have to decide whether they can offload or go to ground and wait for support. Players must either risk making a pass or keep the ball and present it safely. MORE
Most front-on tackles happen in close quarters. Neither tackler or ball carrier can adjust their lines to make it any other way. The majority of front-on tackles happen at the side of a ruck and the tackler has to choose whether to drive up and back or bring the player right down. MORE
in Attack, Contact, Practice plans
Do your players have the guts to challenge for a 50:50 ball? Often this is all that separates teams in close encounters. When the ball is on the ground, players need to react aggressively to win it – be like Shakespeare’s “dogs of war” – before driving forward. MORE
It happens frequently – a ball carrier facing two defenders, isolated from team mates. Players in these situations need to work out how to protect the ball and wait for support. This session works on the roles of both ball carrier and the support player. It is complementary because it also develops the defenders’ roles. MORE
From successive rucks many teams simply keep attacking in the same direction until they have exhausted all the space. This draws in so many defenders they struggle to cover across for the next attack. This session looks at how to deal with this. MORE
Like other disciplines, rugby has a jargon of its own. Unless the meanings are explained they can be meaning-less. That's why I've explained them in plain, simple English and with large, clear illustrations in my manual Rugby Tactics Made Simple. But not only that, you'll learn how to coach the tactics with my tips. If you’re new to coaching or prefer a more simple style this is a great, straightforward introduction to rugby tactics. "It highlights the key fundamentals of all aspects of play & gives coaches a good understanding of terminology and techniques at the highest level" - Richard Whiffin, assistant coach at London Irish MORE
Anxious about coaching rugby to children? Maybe you're already coaching, but sometimes struggling to get your points across at training? Perhaps you sometimes simply run out of preparation time? Possibly you're feeling your sessions are getting dull? Do you want a few new skills to boost your player's skills now? Or to help your players develop the techniques for seasons ahead? Maybe even the core skills for their whole rugby playing career? Here's the answer... MORE
Ready-made, age-appropriate, safe training activities, to provide a complete rugby coaching curriculum for players from ages 11 - 16. MORE
