Quick Coach: Groundhog ball
in Footwork and evasion, Passing & Handling, Small-sided games
A player races out to pick up a ball cleanly and then win the race to the far line. MORE
EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
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”.)
Warm up time: 7-10
Session time: 20-25
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 10-15
Warm down time: 7-10
Mark out the box like a shipwreck. In some areas pads and poles can be placed to act as obstacles. Split your squad into eight runners and four “pirates” (the chasers).
There are areas where all the players can go and areas neither pirate nor runner is allowed. If they go into these areas they are out of the game. Players can jump from safe area to safe area if they want. The pirates have to capture the runners using a touch tackle. Once caught the runner stands at the side. The objective is to catch all the runners.
Runners evade the pirates by jumping between the zones and avoiding the obstacles.
If players are struggling with their evasion skills, bring them back to some one versus one practice.
Split your players into two teams of eight for a conditioned game. Use touch tackle at first before developing it into full tackle. All re-starts are tap and pass. Add several no-go zones on the pitch where neither team is allowed.
This will create a game of strategy and tactics as well as developing agility and evasion skills, especially with the width of the pitch being 40 metres.
Build evasion and agility skills on a wide pitch by adding several no-go areas.