EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES

Return to play

Drills and activities that are suitable for social distancing and return to play.

Three tough decisions for return to play

in Email Newsletters, Return to play

With more and more sport opening up in the coming weeks, everyone will be excited about the prospect of training and even playing. For some teams, the training sessions will almost run themselves as the players are keen to just be back together and play. For others, they might have lost a certain amount of confidence, fearing that their months of inactivity will make a training session an horrific aerobic disaster zone. I think you have three tough decisions ahead of you. MORE

My first session back after lockdown’s lifted

in Return to play, Rugby drills

In designing my first session back after lockdown, I need to understand my focus, principles and my team's current state. What is my focus for this return to rugby? I want the players to enjoy their return to rugby and I want to run sessions that allow for plenty of social interaction that they have probably missed. I need to be empathetic to the fact that they will have done a varying amount of exercise in the last few months. I do want to use the next few months to re-enforce my own principles of play for my backline players and build on the skill levels and understanding that will underpin that. MORE

RTP: Sports Day competitions at training

in Return to play, Rugby coaching, Rugby drills

In Return to play needs more winning and competition, we discussed that competition plays an integral part in developing players whether we approve of it or not. In our current RTP environments, it might be missing. We gave the example of using intrasquad/interclub tournaments as a way of encouraging some competition in our sessions. In this article, we are going to discuss another way of creating competition, a Sports Day with our players as competitors. A 'Sports Day' gives us the perfect opportunity: To create a competitive environment within our sessions. Provide us with a chance to carry out some covert physical testing of players which can be used to guide future session design. To analyse how our players perform, and if extra fitness work is needed, adapt our sessions to provide more physical stimulus. MORE

Get the ball to the wing – quick!

in Passing & Handling, Return to play

Exploit the space on the outside for your wingers by using effective passing and fixing defenders. Give your speedsters enough room to run in that space. If you have a quick winger, then you need to hold up the midfield defence and allow that player time and space to attack. MORE

Better passing technique

in Passing & Handling, Return to play, Rugby drills

Hone a better passing technique for your players with this coach-fed exercise which starts with a focus on one player at a time and their handling ability. Develop good habits for your players by encouraging them to turn their shoulders and hips to deliver short passes to team mates running onto the ball. MORE

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