Snake footwork races

by Dan Cottrell in Footwork and evasion, Mini tag, Return to play, Rugby drills

Develop your players’ go-forward skills with evasion in this competitive scenario. It’s easy to set up and you can add lots of variations.

Even though some of the players will “cheat” by not exactly stepping to the side of the cones, their swerves and go-forward will help them replicate these skills in a match situation.

RUNNING

Put pairs of players in front of a line of cones.
The front player has a ball. When you say go the front player runs in and out through the cones.
He then turns, waits for your command, and then does the same back.
He then gives the ball to a waiting player, who waits for your command to go.
After they have done it several times, make it a race.
You can start the players in different positions, like on their knees, backs, facing away or with the ball just in front of them.

CHASING

Develop by having the player behind chase the front player with both players going in and out of the cones.
Again give them different starting positions.

RECEIVING

Finally, have a feeder pass the runner the ball.

TECHNIQUE

Hold the ball in two hands. Develop by changing from one hand to two hands to one hand.
Go forward as well as moving stepping in and out of the cones.

Share this: Share

Handling basics into handling decisions

in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills

Players work on their passing accuracy and then straight into a 2 v 1. The quick change should focus the players on working hard at executing their skills well. To improve passing, develop technique and then put it under pressure. This activity does both in a very short space of time. MORE

Two hands are better than one

in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills

Without forcing the issue, use this race to illustrate to your players the need to run with two hands on the ball, so they can pass quickly and in both directions. Two hands on the ball means players are able to pass in any direction immediately, which is important to maintain continuity. MORE

Four ways to unbalance a defender

in Footwork and evasion, Rugby drills

If your players can create a one versus one opportunity, it is a chance to breach the gain line. If they can unbalance their opposite defender, then they should succeed. Players need to understand that there are a number of ways to unsettle the defender both with and without the ball. It helps for the attacker to know what the defender is trying to achieve and reverse the psychology. Here are four of them. MORE

Positive social distancing sessions – let’s keep going

in Email Newsletters, Return to play

Many of our sporting friends are facing tough times with lockdown rules reducing opportunities to play. However, if you can get out onto the pitch, but are perhaps limited to what you can do within your bubble, here are some ideas for sessions. MORE

Handling whole-part-whole session 2

in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills, Small-sided games

Use this game-exercise-game activity to develop passing skills for all ages of players. You control the intensity to suit the skills of the players. They have to inject the energy. Use a game to motivate the players to improve their passing, then develop it in an exercise before returning to the game. MORE

Creative defence to shut down options

in Defence, Rugby drills

Put pressure on attacking teams by changing the angles of defensive lines. Either they are drifting out or cutting in to force the attacking team in or out. This is a simple session to create a sophisticated defence where each defender decides the best course of action to stop an attack. A very competitive activity.... MORE