Social distancing rugby rounders

Use this modified game of rugby rounders to improve kicking and fielding, using social distancing protocols. Thanks to Old Reigatian Girls and head coach David McGuigan for this version.

1. Split into teams of five. The coach will act as the “pitcher”.
2. The inner box of cones represents the batter team bases, the outer cones the fielding team bases. 
3. One team fields. They spread themselves out outside the outer cones.
4. The first player of the batting team comes up to the “plate”. 
5. The coach, standing about 2-3m away from the player, throws the ball to the batter who then kicks it. Ideally, they throw it underarm at about knee height.
6. If the subsequent kick goes outside the square, the batter can run round the inner cones with the aim being to get as far around as possible without being “stumped”.
7. The fielding team aim to pass, kick or run with the ball to beat the batter to the next base. If a batter runs from a base they can’t return.
8. A batter is out if their kick is caught or they are beaten to a base.
9. The fielding team can run, kick or pass with the ball. As a development, the fielding team can only pass the ball, they cannot run with it.
10. The batting team scores a rounder for every completed rounder by a player. If a player goes around all the bases in one go, you can either give them two runs, or a life back.
11. Swap innings when the batting team lose three lives.
12. Use a spare coach to act as a backstop.
13. The player stays batting until they kick the ball out of the box.
14. Play at least two innings, reversing the batting order for the second innings.

The size of the pitch depends on the ability of the players and remember with the coach pitching the ball, kicks are more difficult than with usual rugby rounders (where the player kicks the ball out of hand).

Use one ball for one team and another ball for the other.