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Getting the balance right between allowing players to experiment and impressing on them that mistakes cost games is very difficult.
These rugby coaching sessions are based on an idea by Sean Lineen, the Glasgow Warriors' head rugby coach.
Using "black" and "white" sessions during your rugby training might be the answer.
A "black" session is one where everything is done as fast as possible, new things can be tried, mistakes can be made and, more importantly, reacted to.
A "white" session is one where exercises are carried out at a slower pace and no mistakes are allowed. The emphasis is on quality. Players are set targets to achieve. For example, less than three dropped passes in the next two minutes.
Black session
Run each exercise for long enough for each group to go through it once or twice and then stop to recover.
Players must work as fast as possible.
Allow players to make mistakes. Encourage them to react and play on.
Encourage players to try new things.
Players must rejoin the start of the exercise as quickly as possible.
White session
Run each exercise for about two minutes before stopping to recover.
Players work at a slower pace.
Focus on accuracy and don't accept any mistakes.
Keep a count of the mistakes the players make, use this to set targets when you repeat the exercise.
Both training styles can be used with any exercise and they can be mixed up in a single, overall session to get the maximum effect.
Try a simple handling exercise to start with. The first two minutes would be "white" followed by two, one minute "black" runs, before finishing off with another two minute "white" session.
This article is taken from www.greenstarmedia.net/&sKey=">Rugby Coach Weekly.
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