Try scorers

What you tell your players to do

1. Ball carriers must drive forward low and then turn away from contact to get the ball to the ground.
2. Tacklers must work hard to get their bodies and arms between the ball and the ground.

What you get your players to do

Two players stand facing each other 2 metres apart. There is a line between them. A third player stands at the side with a ball. He throws the ball to one of the players who has 5 seconds to try to put the ball down over the line. The other player tries to save the try.

Adapt the distances between the players according to success. Ensure the three players alternate their roles.

Developing the session

The training session can be developed as follows.

1. Vary the height of the pass – high, low, on the ground.
2. Designate an attacker and let them start with the ball. Stipulate the position they can start in, e.g. with the ball at the feet, or facing away from the defender.
3. Start the defender 1 or 2 metres to the side of the attacker, with the attacker a metre further back from the line, to replicate a saving tackle from a covering player.
4. Allow both players to move along the line, so the defender tracks the attacker until the ball is passed.
5. Set up players in pairs, each with one player standing just behind the partner. Then practice before allowing passes and double tackles.

A game situation

The session can be developed by playing a 3v2 game. Form groups of players with three attackers and two defenders.

Set up a number of 5 metre square boxes – one for each group – with a try line running through each about 1 metre from one end (put the boxes across a real try line for instance). Place a ball by the side of each box.

The attackers start at the end of the box furthest from the line, faced by the defenders. When you are ready, run to a box and kick or roll the ball in. The attackers must pick up the ball and attempt to score over the line.

After a couple of sets, change the players around, involve previously unused players. Don’t use any more than five players at one time.