EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
It’s not always easy to get young players to embrace contact which is why we’ve spent so much time devising and testing contact drills that will help your players grow in confidence. Use them alongside our tackling drills to develop a team of players that are comfortable making and taking contact.
in Attack, Contact, Practice plans
Work on attacking the edges of the ruck defence. That means not attacking next to the ruck, but the area often less well-defended with two players out to the side of it. The ball carrier goes into contact with close support, with a view to driving in, down and then providing quick ball for the 9 to clear. MORE
in Contact, Rucking & Mauling, Rugby drills
Do you have a breakdown policy? If not, you should. A policy helps guide players' actions at the breakdown. Alongside accurate skill execution, it can help to win the race to the space over the ball after a tackle. MORE
in Contact, Footwork and evasion
Improve your players’ footwork before contact and how they protect the ball, so they retain possession. An excellent breakout exercise during a normal session. The attacker should dominate any contact whether to offload or wait for support. MORE
in Contact, Rugby drills
To create continuity, your players need to understand their support roles. They also need to practise being innovative when it goes wrong. MORE
in Contact, Practice plans, Rucking & Mauling
Legally slow down opposition ball at the ruck by attacking the cross point of the ruck - this is the area behind the tackle and immediately to the sides. First, the defender aims to get over the ball (knowing that he might not win it but will not give away a penalty). Second, the defender drives into and angles away any attacker over the ball – the attack will have to bring in another player. MORE
in Contact, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
Need to build up players' contact confidence or create more physical sessions? Here are four tried-and-test methods that help players understand how to adapt. MORE
in Attack, Contact, Practice plans
A player who is flat does not have a good chance of generating much speed to take the ball on - such as when gathering the ball from a ruck. Therefore they have to make best use of the available space. There are two key elements: Taking the pass in a way that does not compromise the player while not providing an easy target for a tackler. MORE
in Contact, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
A ball carrier on the ground aims to hold the ball while another player tries to rip it away. If it is ripped, the ball carrier attacks to win 1 v 1. If they lose their grip, the player on the ground pops up the ball to their team-mate, who aims to score 1 v 1. MORE
in Contact, Practice plans, Rucking & Mauling
This session works on players taking the ball into contact in groups of four. This is most likely in a game when you know the opposition is a good rucking team, the referee might be loose on hands in the ruck, or you need to increase your chances of ball retention. MORE
in Contact, Rugby drills
Avoid slow ball at the tackle or even losing the ball by making every ball carrier far more active on the ground. Use these two exercises to build up players’ ball placement skills under pressure. After the tackle is made, the farther away your player can place the ball from the defence, the harder it is for the opposition to disrupt it. Encourage good placement habits with these exercises. MORE
