Lean into contact

U13–U16 | CONTACT 7

Get your players to lean forward into contact to make sure they can drive through

1. Mark out a 5m square area. Put two ruck pad holders at the end of the area about arm’s distance apart.
2. Have a ball carrier start at the opposite end of the area and run first at one ruck pad holder and then drive through the gap between the two. He aims to smash through and out the other side.

3. Have the ruck pad holders start further into the box so the ball carrier has to accelerate quicker, as if he is taking a late pass near to the gain line.

4. Develop by putting three attackers in a 8m x 6m area, being fed by another player. Facing them are two defenders. The ball is passed directly to the middle player who aims to break through the defenders. If he can’t, he can offload or go to ground. The support players can take an offload or drive the player through contact or win the ruck.

You will need

• A 5m square area and an 8m x 6m area for the development game
• 1 ball
• Cones
• 2 ruck pads
• Bibs

Got more players?

Set up more 5m squares and play further games alongside.

What to tell your players

“Take short steps”
“Accelerate quickly into contact”
“Keep low into contact”