Help your players react in defence to cover the main threats, and use the best defence possible in the circumstances. Use this set up to develop into a bigger game scenario, depending on your numbers.
Put five attackers, with two of them carrying a ball, in the middle between the two boxes, and an attacker on each of the corners of the same end.
Put five defenders in the middle of the box.
When you shout go, one ball carrier moves into each box to attack, with any number of the attackers moving with them.
The defence split into each box, changing numbers according to what they see.
Initially, use “grab” tackles, with the ball carrier allowed to offload the ball if they can within the three seconds.
Reset and go again.
DEVELOPMENTS
Make the boxes different widths.
Start a countdown from five. Each ball carrier walks forward three paces. The rest of the players, from both groups, align before you play.
Play with more numbers with wider boxes. Allow one “breakdown”, so the first player “grabbed” in possession goes to ground, and one player from each team can compete for the ball.
Allow kicking.
OUTCOMES
Attackers might send all forwards into one box and all backs into another.
Even with less than 10 players, you can run an effective and very active drift defence session. Use this activity as a warm-up for a larger group work out as well. MORE
Good shape in rugby means your players are into position quickly to attack from the next phase. The shape refers to threatening alignments, with all ball-carrying options well supported. MORE
Create 3v2 situations in a training context that disrupt the attack and defence enough to make them concentrate on good skills rather than “gaming” the scenario. Gaming the scenario means players manipulating the rules and setup to win the game in a contrived manner rather than using the natural order of rugby. For example, a... MORE
Use parent stations to allow you to run lots of activities with a parent overseeing each activity.
It requires one parent, minimal setup and minimal instructions. Each station runs for two to three minutes before the players move to another station. MORE
Build a defence ethic by defending in threes and fours. Players will have to cover narrow and wide spaces, improving their tackling and communication. MORE