Combine conditioning with skills drills. In these two activities, the players will work on line-speed as a group, then in the next activity, on line speed and a part of tackle technique.
DRILL ONE
A line of around six players start on one set of cones. They are about arm’s distance apart.
A coach touches a ball on the ground (as an attacking scrum-half might).
This triggers the line to race forward to another set of cones. They then realign to another set of cones ready to come forward.
They realign backwards and diagonally.
The pattern is: 10m forwards, 5m backwards and diagonally two times and finish with one 10m forwards.
DRILL TWO
Three players race forward, triggered by a coach touching a ball.
They run about 5m towards a tackle tube (or ruck pad holder). They promote their right foot. They complete three right-hand punches on the tube, replicating a right shoulder aggressive tackle.
They run backwards and repeat, with a different foot forward.
There is a lifecycle to a tackle that starts with the contact point and ends when the ball is either recycled or turned over. Concentrate on this philosophy to improve tackle outcomes. MORE
For 10 to 20 seconds, your players become the fastest players in the world. They must race at full speed onto every pass, creating a sense of go-forward. Don’t worry about mistakes – just react, realign and attack.
Play to the limits of what your team are capable of. Control the speed by throwing in new balls when things slow down. MORE
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
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