EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
In rugby, footwork and evasion skills are the “fine arts” – ways to run with the ball and beat players with skill, pace and panache. These articles include ways to coach players to have “rugby speed” not just pace, and evade contact with nifty “rugby footwork”. Try one of the footwork and evasion drills below at your next session and see how you get on.
The best sidesteppers seem to be able to beat another player inside the space of a telephone box. Use this exercise to make even the least fleet-footed replicate this skill. Develop light feet with a jump and step to create a really dynamic sidestep. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Mini tag, Rugby drills
Create a competition to get to the line, with the attacker either using speed or evasive skills to beat a defender coming from a different angle. This easy to set up activity can be run as a breakout from games or as a large group in lots of boxes. Mix up the players so sometimes... MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Rugby drills
If your players can create a one versus one opportunity, it is a chance to breach the gain line. If they can unbalance their opposite defender, then they should succeed. Players need to understand that there are a number of ways to unsettle the defender both with and without the ball. It helps for the attacker to know what the defender is trying to achieve and reverse the psychology. Here are four of them. MORE
in Email Newsletters, Footwork and evasion, Rugby drills, Warm Ups
Evasion is a fundamental movement skill. Players use in pretty much all their activities, without necessarily focusing on the specific skills they need. Without becoming too bogged down in the technical requirements, you want to improve your players starting and stopping, balance, change of direction and acceleration. With that comes an awareness of space, time, teammates, the opposition and the ball. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Return to play
If a player has made an outside break, they have to either make it to the try line or go as far forward as possible. That means straightening up. This activity develops this skill. Work on adjusting the line of running once a line break has been made. It’s good for all players to work on. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Small-sided games
Use this quick to set-up warm-up evasion game to challenge the players to avoid contact and, as defenders, work as a team. The defenders will have to think about where to put their strength, the attackers on how to overload the defenders. There could be some interesting solutions. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Return to play, Touch, Tag & Sevens
Encourage your players to use good footwork in small spaces by avoiding contact. These two fun activities are excellent for warming up body and mind. Though rugby is a contact game, avoiding it is a core skill. There are no set techniques because each player will have their own style. Let them develop it in these two activities. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Practice plans
This session builds up a simple skill: Landing on two feet and stepping away from contact is a pre-sidestep motion It is a good technique for all players. When moving at speed and with a potential tackler in pursuit, they can jump, land and step, either to beat the defender or offload. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Mini tag, Return to play
Get your ball carriers used to running forward to score tries. This session can be run as a warm-up or as a proper tackling session as well. Often players fail to run forwards even when they know the try line is that way. This session should encourage them to attack a space in front them and go for it. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Mini tag, Return to play, Rugby drills
Develop your players’ go-forward skills with evasion in this competitive scenario. It’s easy to set up and you can add lots of variations. Even though some of the players will “cheat” by not exactly stepping to the side of the cones, their swerves and go-forward will help them replicate these skills in a match situation. MORE
