Curves and jumps

Improve your players’ footwork as they run forward, so they beat opposition players, or at least create a chance for a good offload in contact.

This is a simple session to set up and can be adjusted easily to suit the stages of your players’ development.

ACTIVITY

1. Mark out a starting gate and two turning points as above.
2. Have each player run through the curve, first at jogging pace, then asking him to speed up each time. 
3. Once they have done one sort of curve, they should move to the next. (You can have a several different curved courses depending on numbers).
4. Balls are more effective than cones to move around, so use them in preference to cones

DEVELOPMENT 1

1. Set up the balls as above. 
2. The players run simultaneously to the first ball gate, with one of the players having to slow down to let the other through (demonstrating footwork, deceleration and awareness). 
3. Once through the gate, they then turn sharply to get around the outside ball.

DEVELOPMENT 2

1. Stand a player about 3m in front of two balls laid in a line as above. 
2. Put yourself about 3m behind the balls. 
3. Have the player run forward, jump, land on two feet and then step off in the direction you are pointing to.

TECHNIQUE

• Run hard at the “gaps” and then cut hard to the next “gap”.
• Feel in control of where you are moving. Start slow and build up.
• Accelerate away from a jump.