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
Mark out a starting gate and two turning points as above.
Have each player run through the curve, first at jogging pace, then asking him to speed up each time.
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).
Balls are more effective than cones to move around, so use them in preference to cones
DEVELOPMENT 1
Set up the balls as above.
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).
Once through the gate, they then turn sharply to get around the outside ball.
DEVELOPMENT 2
Stand a player about 3m in front of two balls laid in a line as above.
Put yourself about 3m behind the balls.
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.
One player goads another, then touches the line and races to the other end to avoid being touched by the chaser. It’s a like smaller version of the Bangladeshi game of Kabadd MORE
Improve your players’ footwork and ability to evade contact. The “hot box” means your players will need to use their peripheral vision and their ability to see where defenders are. MORE
Develop another evasive skill for the ball carrier by encouraging them to spin just before the tackle. The footwork needs experimenting with because it can unbalance players.
Although spinning before contact slows you down a little and is less confrontational, there are occasions when it can allow you to break free from a defender and move into a space. MORE
Use this conditioning game to help your players develop better footspeed, evasive skills and stop/ start skills. It comes from basketball, and is easy to set up and certainly fun for the players.
With thanks to Chris Oliver of BasketballImmersion.com, this is a conditioning exercises that the players will love. First, it’s competitive. Second, it has a risk/reward element which makes the players think tactically about their actions. Finally, it has some great rugby outcomes. MORE