EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
“A player races out to pick up a ball cleanly and then win the race to the far line.”
A 10m by 5m box. A ball per pair.
The ball carrier can kick the ball. It doesn’t have to land on the ground but must go 5m.
Challenge some players to use only one hand to pick up the ball.
With six players have three pairs. With five players, one player can roll out two balls.
in Contact, Footwork and evasion
Improve your players’ footwork before contact and how they protect the ball, so they retain possession. An excellent breakout exercise during a normal session. The attacker should dominate any contact whether to offload or wait for support. MORE
in Contact, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
Need to build up players' contact confidence or create more physical sessions? Here are four tried-and-test methods that help players understand how to adapt. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills
A switch or scissors play helps change the angle of attack. Stop the passer tuning out after the play but look for a second touch on the ball. They are often the best-positioned player to take advantage of any break. MORE
in Attack, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
The attackers recover ball bounced into the space and then attack. They lose if caught in possession, drop the ball or even worse, let it out of the bigger box. MORE
in Contact, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
A ball carrier on the ground aims to hold the ball while another player tries to rip it away. If it is ripped, the ball carrier attacks to win 1 v 1. If they lose their grip, the player on the ground pops up the ball to their team-mate, who aims to score 1 v 1. MORE
A tip pass is a short flat pass where the passer can immediately support the receiver as they go into contact. It can unbalance the defence because of the change of focus and helps dent the defence. Creating 2 v1 mismatches is just as effective in close as in space. The power of two is a powerful weapon. MORE
