EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
It’s worth coaching rugby kicking skills as early as possible, even if your young players are not allowed to kick during games yet. By the time kicking is introduced into the game, the youngsters will have a well-developed set of core skills and a basic tactical understanding of when to kick. Use the following rugby coaching tips and drills to help. And, of course, any catching drills are going to be worthwhile as they’ll soon be faced with some up and unders too!
in Kicking & Catching, Practice plans
More teams are refusing to kick for touch, instead kicking for territory in a bid to launch counter attacks. This simple session helps players discover ways to perfect this and should be a standard session for every season. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills
Develop the skills and tactics to return the ball from kicks to the sides of the pitch, between the 15m and 5m lines. A cross kick can isolate the defending winger. He needs to use kicking and running skills to avoid being caught away from his support. MORE
in Attack, Girls/Womens, Kicking & Catching
This small-sided game is ideal to work on players kick chase and keeping the ball alive in attack. You can use this as a standalone skills game or have it as a platform to launch a bigger game of touch and pass from. Thanks to Simon Parsons, Women and Girls Director of Rugby for Tunbridge Wells RFC and Kent U15s Girls Head Coach for this activity. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Small-sided games
Develop rugby rounders into a skills development game specifically aimed at improving kicking techniques and tactics. While there are also good outcomes for catching and passing, I want to focus on the precision of the connection between ball and boot and then finding space with the kick. MORE
Develop a long passing counter-attack game which includes accurate kicking, fielding and moving the ball to space out of your 22. Use this whole pitch exercise to work on the right skills. In a territorial kicking game, your backfield cover needs to be confident to field kicks, pass long and either kick long or run back. MORE
Create the desire to win the ball in the air, for kick-offs, high balls and lineouts. This session creates jumping and catching challenges for different situations. Let the players discover what works for them and try out lots of scenarios. GAME 1 Stand 5m away from two players who are side by side in a... MORE
in Core skills, Kicking & Catching
Work on your kickers’ specific technique so they can develop their natural kicking ability into a repeatable, accurate skill under pressure. An ideal session to run and then encourage players to use as homework. Challenge the players to practise with their stronger and their weaker foot. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
Most players in the team will have to catch a high ball at some stage, whether from a kick and chase, kick off or drop out restart. And if they are not involved in catching, they alternatively will have to support the catcher. Though primarily aimed at the back three, this session has benefits for all players. MORE
in Contact, Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
This session thrives on the odd directions a rugby ball takes when it rolls along the ground and how the players react to it. It will improve footwork and reaction skills. The players are reacting to a bobbling ball that might shoot out of the side of a ruck or be knocked back from a lineout, or be because of a dropped pass. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Practice plans
Counter attack is becoming a more common aspect of the game as teams refuse to kick for touch, but instead kicked for territory. This simple session helps the players discover ways to counter attack. It should be a standard session for every season. MORE
