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, Rugby drills
Don’t let high balls become a nightmare for your back three. Give them the technique and confidence to ‘”diffuse the bomb” and regain possession ready for the counter-attack. MORE
Outfox rush defences by drawing them onto you then kicking front foot ball behind them to win back possession and maintain go forward. With the increased use of aggressive rushing defences denying the attack space and time, new solutions are always being sought. MORE
Sometimes it is the right decision to kick away possession when you have front foot ball and go against everything you have told your players. Here’s why… MORE
in Email Newsletters, Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills
Great kicking can score tries. It takes awareness. And if you can create plenty of scenarios in training where players can test out their kicking, they improve both their tactical and technical prowess. This goes for kicks in open play and kick-offs. MORE
Win back the ball from your kick off with two kick off options. Develop the tactics that were used by the All Blacks and Australian test teams and now adopted by more teams. MORE
Create another option in attack by developing a short chip and chase. The variability of the bounce will dictate what happens next, so your players can experiment with their option taking. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills
This session works through the main kicks needed in a match: Grubber, punt, box and high ball. The players will also be able to work on catching. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills
The attacking box kick is a much-used tactic at the top level so grassroots coaches should be looking to use it as a means of exerting pressure and gaining territory. By Mark Calverley The kick should go around 20 to 30m – mark out a 10m square to aim for The 9 aims for 3... MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills
Your back three need to be competent playing on the wing or as full back and they all need to be able to catch the ball and clear it from any position in the back field. MORE
in Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills
Put players into realistic kick-chase situations where there’s a healthy competition for the ball and then trying to score or make ground after the ball has been retrieved. ACTIVITY Two chasers aim to retrieve the ball from a kick that has travelled at least 10m The defender is a “nuisance” to the chasers before turning... MORE
Like other disciplines, rugby has a jargon of its own. Unless the meanings are explained they can be meaning-less. That's why I've explained them in plain, simple English and with large, clear illustrations in my manual Rugby Tactics Made Simple. But not only that, you'll learn how to coach the tactics with my tips. If you’re new to coaching or prefer a more simple style this is a great, straightforward introduction to rugby tactics. "It highlights the key fundamentals of all aspects of play & gives coaches a good understanding of terminology and techniques at the highest level" - Richard Whiffin, assistant coach at London Irish MORE
Anxious about coaching rugby to children? Maybe you're already coaching, but sometimes struggling to get your points across at training? Perhaps you sometimes simply run out of preparation time? Possibly you're feeling your sessions are getting dull? Do you want a few new skills to boost your player's skills now? Or to help your players develop the techniques for seasons ahead? Maybe even the core skills for their whole rugby playing career? Here's the answer... MORE
Ready-made, age-appropriate, safe training activities, to provide a complete rugby coaching curriculum for players from ages 11 - 16. MORE
