EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
When the Australian national rugby team found they were not winning many kick offs as receivers, the then Head Coach, Eddie Jones, turned to Aussie Rules football (the Australian Football League). The rugby training methods he adopted significantly improved the percentage of kick offs his team won cleanly.
Aussie Rules football rivals rugby union and rugby league in popularity in Australia. In its simplest form, it requires players to kick and catch a ball slightly smaller than a rugby ball. The style of catching a high ball is different to that coached in rugby.
Tips for catching position
The "W" grip rugby tip
in Contact, Passing & Handling, Rugby drills
Use great footwork and leg drive to break through defences while ensuring support players are on hand to take a quick pass beyond the initial contact. Get the ball carrier to run the right angles to attack the gap between defenders, smash through the tackle and then offload to their support players. The support players will learn the best lines to receive the offload. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills
Use this power pass exercise to work on both passing and passing out of the contact. The variability of how the attacker is held back increases the learning outcomes as players face new passing challenges. MORE
in Contact, Passing & Handling
Don’t teach falling over. Teach the players to bounce themselves and therefore the ball off the ground and back into the game. It reduces the fear of falling by making the players embrace the ground as part of a skill for continuity. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Small-sided games
Lines of three players pass the ball quickly to the end player who races to a line in front of them to be the winner of the groups. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Passing & Handling, Small-sided games
A player races out to pick up a ball cleanly and then win the race to the far line. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills
A good catch starts the whole movement for a better pass. It creates time on the ball, which means the ball carrier can pass more accurately and, if necessary, more quickly. Here’s a individual training idea you can encourage your players to use away from your sessions. MORE
