EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
“The ball carrier uses a strong fend to create space and time to pass the ball to their supporting player while the defender aims to disrupt. They then turn the corner and repeat.”
Three cones, 3m apart, one ball.
Put an attacker with a ball in the first space between the cones and another attack about 2m away. Put a defender next to the middle cone facing away from the ball carrier and another on the other side of the middle cone facing the oncoming attacker.
Have the ball carrier pass to the attacker who then goes around and through the gap.
The defender can only move sideways and aims to grab the shirt of the attacker.
The attacker passes the ball if they are held or runs around to the next defender.
The attackers continue to go around twice, before they swap roles.
Once both groups have gone “clockwise”, they then run anti-clockwise.
Have a spare ball at the ready to throw to the attackers if they drop the ball or it goes forward.
Count the successful attempts.
Make the tacklers more active, so they come forward.
With five, have three defenders and make the area into a triangle shape. With six, make the area into a square.
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
“The supporting player starts in front of the ball carrier, while the defender has his back to the attack. When you shout play, with the supporting player walking forward and the defender out of position, the players will have to think quickly to come up with winning solutions.” MORE
in Rugby drills, Scrums & Lineouts
Improve the movement and coordination needed for lifting the catcher at the kick off. MORE
in Contact
Most controlled mauls are formed at lineouts. Open-field mauls carry more risks for the attacking team, but it’s still worth considering it as a tactic. Here’s how… MORE
in Rucking & Mauling, Rugby drills
Mauling is a powerful weapon and you don’t have to be a big side to use it. A great tactic is to set up a maul from the back of a ruck to create go-forward and tie in their defenders. MORE
in Rugby drills, Tackling
I’ve been talking tackling to plenty of coaches in the last few weeks. That’s not unusual. Therefore, I wanted to share with you one of my favourite tackling “drills”: High pressure tackling reactions. I say drill because it’s a 1 v 1 exercise. MORE
