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Drills & Games
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Rucking & Mauling

Rucking drills help develop the most effective and safest ruck techniques. Mauling drills achieve the same.

In this range of activities, you will see ruck drills and maul drills mixed in with ruck and maul scenarios.

 

Also, we have rucking games where players can be put into more dynamic, ruck decision making situations.

In addition, look out for our ruck and maul warm ups too.

Age Groups
U5
U6
U7
U8
U9
U10
U11
U12
U13
U14
U15
U16
U17+
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Simplest ruck defence

Simplest ruck defence

Make sure your ruck defenders make gain line tackles to stop an attack making easy ground. It requires good body positions, plus the disc...
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Up and at 'em

Up and at 'em

This is a tough, physical session that works on players going forward in narrow spaces. The emphasis should be on ball retention in conta...
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Rough diamonds

Rough diamonds

A rough diamond shape with the ball carrier at the front means that
they can offload or go into contact with confidence. Get your players...
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Mauls and peels

Mauls and peels

If you have control of the maul with the ball at the back, you can continue to attack close to the maul by “peeling off”. This keeps your...
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King of the threes

King of the threes

Develop a cohesive defence by encouraging the players to work in threes.
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Ruck session builder

Ruck session builder

Session builders take you from one player to a unit to work on their skills piece by piece.
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Second player in

Second player in

The second player in support of the ball carrier needs to work out how to support the tackle contest.
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Stay on your feet

Stay on your feet

Not all mauls are set up from lineouts. Sometimes a player stays on their feet through the first contact and is then held up
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Discover the simple way to become a more effective, more successful rugby coach
Rugby Coach Weekly Issue 242

Latest Issue

Rugby Coach Weekly Issue 242
Issue 242 out now
  • Twice the tackler
  • Ground up power
  • Now you see me…
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    Your player, my player

    Your player, my player

    Use this simple defence activity to help defenders work in pairs, while giving one defender more responsibility than the other.
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    Slow versus quick ball

    Slow versus quick ball

    Here is how Dan Cottrell sets up a game to work through some plays, which are designed to help a team run with either quick ball or slow ...
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    Ruck in threes

    Ruck in threes

    A clearer at a ruck must look to go beyond the ball, to drive back defenders and free up the ball for the scrum-half to sustain continuity.
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    Ruck in the round

    Ruck in the round

    Improve players’ decision-making by giving them four different situations to react to. They must choose the best technique to use in each ...
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    Ruck transformers

    Ruck transformers

    Put your slow-ball ruck plays into more game-like situations. This wrap-play exercise is a good starting point; you can then use it to ...
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    Maul ball for all

    Maul ball for all

    Mauling is a powerful weapon and you don’t have to be a big side to use it. Set one up from the back of a ruck to create go-forward and tie ...
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    Quick ball placement

    Quick ball placement

    Allows for quick rucks and chances to attack when the defence is at its most vulnerable. Use this to build up the essential skills.
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    Ball control out of contact

    Ball control out of contact

    This practice develops players’ handling skills by forcing them to manipulate the ball with one hand in and around the contact area.
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    Winning the support race

    Winning the support race

    Get over the ball first and there is a chance to prevent turnover of the ball, or win it. This looks at attack and defence support options.
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    3v3 chop and turnover

    3v3 chop and turnover

    Use this game to develop good defensive line speed, with the aim of getting the ball carrier to ground quickly and regaining the ball.
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    Scramble rucks

    Scramble rucks

    Even if your players run predictable lines, there are still going to be occasions when they need to support the tackled player when they ...
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    Ruck: take the space

    Ruck: take the space

    Players arriving at the ruck are far better off going over the ball and beyond it, rather than just stopping at the ball. This works on ...
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    Zig-zagging

    Zig-zagging

    Work from left to right, and back a number of times up a channel, aiming to keep possession and go forward at the same time.
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    Win rucks with 1 player

    Win rucks with 1 player

    Doing so is a great way to maximise numbers, post-contact. In open spaces, it is a top skill to develop to retain quick ball and play again.
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    Hack and plunder

    Hack and plunder

    This session thrives on the unusual directions a rugby ball takes when it rolls along the ground and how the players react to it.
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    Busy bees

    Busy bees

    Avoiding contact isn’t always possible. Retain possession at the ruck, and after it, by keeping the ball carrier active in the tackle.

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    Rugby Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use rugby drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice.

     

    We've been at the cutting edge of rugby coaching since we launched in 2005, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.

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