Improve your players’ footwork and ability to evade contact. The “hot box” means your players will need to use their peripheral vision and their ability to see where defenders are.
WARM UP
Even numbers of players start on each side of the 10m square.
They start off jogging across the square. When they reach the opposite side they turn and jog back. They continue shuttling back and forth trying to avoid any contact with other players.
Gradually increase the speed they are running at until they are at a full speed sprint.
ACTIVITY
Move into the 15m square and start with even numbers on each corner.
Put two defenders in the 3m square in the middle. They cannot leave the square.
The front player at each corner starts with a ball. He has to run to the opposite corner through the middle square without being touched by a defender.
If they make it (both feet have to be in the middle square) they get a point, if they get touched then they don’t.
DEVELOPMENT
If an attacker reaches the hot box, they pass to a team mate who also goes into the hot box.
Get the players to keep their own individual scores.
In Hard and Fast with the Miss Pass, we set up a “miss pass” training session. The miss pass is a long pass which skips one player, with the missed player drawing a defender in the process. MORE
A hard and fast flat miss pass can cut out defenders before they have a chance to change their running angles. It can lead to clean breaks as your attackers exploit the gaps.
By scanning the line and hitting the ball at an angle towards a space, the ball carrier is going to be almost impossible to stop. MORE
Training games, like touch rugby or contact games, tend to be competitive.
They should have:
Context: the players should know, either before or after the game, the reason you are playing. Fun/enjoyment are a given. However, what are the potential rugby outcomes?
Points: the players will want to know what the score is, and what the points system is.
Now, let's spice this up MORE
Already leaked more tries than you expected this season. Here's some cures to shore up your defensive line, which concentrate on technique, skills and organisation. Remind your players of what they do well and then help them to address their weaknesses. MORE
If you are coaching adult rugby, then you are probably already beginning to put in some elements of contact into your preparation programme for next season. If you are coaching youth rugby, then you need to carefully consider the regulations about contact rugby. For example, in England for under 11s and below, you won't even start "contact" of any sort until the actual season starts. MORE
Use our two simple tactics to pull defences one way and then kick the other to surprise them and give your chasers a good chance of gathering the kick unopposed. MORE