EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
We love games!
There’s plenty to choose from here.
We have: Adaptive games, game scenarios, touch rugby games, mini games, small-sided games, warm up games.
From tackling to handling, all require decision-making under pressure.
So look out for handling games, tackling games, rucking games, kicking games and even fitness games.
in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
Use this game-exercise-game activity to develop passing skills for all ages of players. You control the intensity to suit the skills of the players. They have to inject the energy. Use a game to motivate the players to improve their passing, then develop it in an exercise before returning to the game. MORE
in Girls/Womens, Small-sided games
Try this fun game to help players work on defensive organisation. By forming a physical defence chain, players work together to stop attackers from scoring. This game also helps attackers identify gaps on the wings and learn to execute opportunities. It develops an idea from Andrew Drayton who coaches Credition girls, Devon. MORE
in Rugby drills, Small-sided games
Here are two versions of the same game. In each one, it is a basic 2 v 1, but the angles of attack and defence keep changing depending on the target. It really challenges the role of the support player to put themselves in a good position to give the ball carrier options. MORE
in Attack, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
Improve your players’ understanding of their roles to make sure you can retrieve kicks and attack space when in possession. Play with your Terms and Conditions, not the kicking teams’. When a team kicks into space, the defending team needs to communicate and fan out so it can run back at spaces. MORE
in Return to play, Small-sided games
Rugby is missing real competition. Whilst we can see how competition can sometimes hinder development, especially when coaches only prioritise work in sessions to achieve this goal, it must be said that without it lurking in the background, sessions feel a bit detached. MORE
in Return to play, Small-sided games
Use these questions to support planning and reflection in your players as they are playing Ready 4 Rugby matches/training. Below each question, I add some of the possible answers and follow up questions. Of course, the players may come up with even better thoughts. MORE
in Footwork and evasion, Small-sided games
Use this quick to set-up warm-up evasion game to challenge the players to avoid contact and, as defenders, work as a team. The defenders will have to think about where to put their strength, the attackers on how to overload the defenders. There could be some interesting solutions. MORE
in Rugby coaching, Small-sided games
I challenged Twitter with this: If a 'game' within rugby training doesn't offer the ability to transition immediately from attack to defence and vice versa, it isn't a game, rather a conditioned drill. Here are my reflections based on the responses I received and my own research. It might just make you think again about your practice design. MORE
in Return to play, Small-sided games
Challenge players to react to the chance to have an extra player in attack and how to defend against it. It’s a quick game, so decisions will need sharp action. No match has unequal numbers unless there’s a yellow card. But sometimes the attack has an overload as a tackler is temporarily indisposed. Replicate that with this game. The “changer” will be doing most of the thinking. MORE
in Contact, Kicking & Catching, Rugby drills, Small-sided games
This session thrives on the odd directions a rugby ball takes when it rolls along the ground and how the players react to it. It will improve footwork and reaction skills. The players are reacting to a bobbling ball that might shoot out of the side of a ruck or be knocked back from a lineout, or be because of a dropped pass. MORE
