We know what a challenge getting youngsters to listen can be. So how do you get them motivated and having fun? It starts with the warm-up, when you need to set the tempo for your session…
KEEP THEM MOVING
The attention span of mini-rugby players can be very short. So standing around will make them cold and distracted – and both will lead to kids switching off from your session.
SNEAK IN THE FOOTWORK
Just because it’s a “warm-up” doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate some of the key skills within our game.
One skill that is often neglected is footwork, and how we use our feet to beat a defender. So work on the sidestep and swerve, along with just allowing the kids to run as fast as they can with the ball in their hands.
SHARKS AND FISH
The sharks aim to touch the fish with the ball, while keeping it in both hands.
On your whistle, the fish aim to reach the other side without being touched by a shark.
If caught, a fish swaps with the shark, taking hold of the ball.
One warm-up game that I use is called Sharks and Fish – and kids love it. Put half the group at one side of a 20m square and the other half on the opposite line.
Ask for two volunteers to be a “shark”. They both have a ball and start in the middle of the box.
On your command, the “fish” try to make it to the other side of the box without being caught by a shark. The sharks catch them by touching them with a ball, which they must hold in two hands.
Once touched, the fish becomes a shark and takes the ball. The shark switches to become a fish – in other words, there are only ever two sharks. Get the fish to run across as many times as you wish. Add more sharks if you need to challenge the players more.
The game has two main messages – running with the ball in two hands and using evasive footwork skills.
TWO HANDS ON THE BALL
As well as the “catch and pass”, running with the ball in two hands is another key skill for mini players that ought to become second nature.
Doing so keeps the opposition guessing and increases the options for the ball carrier.
THE 5-PASS GAME
Play this in a 20m wide by 15m long box, with more attackers than defenders – say, 6 v 4.
The attackers aim to make five (or more) passes. The defenders attempt to stop them. They cannot rip the ball off them but instead must try to intercept.
Attackers cannot run with the ball – they have to pass and move in order to get another pass and this keeps the game flowing.
Both games outlined here will promote the “catch and pass” and footwork skills. If our mini players can get to grips with these core skills, we’ll start the process of creating functional players able to maximise their enjoyment of the game. Remember: every player wants to get the ball in their hands and to beat people.
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. THE QUESTIONS How does transition give us an opportunity to create pressure and score or win the ball back? What are the key elements of transition which would allow us to achieve this successfully? What are our goals whilst transitioning from attack to defence or from defence to attack? MORE
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
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
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
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
Let's discuss the different ways on how to plan and structure a coaching session using games and other practices based on your session or longer-term intentions. MORE
