Rugby netball is a good game for warm-ups. Here’s how I add in my progressions and why.
SET UP
Use a pitch with a try scoring zone at each end.
Equipment is different size rugby balls, tennis balls, football, frisbee even.
HOW TO PLAY
Attacker cannot run with ball in hand and passes to attackers who can, once you receive a pass you stop to pass again. It is multidirectional.
Defenders can intercept the ball then attack.
Attackers cannot stand in the try scoring zone waiting for ball to score. To score a try, the attackers have to pass to player moving into the try scoring zone.
Want attackers to be finding the space. Working hard off the ball.
PROGRESSIONS
I normally progress quickly.
If ball is dropped turnover but add in a different ball to a new attacker.
Tennis balls can only be caught one-handed.
Add in two balls to the attacking team, turnover if a player receives a ball when already holding one.
Ball cannot be passed above shoulder height (really encourages attackers to move to space – getting in front of the defenders).
Ball must be passed within 2/3 seconds of catching it. Defenders must be a 1m away from player with ball.
Introduce kicks too.
BOSS LEVEL
Use all the progressions as before but attacker with ball can now also run, if touched by a defender then player must pass or kick – still multidirectional. Defender who makes touch must take a knee and rejoin game once ball is passed/kicked.
Turnovers if the ball lands on the ground.
At boss level, it’s interesting to watch them play as they naturally build attacks, and ball tends to go backwards rather forwards. All of this without them realising that they are then starting to play it as rugby.
Ask them what are they seeing? How is the game now being played? What can be improved?
Move this game on to ball can only go backwards but with one player who can stand in the offside (ahead of the play) position and can receive a kick to score.
You can simply add in different rules to transition the netball game into a game of touch. However, the game of rugby netball on its own is also a fertile ground for practice design and player development. Here are a few variations to make rugby netball a key training game for you and your players. MORE
Develop your players’ skills within a games environment. Mix questioning, demonstration and instruction to allow the players to understand
their roles and responsibilities. MORE
“The defender keeps themselves light on their feet, head up and marking a potential break, coming forward to close down an attacker when they move forward” MORE
Players must win the race to the best space when attacking. In defence, players must work early, scan early and look to close space to force errors.
Attackers seek space, defenders take it away. This is also true over the ball.
Run this game over a series of sessions to gain the most benefit as the players develop their understanding of the tactical implications. MORE
Here’s a series of super-quick activities to set up and use to mix up your training to keep all your players occupied. Ideal to hand out to your co-coaches and aimed at a range of core skills in game-like contexts.
Here. is a series of what I’ve called Quick Coach. They are mini-activities aimed at four to six players. The aim is to provide you with a bank of breakout exercises you can run during your session. They should only last around five minutes, but the key is that they are very quick to set up and can be run by any coach in your group. They can even be run by one of the players if appropriate. MORE