Rugby: Reloading and passing practice

• Players start in the bottom right corner and on the command sprint as a group before doing 5 press ups.
• They advance as a defensive line, moving as fast as the slowest player.
• They never leave a player behind.
• They then side step (push as a defensive line) left to the next set of cones to do 5 sit ups before sprinting to do press ups. The group follow this routine until the end before the next group go.

Players line up in two groups on the first cone. On GO, the first players side step to the second cone, go around it and run backwards to cone three where they side step the opposite direction to cone four where they turn and sprint back to the start and pass the ball to the next player. When both players have received a ball they repeat the drill

Its a good idea to have groups next to each other so they can compete against each other.

From the start position, run out to the centre set of cones.

Quickly move sideways to the left set of cones and then move quickly sideways to the right set of cones.

Return sideways to the center set of cones and then run quickly backwards to the start position.

• The rest of the players are told to stand at one end of the field (they are the Space Pirates). The space police want to try and blow up the space pirates ship as they pass using their space bombs (I know - lots of childish terms there - but adjust the terminology to suit your players - they will enjoy it).
• Explain to the space police that they are to attempt to pass the ball at the space pirates and attempt to hit them below the shoulders.
• It won't be a completed pass as the pirates are just trying to avoid getting hit.
• The space police can move sideways along the edge of space, however, cannot move forward into space. (Police can only enter the space zone and get balls but cannot shoot until they are outside the rectangle).
• The space pirates can attack when they like, and if hit they can be out - or have more than one life.
• When an space pirate makes it through space successfully, with out being directly hit by a pass, they wait at the other end till all the other prates make it.
• You can change the police and pirates around or....

Note: Some younger players will love this game, and some may not! So think carefully about having different groupings that take into account players passing ability (in terms of speed), and if you have a group of players that might not like this game - have them attend a special pass development clinic with another coach.