Rugby: Rugby 5 Pin Bowling

Split your team into two teams. One team will be up to bat/kick and the other team will field. The fielding team should take up positions that they feel will be advantageous to their game plan - don't worry too much about over coaching this - players can learn as they play.

The fielding team should have a pitcher/thrower of the ball. It is his job to stand on the pitching mound and to throw the ball as hard as he can toward the hitter/kicker. The idea is to force the hitter/kicker to struggle to catch the ball. A bad throw is considered wide and three bad throws means the hitter/kicker gets to walk to first base. However, three good throws that are dropped will be considered three strikes and the hitter/kicker will then be out.

So the pitcher throws the ball, as hard as he can, to the kicker/hitter -who if they catch it can make a kick to space. The kick must land on the pitch, but can bounce into touch. If the kick is caught then the hitter/kicker is out. If not then they can start running. They need to get from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 4th and then back to where they started in order to score a home run. They can stop at any base and be considered safe. However, runners can be called out when running between bases if the fielders manage to get the ball grounded at any of the two bases they are between.

Tell your players the following.....

1. Both the pad and attacking units will jog within the grid, the players in the attacking units don't have to stay together, but must work together on the coaches call.
2. When the coach blows the whistle the attacking units must locate a pad, and hit that pad creating a ruck.
3. The first player, the ball carrier hit, the second player rucks over, and the third player picks up the ball calling the rest of the players out of the ruck, they start jogging again.
4. The second defending player works to steel the ball as soon first attacking player hits. The pad holding defender can also drop their pad and compete for the ball.

• Explain to thescrum halfs that they are to attempt to pass the ball at the attackers and attempt to hit them below the shoulders.
• It won't be a completed pass as the attackers are just trying to avoid getting hit.
• The scrum halfs can move sideways along the edge of grid, however, cannot move forward into the grid.
• The attackers can attack when they like, and if hit they can be out - or have more than one life.
• When an scrum half makes it through the grid successfully, with out being directly hit by a pass, they wait at the other end till all the other attackers make it.
• The scrum halfs must make their passes/hits from the groud.

Tell the players the following laws.......

1. One team will be attacking, the ball carrying team. The other will be a defending team.
2. Defending players mark attacking players.
3. The ball is passed by kicking, and can travel in any direction.
4. Players try to catch the ball in the air, and have 3 seconds to make the pass. They can take 3 steps in that time.
5. Tries are scored in the usual way.
6. Players can compete for lose balls.
7. Players should use all of the space available, and should move the ball to space.

• You can make this game a little harder by saying that attacking players must catch the passed ball in the air, if they do not, then the ball is turned over to the other team.