Rugby: Ball Balance - Core Stability

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON*

Players sit back to back, arms interlocked and knees bent. The coach says left or right. The players must battle to pull their partner to the floor on the said side.

Involve a ball in your warm-up.

Get players to pass the ball around their head to flex the neck and shoulders.

This is the second exercise in a series of three that can be put together to form a contact conditioning circuit. The circuit can be sets of 30 seconds of hard work followed by 30 seconds of rest. Swap in this circuit for your usual fitness routine to give the players something a bit more interesting and transferable to a game. 

Alternatively, this would be a great exercise to include as part of a warm up.

• Players work individually, picking up a tackle sausage and driving it into the ground. 

• Repeat for the whole 30 seconds.

This exercise will develop your players core strength, which is immensely important in most areas of the game.

Moreover, this exercise simulates how players will have to maintain power in a game. For example when going from making a tackle to then contesting the ruck.

0.40 - What is the purpose of these conditioning circuits? 

This drill is designed to get your players in good habits when presenting the ball at the breakdown. This will allow your team to hold onto possession better and get quicker ball.

• The players run towards cones in lines of three, passing the ball from one end to the other.

• When the coach says "Down" or blows their whistle, whoever has the ball must drop to the ground and present the ball.

• The player who has presented the ball then passes to the player behind him and the drill carries on continuously.

0.29 - Demonstration 

1.20 - What is the purpous of this drill?