Rugby Drills

Correct way of going down with the ball in a tackle. Person being tackled should 'twist' their body so that they land on their back.

Static tackling. Every time the player with the ball is tackled, they have to release the ball and quickly pick it up again and stand up, ready to be tackled again. Time how long it takes to happen 5 times in succession.

Small playing area, for 1 v 1 tackling. Players line up in two lines adjacent to the coned area. Coach shouts go and the front two players run round their end to end up facing each other. The coach passes the ball to the attacker who runs at the defender, and the defender tries to take them down.

Set up a wide pitch, with cones on the half way line plus an extra box on two opposite corners. These corner boxes are the prisons for tackled/tagged players. The aim of the game is for players to run into the opposing team's area and grab a ball to bring back into their ball area in their half. However, if a player is tackled/tagged while in the other team's half they must go and stand in the prison square. Players can be released from prison by being tagged by a team-mate. Once released they must walk around the outside of the pitch back to their own half before rejoining the game.

The aim of the drill is to develop a double tackle from both sides, Left and Right.

The aim of the drill is to develop tackle technique leading into contact.

Drill to practice making multiple tackles in a period of time. Set up a circle of 6 cones with a padman opposite each cone (between 2m and 5m away). Players starts on a cone in the centre of the drill (as pictured) and run forward to tackle the padman. On completing the tackle they run back to the centre of the drill and move clockwise to the next cone.  On the coache's call they run forward to tackle the next padman, returning to the centre of the drill after completing the tackle and move clockwise to the next cone. The drill continues until the players have tackled each bagman or at the coaches discretion. 

Teams of 3 one team with ball. Start with both teams on their own goal line. Team with ball attempts to score Defending team allowed 1 on 1 tackles. When tackled, both players get to feet and ball carrier restarts game with free pass. Knock on, forward pass, in touch all result in turnover ball and free pass Change attacking team after each score.

Use the diagram in order to think about the starting position of your players, I suggest that they are not too deep for this one. 10 passes the ball to 12. 11 loops behind 12. 12 advances with the ball. 12 pass the ball to 11, this should be a close to the defensive line as possible. 13 runs a line, at speed, close the space between them and 11. 11 does their best to avoid contact, but if they do take contact, they should attempt to off-load to 13.

The aim of the drill is to develop mechanisms to unlock defences in open play The first defender/feeder starts with the ball at a cone set up on the touch line five metres out from the try line Set another 2 cones 15 meters up on the same touch line. Two players (defenders of the 3v2) start from here once the 2v1 is completed. Set 2 cones on the try line 5 metres apart to create the start position for the two attackers and the attacking channel for the 2v1 The ball is fed from the first defender, with the attackers completing a 2v1 The defender joins the two attackers to create a 3v2 Two attackers then become the two defenders for the next repetition of the drill

This is a simple 3 v 2. The three attackers have to get past the two defenders without being touched, that's it. The defenders will start 10 meters back, and can move anywhere inside the box. The attack must remain inside the box and all pass msut be legal. Don't forget to change the defenders.

This is a simple 2 v 1. The two players have to get past the one defender without being touched, that's it. The defender will start 10 meters back, and can move anywhere inside the box. The attack must remain inside the box and all pass msut be legal. Don't forget to change the defender.

Lets get the ball and the players moving with lateral passing through the hands. Each training area only needs one ball, and that ball should start with the any of the two players at the very ends of the L. Tell players to move forward, passing the ball down the line. When the ball gets to the last receiver, that player will pass it to the first receiver in the next line that is waiting to go. They should advance right away. Allow the players to simply move the ball down the line.

Set a grid to attack. Defenders and attackers begin on the touchline in the centre. Both leave at the same time and run around appointed cones, ball carrier should accelerate up towards defender channeling them however they want realising that they have two other support runners for different options to run in and score.

Lets get the ball and the players moving with lateral passing through the hands. Each training area only needs one ball, and that ball should start with the any of the two players at the very ends of the L. Tell players to move forward, passing the ball down the line. When the ball gets to the last receiver, that player will pass it to the first receiver in the next line that is waiting to go. They should advance right away. Allow the players to simply move the ball down the line.

Set a narrow grid to attack. Defenders and attackers begin on the touchline in the centre. Both leave at the same time and run around appointed cones, ball carrier should accelerate up towards inside shoulder of defender to draw in and then pass to the support runner coming from depth who can run in and score.