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Rugby Rugby Trends Women's Rugby 2025: A Record Year for Coaching

Women's Rugby 2025: A Record Year for Coaching

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup featured a record 32% female coaches - more than double 2021 figures. Here's what this growth means for the sport.

December 2025

Rugby Rugby Trends Game Management: Decision Making Under Pressure

Game Management: Decision Making Under Pressure

Matches are won by the team that makes better decisions under pressure. Learn how to develop game intelligence and manage critical moments.

November 2025

DRILLS (38)SESSIONS (5) ANSWERS (15)

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beat the DRILLS

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2 v 2 (switch)

This is a basic 2 v 2 drill to allow players to progress from a simple 2 v 1. In a channel no wider than 10m, 2 attackers have 5 attempts to score a try on the red cones. The attackers try to create space and beat the defenders by running good support and holding lines. Condition defence so that the defender marking support runner stays out and doesn't move in to defend ball carrier

Decision making

2 vs 2 (in - out line)

In a channel no wider than 10m, two attackers have 5 attempts to score a try on the red cones. The attackers try to create space and beat the defenders by running good support and holding lines.

Decision making

2 vs 2 (out - in support line)

Decision making

Beat the defence

Offensive players (blue), line out in one deep line while the defence (red) line up opposite in a straight line, slightly inside player from the player that they are marking. The offence will attempt to pass the ball across the line at speed. Defenders will move up to stop them but do not tackle, simply press. This teachers the attackers to pass under pressure, as they try to pass across the line without making any mistakes.

Handling

Beat The Runner

Divide your players into groups of five, with one player acting as a running. Each grid will need a runner. The runner starts on the runners cone. You might wish to have two groups of five at each grid, and to have a quick demo before sending all the players to their own grids. Keep your player briefing, brief! The first five passers attack the runners line, passing the pass down the line as they go. The runner sets off as soon as the first ball carrier starts to move. The aim of attack is to score a try in the corner, beating the runner - so quick hands. Each player should realign following their pass, there will be two attacks for each group before they move the ball onto the next group. After the first attack the runner goes to their cones on the opposite side of the grid ready for the next attack. The attack begins when the first players picks the ball off the ground. Don't forget to change the runners. Move the runner cones in to progress the exercise and to put the attack under more pressure.

Agility & Running Skills

Beating the Opponent.

Player A (Blue) starts with the ball, and Player B (Red) defends.Both players start at the corner of the 15 meter grid with their backs to each other.At the same time both players head out around opposite cones.Player A has to try and beat the defender and score over the try line.Player A can either grubber, chip, or dummy to score.

Decision making

Contact Pop Pass Contact

Ball carrier goes forward, hitting in on the shield, turning to pop the call to a support player who passes the ball across the grid into the second channel for the first player in the opposite channel to take and advance on the the shield in their channel. They hit in on the shield, turning to pop the ball to a support player who then passes the ball to the next receiver in the first channel. Keep going, but don't forget to change the players on the tackle shields.

Contact Skills

Man to Man

3 attackers and 2 defenders. The scrum half passes to the first receiver of group of 3 attackers. The 3 attacking players must then pass the ball down the line as they attempt to beat the defenders.

Defensive Patterns

One v One

Coach calls out a number/colour and that pair of players reacts, have the players decide who is the defender and who is the attack - this should change each time. One player attacks, and the other defends. The attacker will be carrying the ball. Keep the tempo of the exercise high.

Agility & Running Skills

Round the circle Passing

Each group forms a circle with players about 1m apart. First practise passing and catch around the circle. Next, the first player to pass runs around the outside of the circle. The player races against the ball to return to his/her start position.

Passing

Beat The Runner Warm Up - Rugb...

General

Beat the defence Passing - Rug...

General

Beating the Opponent. Decision...

Player A (Blue) starts with the ball, and Player B (Red) defends. Both players start at the corner of the 15 meter grid with their backs to each other. At the same time both players head out around opposite cones. Player A has to try and beat the defender and score over the try line. Player A can either grubber, chip, or dummy to score.

General

Beat the defence Passing - Rug...

Offence (blue), line out in one deep line. Defence (red) - opposite in a straight line, slightly inside player you are marking. Offence endeavour to pass ball along line. Defence move up to stop them. Each defender goes up to tackle - if ball is passed THEN they work to protect inside shoulder of player on their outside.

General

Beat the runner Warm up - Rugb...

Passing Warm-Up The aim is put pressure on the passing down the line.

General

Chasing The Pass Passing - Rug...

Keep your player briefing short, and get the ball moving around the circle as quickly as possible. First have the players move the ball - clockwise around the circle, passing off their right hand. Then switch it, and have the ball move anti-clockwise around the circle, with the players passing off their left hand. Once the players have gotten into a rhythm of passing the ball, tell the players the following. The player holding the ball will become a runner, their job is to pass the ball and then to set-off in the direction the ball will be traveling, trying to get to their starting position before the ball does. They win if they make it back before the ball. The players win if they can get the ball back before the runner. The passers cannot miss-pass, the ball must travel through every set of hands. Each player in the group should have the chance to become a runner. Change the direction of the runner and the ball half way through. You might decide that the runner has to do a press-up or two, if they don't make it back ahead of the ball. And you may also decide that all the other players need to do the same if they do not get the ball back before the runner. You can further develop this game by making the circle bigger. This will push the runner and will increase the length of the pass required between each player. Just ask all of the players to take one or two steps back.

General

Fixing Defender Progression Pa...

Groups 10+ Balls Cones Sausages.1. Chanel Fix Groups of 5. Attack sausages lined up one behind eachother. They must use footwork to step to a side of the sausage and then give a pass before running into/past it.2. Passing Grid - Static Defenders Normal 3 man passing grid, however with sausages placed in the middle.Players run forward use footwork to beat the bag and give the pass back inside. (pass before the sausage).3. Passing Grid - Moving defenders. Same as above but instead of sausages, use moving defenders with bags.4. Passing Grid - Starting on corners.Groups of 4 start on each corner with 2 defenders in the middle. The attacking line must get around the corner and square up to beat the 2 defenders. At other end give to next group and start again. Continuous. 5. Final Game Groups of 3 on all sides of the grid, with 2 defenders in the middle.Continuous drill to score as many tries as possibel in 1 min. Focus on all skills above.

General

Support Gauntlet Decision maki...

Drill to practice decision making.Set up a grid 10m wide and 35m long with cones at the start (yellow), 5m (orange), 15m (blue), 30m (red) and 35m (green).Have 2 defenders with pads at 5m, one defender at 15m, one defender at 30m and one 'full back' defender behind the try line.3 attackers start with the ball at the start line (yellow). The ball carrier attempts to break through the two padmen at 5m (orange) who can only move laterally. The ball carrier should try and offload once through the padmen.Once the attack beat the padmen D1 (blue) can cover across to defend, but he can only move laterally between the cones. The attack pass the ball to a support player to beat the defender.Once D1 is beaten D2 may cover across to defend, but can only move laterally between the red cones. The attack pass the ball to a support player to beat the defender.Once D2 is beaten D3 can come forward to defend and pressure the attack to try to stop the attack from scoring. D3 cannot leave his line until the attack have made a pass to beat D2.Defensive players sprint outside the grid to the try line once they have been beaten.The defender should commit to tackle one attacker. PROGRESSION:Start with defenders making a two-handed touch and then progress to D1, D2, and D3 making a full tackleD3 tries to stop the attack scoring a try by "holding up" the ball carrier

General

7's Fitness Handling Sevens - ...

Tell them the following...... The ball carrier will run forward with the ball, their partner will go with them in support. The ball carrier will pass the ball to the supporting player, who is moving forward. The new ball carrier will now pass the ball to the first receiver in the next group of two, who should be chasing - but no too close. And so the exercise continues, with each set of two support the last set of two. The challenge is, as well as good passing, is that the players should be around the 5 meter boxes and sprint back their starting position in order to keep the ball moving without stopping. Remind the players that this must be done at pace.

General

2 vs 2 (out - in support line)...

General

1v1 evasion Agility & Running ...

2 players start on opposite end of a 5x5m block On the whistle they run down the line, turn the corner, The player with the ball must try and beat the defender with his feet

General

2 vs 2 (loop and step inside) ...

This is a basic 2 vs 2 drill to allow players to progress from a simple 2 v 1. In a channel no wider than 10m, 2 attackers have 5 attempts to score a try on the red cones. The attackers try to create space and beat the defenders by running good support and holding lines.

General

Realign To Attack A Broken Def...

Three attacker start on their fronts with three defenders lying opposite them. On go the attackers backtrack and realign into an attacking line. Two defenders come up to defender with one handing back. The attackers try and beat the first two defenders and then try to beat the final defender at the back.

General

1v1 Competitive Warm Up Warm U...

<li dir="ltr">1 vs 1 in a small pitch<li dir="ltr">All players line up on the same line on one side of the pitch in the middle.<li dir="ltr">On the coaches signal, a player with a ball goes around a cone in one corner and another player goes around the other corner of the same sideline. <li dir="ltr">Then it is a simple 1 vs 1 with the player with the ball using footwork to beat the defender.<li dir="ltr">You can vary the level of contact at your discretion.

General

Keep Going 3/2 Sevens - Rugby ...

Tell the players the following..... The attackers will start at the base of the grid and attack the first box. The 2 defenders in that box, should defend within their box only. The attack should keep going, entering the second box, and beat the 2 defenders in that box. The attack will then turn and make their way down the grid, and repeat - until stopped by the coach.

General

Cat and Mouse Agility & Runnin...

Players stand back to back and await the coach's call. Whichever colour the coach shouts out are the mice (in the animation the coach shouts 'Blue'). Upon hearing the call the mice must try and escape by running out the far end of the grid. At the same time the cats (the other players) must turn around and try to catch the mice before they escape with a tag/tackle.

General

1 vs 2 Handling - Rugby Drills...

The aim of the drill is to develop ball carrying in a contact zone.

General

Running Lines To Break The Gai...

This drill coaches players the lines they should run when receiving the ball in order to maximise the chance of them breaking the gain line.<li dir="ltr">Use a tackle bag to simulate where the ruck and offside line would be.<li dir="ltr">The players line up as if they were going to come "around the corner" to receive the ball.<li dir="ltr">Players should run an L shaped running line to get across the first defender and then footwork to get through the second defender.Progression (0.49) - Add an extra pass to the drill<li dir="ltr">For the first receiver the drill is exactly the same in terms of the running line.<li dir="ltr">Then there is a second player on his outside shoulder who uses the same running line to beat the second defender.<li dir="ltr">The first receiver has a choice (1.19) - whether to go through the gain line and pass or pass before he gets to the gainline.What is the gain line?The gain line is an imaginary line in rugby parallel to the halfway line that is the back foot of the breakdown or the defences offsideline.

General

Building Speed Onto The Ball S...

The speed of the pass should be reasonable and provide the interceptors with a chance of success. Tell the players the following.... The rest of the players will start one cone back from the passers, each standing one behind the other. The first player will go, aiming to intercept the flat pass. Then the next, until all players have intercepted the pass. They then move another cone back - to do the same. They keep moving back until they don't have enough speed to get onto the ball. Don't forget to give the passers a chance, they could be injured players who you might want to keep busy with simple passing.

General

One on One Race Warm Up - Rugb...

Tell the players: The player in possession of the ball when the coach blows their whistle has to run around the cone at the end of the grid to try and run the full length of the grid to score a try. The player from the opposition in line with the player that is running can try to stop the player scoring by running around the cone and tagging the runner before they reach the line. For tag rugby players, provide all players with tags. In other variations decide on touch or contact, depending on how warm the players are - and your training goals. Provide coaching on the go with encouraging feedback.

General

2 v 2 (switch) Decision making...

General

Double Gauntlet Decision makin...

Mark an area 15m wide and 20m long.3 Attackers vs 2 Defence vs 2 DefenceHave the 2 lines of 2 Defenders 5-7m apart The 3 Attackers beat the first 2 defenders and then attack and beat the 2nd line.If an Attacker is touched by a Defender then they have to pass the ball. Stop every 2-3 runs to do stretches for a minute. To reset the play:The last 2 Attacking players to touch the ball become the second line of defense. The 2 Defenders from the original first defensive line move forward and with the other leftover Attacker they become the new Attackers.Make sure every player has a few rotations in Attack and Defence.Get the Attackers not to start in the same position every time.

General

2 vs 2 (quick scissor) Decisio...

This is a basic 2 v 2 drill to allow players to progress from a simple 2 v 1. In a channel no wider than 10m, 2 attackers have 5 attempts to score a try on the red cones. Left attacker makes swerving run to left of defender, before making an inside pass. The right attacker starts run towards oppo defender before stepping in to take pass and bringing the right defender across. The left attacker immediately changes direction to take a flat run and scissor pass before beating the right attacker on the outside

General

4v2 attacking grid Handling - ...

Groups 18Balls ConesGroups of 4 line up on all sides of the square.2 defenders tand in the middle of the grid. The attackers start by fixing and beating the 2 defenders in the middle. Once beaten offload the ball to the next 4 attacking a differnt direction. Aim is to score as many tries as possibel in a set time.

General

Tag: Hounds and Hairs Warm Up ...

The attackers need to get from one end of the grid, a safe zone, to the other end of the grid, another safe zone, without getting touched. You decide if the touch should be two hands or one hand. You decide when Hares can run, the attack begins on your call and each Hare has 10 seconds to start their attack. If a Hare is touched, they become a Hound - joining the defence. The last Hare standing or touched is the winner. The last two Hares in each game, become the first two Hounds. Tell your players the laws of this game, but keep your player briefing, brief!

General

Crossover Relay Passing - Rugb...

Keep your player briefing short. You may consider having a demonstration group. Give two players opposite each other, one ball each. On your call they will come forward, towards each other, sidestepping to avoid contact before passing the ball either left or right. There should be no forward passes and the players need to communicate to avoid both balls going in the same direction. When the receivers collect their pass - they do the same as the first set of ball carriers. Players that have completed their run and pass within the grid should join the end of the opposite line. Players should seek opportunity to pass off both their left and right hands.

General

Man to Man Defensive Patterns ...

3 attackers and 2 defenders. The scrum half passes to the first receiver of group of 3 attackers. The 3 attacking players must then pass the ball down the line as they attempt to beat the defenders.

General

3 v 1 Grid Passing - Rugby Dri...

6x6m Grid Ball Players line up in 3s opposite sides of the grid. Simply pass the ball along the line. 1 defender is in the middle of the grid putting pressure on all ball carriers.Once hand completed the next line starts immediately. Defender swaps out when there is a mistake or when he touches someone with the ball. Progression: add another defender, make the passes wider.

General

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beat the SESSIONS

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beat the ANSWERS

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Best way to beat the tackler?

One on ONe, what is the best way to beat the tackler? Side-step? Change of angle? Hand-off? Chip? Personally I like to side-step

PLAYERS STRUGGLE TO KEEPTHEIR POSITIONS ON PITCH. ?

PLAYERS STRUGGLE TO KEEPTHEIR POSITIONS ON PITCH. My young team of 11 to 13 year olds struggle to hold position on the pitch, with a stand off ending up on the wing, the winger ending up at scrum half etc! How can I help them to keep their positions?

Josh Macy Coach, United States of America

How should I defend against this team?

They are a very fast club with a lot of skill and pace. Though they tend to fall short in the more physical aspects of the game. We beat them last year by pounding them into submission with our forwards, but their speed always makes them very dangerous. The best player is their flyhalf, who is also shy in contact. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help guys, their aren't too many coaches to talk to down here in Guatemala.

5 answers

how do i coach the miss pass in rugby?

4 answers

I coach Under 11's I have two players that do all the right things in training but when the game starts they will not pass. They do score tries but I think we could score more if they passed. What can I do? Gary SWales

Ask a question and have it answered by Coaches from around the world and Sportplan's team of Experts.

Gary Grant Coach, Wales

17 answers

I need ideas for fun team building activities and any?

I need ideas for fun team building activities and any fun games to help towards team building. Has anyone got any ideas on what to do? Anything to spice up rugby training sessions in the dark, cold winter nights.

9 answers

Whats the different ways of placing the ball when tackled

Breakdown. I play openside flanker and could anyone?

Breakdown. I play openside flanker and could anyone offer any advice on effecting turnovers, now that you have to release the player once they've gone to ground?

how do you become better at running lines and angles?

how do you become better at running lines and angles when attacking with the ball in rugby

how can i come up with a game plan?

U10s organisation in defence. How to improve?

I have started an under 10s team up, and I would say about 8 from the 13 children I have , did not play rugby until about 6 months ago. Of these players, there seems to be a lot of potential, as we are scoring tries against teams, that very rarely concede tries.the problem I got with them, is that we are very poor at organising our selves in defense when the opposition has the ball, which does result in us conceding quite a few tries. We have some very good tacklers in the team. Can anyone offer some ideas on how I can get them to organise themselves? Thanks . Chris.

christopher jenkins Coach, Wales

16 answers

How do you approach a match you know your team will lose?

My young intermediate squad has some tough forthcoming league fixtures against sides they we are unlikely to beat. I expect I will focus the team talk on processes rather than outcome.Is there any merit in explaining that winning is unlikely and that we should look at other successes such as tackles made, limiting the number of tries etc?

Simon Luxton Coach, England

3 answers

What shall i do for drills, 8-10 year olds

What kind of drills will be good for young player 8-10?

Taylor Suckling Coach, New Zealand

Mac Coach, United States of America

u10 attacking help

Hey guys,My under 10s side (u9 last year) was really lacking defence and I worked extremely hard with them to start loving the contact and defending as a team. so much that this year their defence is really good but they've falling behind in being able to attack. I started loosely having them play set positions I.e forwards and backs so the forwards pump the hit ups and backs try to spread the ball. it works well in training and they seem to get it but it goes out the window during games.Sundays game was 0-0 for 30mins with the other team slipping in for one try. mind you this same team beat us 52-0 last year.how can I help them start getting points on the board? cheers

Matt Barton Coach, United Kingdom

0 answers

Tips on breaking through a def...

Hi my name is Mac and i am a 8 man and i struggle to push through a defensive line when i have the ball due to how my coaches make us practice so i wanted to know tips on how to push/break through a defensive line when i have the ball.

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