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warmup DRILLS
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3-Kick Warmup

Drill to warm up/practice different types of kick. Players form two lines in the 15m channels with all the balls starting on one side. The player with the ball at the front of the line runs out and does a cross-field punt to a partner on the opposite side of the pitch - kick labelled 1. The partner catches the ball, and does a chip kick which they chase and gather themselves - kick labelled 2. Once they have gathered their chip kick they perform a grubber kick to their partner who has continued their run. Aiming to kick the ball between the posts for their partner to gather and score - kick labelled 3. Players jog back to join the back of the opposite line. Once the first pair have performed the chip kick, the next pair in line can go.

Kicking

Ball Tag Warm Up - Rugby Drill...

Make sure that you have your warm-up area marked out before your players arrive, it's important that you get them working right away. You can decide to play this game in smaller grids, or a larger playing area with the entire team. If using small grids, they can be 10 meters x 10 meters - and mark out as many as you need depending on the size of your team. If playing in a large area with the entire team, have two players working as taggers. The rest will be attackers - running around the playing area trying to avoid the taggers/defenders. If playing in a smaller area, have 2 defenders/taggers and 6 attackers. Give the taggers/defenders a ball each. Keep your law briefing, brief! It's important to get the players working as soon as possible. Tell the players that the two players with the balls will be chasing and looking to tag the rest of the players. If you get tagged, you join the taggers team. Play the game until all players are tagged. The last two players tagged, become the first two taggers for the next game. The ball cannot be thrown.

General

3-Kick Warmup Kicking - Rugby ...

Drill to warm up/practice different types of kick.Players form two lines in the 15m channels with all the balls starting on one side.The player with the ball at the front of the line runs out and does a cross-field punt to a partner on the opposite side of the pitch - kick labelled 1.The partner catches the ball, and does a chip kick which they chase and gather themselves - kick labelled 2. Once they have gathered their chip kick they perform a grubber kick to their partner who has continued their run. Aiming to kick the ball between the posts for their partner to gather and score - kick labelled 3.Players jog back to join the back of the opposite line.Once the first pair have performed the chip kick, the next pair in line can go.

General

Bank Robbers Warm Up - Rugby D...

Keep your player briefing, brief! Tell the players the following laws for this exercise..... Players must start the game behind the outer cone of their corner and only one of them can enter the grid at any one time. This game works on a relay basis, one and only one player in the grid from each group at a time - and the next player must be touched before they may enter the playing area. While balls are in the center of the grid, one relay robber from each team can enter the grid to steel a ball from the center of the grid and bring it back to their own box or bank. If all the balls in the center of the grid have been stolen, teams can now steel each others balls - but the same relay rules apply. The winning team is the team that can get 4 balls into their box. Adjust this to allow your players to experience success or to make the game harder. You can add or remove balls to make the game harder or easier. No cheating! Only one ball can be carried at a time, only one player from each team in the grid, and you cannot go until tagged.

General

Cone Agility Warm Up - Rugby D...

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.

General

The Atom Game Warm Up - Rugby ...

Quickly tell the players that when you blow you whistle and shout Atom, you will also shout a number to let the players know the size of the groups/atoms they need to get into. For example - if you shout Atom six - you want the players to get into groups of six. They should bind on in the groups to create a small circle of players. In between atom calls the players run around the grid in different and random directions. Some players may be left out of some groups/atoms, depending on the size of the groups when you call Atom. If those plays are a little put out by being left out, give them the opportunity to make the next Atom call. <em>Progression:</em> Same as above, but in between Atom calls you play Simon Says e.g. let the players jog around but you call Simon Says put you hand on your head, Simon Says touch the ground with your right hand, Simon says jump up and clap your hands, ATOM 4! T his should be fun, joke a little with the players and have fun with this. You may decide on minor outcomes for players that don't get into groups quick enough e.g. 2 press-ups. You are the referee, so use your judgment.

General

Back roll Warm Up - Rugby Dril...

Player sit on the ground, bring their knees towards their chest and put their arms around their legs. Once in this position they should rock backwards and forwards.

General

Alcatraz: Jail Break Warm Up -...

This is a great warm-up for defensive and evasion sessions, or it might even be a warm-up that helps you reinforce coaching points made during a previous session. The best bit is that it's fun and relevant to all ages. If you're coaching tag rugby, change the warm-up exercise from contact to tags. One team runs clockwise round the inside of the circle with the other team running anti-clockwise around the outside of the circle. The circle in this case is marked out using blue cones, but you can use whatever colour you like. When the coach shouts 'Jailbreak' the players inside the inner circle try to 'escape' to outside the 10m x 10m square (yellow cones). The size of the square and distance from the circle is a suggestion, play with it a little and let us know your variations! The inside team scores a point for each 'jailbreaker' - swap over. If you have an odd number of players give the defenders the extra man.

General

Space Invaders Warm Up - Rugby...

Keep your playing briefing, brief and tell the players the following laws. Both teams are in attack and both teams are in defence, at the same time! It is up to you how many players you allocate to your attack and how many you allocate to your defence. If you are touched while carrying the ball (decide if the touch is one handed or two handed), you and your entire team must return to your red zone before being able to restart your attack. While your team is returning to your own zone - you cannot defend the neutral zone and any touches in there will not count. If your team makes a mistake e.g. a dropped ball or forward pass. Your entire team must return to your own red zone, not defending the neutral zone as you retreat. The winning team is the team that invades the oppositions space and scores a try, just outside the grid, first. There is no offside in defence. There is no kicking.

General

Quick Hands - Warm Up Sevens -...

Within a group there are two groups of 4 attackers and one chaser/scrum half. At the middle point, marked by a cones, the scrum half moves the ball to the first attacking line. The scrum half firstly tracks the progress of the ball, as the exercise progresses - the scrum half should apply more and more pressure to the ball carrier - working up to the point of becoming a full on defender. When the ball reaches the opposite end of the grid, the last player in the line sets the ball down. The scrum half then feeds the ball to the next attacking line, fulfilling their own role within the exercise. The opposite attacking line should realign in preparation for the next attack. The tempo of this exercise should be high.

General

Rugby Netball Warm Up - Rugby ...

Break your players into two teams. One team goes to attack, and one to defence. There is no kicking in this game. Normal laws of rugby do not apply e.g. the ball can be passed in any direction. The ball is passed from player to player, but once the ball is caught - the ball carrier must stop moving. They can move only to pass the ball to another player. The defenders can close down attackers, working to remove attacking options. Defenders can intercept the ball, but must leave the ball carrier alone once the ball is cause. They can apply pressure on the pass, similar to the pressure that a bastleball player might apply (but consider using this as a progression). Tries can be scored by attackers who catch the ball inside the oppositions in goal area. Dropped balls result in a turn over.

General

Scrum 2v1 Warm Up - Rugby Dril...

Groups of 3. - 1 player is active, 2 players are resisiting. - Active player gets into scrumage position between 2 defending players.- Tries to push both players back, like a scrum.

General

warm up - wrestle Warm Up - Ru...

players start ontop of eachother.the guy ontop is trying to stop the boy on the bottom gettign up wrestle and by no means let the player on the floor up.

General

Warm up - Bulldog Touch Warm U...

2 Catchers.Everyone else Runners. This is a warm up game that is used to raise the heart rates of the children. Using half the pitch, nominate 2 catchers, the aim of the game is to touch as many as the runners before they reach the otherside of the pitch.If a runner get touched or tagged, thye join the catchers. Last man standing. Encourgae the kids to undertsand the concept of touch or tags.

General

Side Wrestle Warm Up - Rugby D...

2 players pair up, site back to back and lock arms together. The coach tells each player to lean a side. when the coach blows hs whistle they players wrestle to get there shoulder to the gorund the coach said. Once one player has won, you must reset and start again.

General

Traffic Passing Warm Up - Rugb...

This passing exercise will keep large groups of players busy passing, running onto, and moving the ball in traffic without the need to spend large amounts of time standing around and doing very little. It's a little confusing to start with, but when the players get going - it's great fun and very busy. Create a large box, the size is up to you and can be varied depending on your coaching goals. Each side of the box should have 4/5 players, more or less if you wish, standing in an attacking passing line - ready to go. You'll need two balls, give one ball to the first player on one of the lines, and the other to the last player on the line opposite. The lines advance passing the ball down the line as they go - they will pass through one another. When the ball gets to the end of the line, the last ball holder passes the ball to the first receiver of the line closest to them - and that line advances. There should be two lines active at any one time, and two lines getting ready to go. I hope that makes sense!

General

1v1 Clap Tackle - Warm up Warm...

Groups of 2.Everyone find some space.Stand opposite your partner.One of the players (attacker) use footwork and move arround.The other (defender), try to keep as close as they can to the moving player.The attackers claps at a point of his choice, this is when the defender makes a shoulders on contact.Low Impact.Shoulders on.

General

Competitive Sidestep Drill War...

<li dir=&quot;ltr&quot;>Two players are competing to manoeuver around the sticks or cones and get over the line.<li dir=&quot;ltr&quot;>Set up sticks (or cones) on the pitch as shown in the video.<li dir=&quot;ltr&quot;>Players line up in two lines and on the coaches signal/whistle players begin the drill.

General

10 Pass game Warm Up - Rugby D...

2 teams  Bibs  Balls  One team must try and complete 10 passes in a small grid.  When the player has the ball in his hand he cannot move, the other team must try to intercept the ball to stop them completing 10 passes.  Defending team must stand 1 metre away from ball carrier. If the ball is dropped or intercepted its a turn over.  If a team knock the ball down its a knock on and the same attacking team keep the ball. 

General

Warm up - Slaps and Taps Warm ...

Partners Work in 1 min setsThis game is to increace heart rate, reaction times and footwork. The aim of the game is to tap/slap either the soulder, knee, or foot of your partner. Shoulder - 2 points Knee - 3 pointsFoot - 5 pointsGood for contact warm up - essential to stay light on feet, and foot in close (2 skills you work on in tackling)

General

Simple Passing Warm Up Passing...

Passing and receiving exercise to warm the players up and get the handling skills ready for training.Minimum 9 players.Groups of three run out together in a lineAn end player starts with the ball and passes to the player next to them, who passes to the other end player of the three.That player then pops the ball off to the player in the next group of three opposite them.The passage continues.

General

Drop Out Touch Warm Up - Rugby...

Two teamsAttacking and defensive focusNormal game of touch rugby, however whenever the defender touches an attacker, they must run back to their own try line and stay out the game until the play breaks downAttacking team look to identify the space created from defensive drop outWorking on defensive communication and work rate

General

Four Handed Touch Warm Up - Ru...

The following are the laws for this game: Equal number of defenders and attackers. Use bibs to identify both teams. Normal laws of rugby apply; a knock on etc. results in a turn over. The attacking team gets 8 touches before the ball has to be turned over. Change this to suit your training goals. It would be ok to have unlimited touches, changing the defence and attack after a set period of time. A player is touched only when two defenders have all four hands on them, if this is not the case - the attacker can play on. Defenders cannot hold the attacker, nor can the attacker use significant force to push through defenders. If a player is touched: they stop, set the ball down, stand over it, and the scrum half is allowed to move the ball again to restart the attack. The defence must remain onside following a touch. Only when the support player passes the ball out can the defence press up on the attack. If the defence goes offside or operates illegally, the attack gains 10 meters. Don't forget to switch the teams around. There is no kicking.

General

Running Warm Up Warm Up - Rugb...

Tell players the following.... Each Player will work individually, unless told otherwise. Players can run in any direction: moving forward or side to side. They must remain within the grid trying to avoid contact by running into space, sidestepping for example. They will have a ball each. When the coach calls stop, all players must be at least 1m from the nearest player. From time to time players will be ask to do things e.g. 1 press-up. Following completing the instruction - players should keep moving. You will be asked to pass your ball - before doing anything make sure you communicate with another player, you agree to pass to each other, and then you make the pass! This part of your warm-up should be no more than five minutes.

General

Depth, Fitness, Warming Up War...

This exercise is all about getting deep lines of support, speed onto the ball, warming up the entire body, and getting fit for rugby - in this one we're doing lots and achieving more than your players may realize. Using cones, mark out a box - size depends on your coaching goals. Have 4 passing units, 1 on each side of the box. Decide on the numbers that you would like in each unit, depends on the number of players at training and your goals for the training session. Give the first player in one of the units a ball, and the last player in the opposite facing unit a ball. The ball carrier starts on their feet, but the rest of the unit starts laying down on the ground. They can only get up to receive the ball when the ball carrier (who will be passing the ball to them) has advanced 1 meter. When the ball gets to the end of the line, the last receiver passes to the first receiver in the line closest to them. The units that have just finished should quickly change place to that the first runner is different each time, they should set and get ready to go again. Keep the action going.

General

Maul Touch Warm Up - Rugby Dri...

Be brief when telling the players the laws of this game, it's important to get them moving quickly. This is not a contact game, but there will be some light contact. Break your players into two teams, giving each team their own colour of bibs if necessary. One team goes to attack, and one to defence. Nominate a Scrum Half for each team, it will be their job to move the ball from the back of the maul and out to an attacking line. There is no kicking in this game. Normal laws of rugby apply e.g. a forward pass will result in the ball being turned over to the opposition. If an attacking player is touched: they must stop and turn, a maul is then built based on how you have trained your players to Maul. Only four players should be in the maul - but every player should be able to maul - including the backs! When you start playing this game make sure that the defence is employing your defensive pattern around the maul. They will commit 4 players, but will not do anything more than provide light resistance. Once formed the maul can take four steps before moving the ball. If there is a delay in creating the maul, or the quality of the maul is poor - the ball can be turned over. Depending on your goals decide on the number of touches you wish to allow e.g. unlimited is not a bad option as mistakes will be made! If a team has been in possession for a long time, don't forget to turn the ball over to give the opposition a run. Don't hesitate to shape the game to focus on your session goals, and let us and other coaches know what worked for you.

General

Quick Hands Primer Warm Up - R...

Set up: Set up the cones as shown with a cone 10 meters each side of the posts on the try line. This will mark where the ball will be passed from (feeder) preferably from a scrum half.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>Divide the group into 4 and ask them to stand in single file behind each cone, 3 attacking groups, 1 defending group.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The ball is fed from a position on the try line (10 meters from the post). <span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The players on the staggered cones opposite the posts will catch and pass the ball using the correct technique.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The player on the defending cone will move forward once the scrum half passes the ball to apply pressure on the middle attacking player.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The players on the middle cone will receive the ball with a live defender in front of them.<span style=&quot;background-color: transparent;&quot;>The 3rd receiving player needs to receive the ball at pace and run as close to the outside post as possible.

General

Wave After Wave Warm Up - Rugb...

The front line of players run towards the other side of the grid while passing the ball down the line. When the last player in the line receives the ball the line form behind runs through and receives the ball to continue to the other side of the grid. The first wave should realign behind the second wave, when the second wave has the ball.

General

Pass and Follow Warm Up - Rugb...

They pass the ball around either clock wise or anti clock wise, you can decide to change the direction youself at any point during the exercise. After the player passes the ball they have to follow their pass, touching the cone of the player they passed to - then get back to their cone before receiving the next pass. The tempo of this exercise should be high.

General

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warmup ANSWERS
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My team takes 15min to really start playing...

My team takes 15min to really start playing... what should I do? These are high school boys that have never played the sport before. After a few games, they play really well in the 2nd half but by that time we are down 2 or 3 tries. Is it a warmup issue? Nerves? Any ideas?

Mike McD Coach, Canada

coaching under 9s next year, where do I start?

Hi, I’m coaching under 9s next year which involves tackling, mauls, rucks etc. I’m after advise on what to coach first and the amount of time spent on each area. Added to this I’ve somehow become the lead coach after a couple of coaches stepped down (feeling a little under pressure!) Would anybody be willing to share any sessions so I can plan the first month or so. Cheers

Archived User Coach

How to organize favorite drills?

I want to make my own collection of drills that I like but would like to have them organized (warmup, forehand, backhand,...). How can I do that?I can't find a way to add drills to my folders and when adding them to my favorites list, there is no way of organizing them

Marc Siegel Coach, Germany

Rugby warm-Ups for Mini Rugby ...

Hi. I am in charge of the Mini Rugby (age 8) warm-up and am interested in more ideas. I try and keep them fun, sports specific and interesting for the boys and they seem to like what I do. Can anyone please help? Thanks!

Archived User Coach

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