rugby drills
Rugby Drills
Rugby is as much brain, as it is brawn. Read this article which explains a few basic rugby drills for forwards and tacklers, to improve skills required in the sport.
- Arrange all attacking players in a diagonal line. Let defenders stand all together at a considerable distance away from the attackers on their right .
- Pass the ball to the attacker on the extreme right.
- With the ball in hand, the attackers should run ahead in a straight line, passing the ball to the side.
- As these attackers move forward, defenders should try to prevent them from scoring with a two handed tag.
- The drill ends when either group succeeds.
- Try increasing the number of defenders
- Reduce space between markers and perform the drill in a shorter space to get players even more focused.
- Give defenders more liberty in tackling attackers.
- Mark out a square shaped section using cones.
- There will be one attacker and two defenders. All three of them will be arranged in a straight line, with the attacker on the border of the square and the defenders in front of him.
- The attacker is the ball carrier and is in contact with the defender just ahead of him.
- When the coach calls, the attacker tries to move forward.
- The other defender comes in from behind to stop the attacker's momentum. Once stopped, the attacker should run and place the ball cleanly.
- In this drill there will be 9 attackers up against 6 defenders.
- The attackers need to arrange themselves in a horizontal line, with defenders in front arranged in a similar manner.
- Use cones to mark 3 breakdown areas on the field. A ball needs to be kept in each of these places. Label the breakdown areas as 1, 2, and 3, and let players know about the numbering.
- The coach will shout out a number and all players must run to that particular breakdown area, taking positions.
- The half back then passes the ball to attackers.
- The defenders need to protect the fringes and prevent any attacker from crossing the line.
- The attackers on the other hand, must use all their skill and try crossing the gain line.
- On completion of the attack, the coach calls out a different number and the drill continues.
- Change positions of the breakdown areas.
- Change the number of breakdown areas and try to mix up the calls.
- Exploit the defense by getting in the attacking option for attackers.
- Arrange 3 cones and the agility pole in a diamond formation.
- Get 3 players to stand behind each of the cones.
- One player comes to the center with the ball and on the coach's call, runs around the agility pole to come back to the place he started.
- When he arrives, he is met with a side-on tackle by a player from one of the sides.
- The defender, after making the tackle, secures the ball and runs around the agility pole.
- When he arrives back to the center, he is met with a front on tackle from a defender behind the cone.
- This player then collects the ball and runs around the agility pole and is again tackled by a defender at the center.
- The drill continues till every player has tackled and carried the ball around the pole.