Rugby: Ball Tag

What a fantastic tool. I've found a few drills that are unfamiliar,...
Wes, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

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.

COACHING POINTS

You don't need to focus on all or any other the following coaching points; you may have some of your own! If you do decide to use the following, pick the ones that match your training goals for this session.

  • Attackers move, changing direction in order to avoid contact and attack space.
  • Ball carriers carry the ball in two hands.
  • Communication between attackers identifies defenders, their location etc.
  • Attackers work to draw defenders away from attackers that may be getting cornered.
  • Attackers use changes in foot speed, spin, and sidesteps to avoid contact.
  • Defenders work together to isolate attackers.
  • Defenders communicate to identify attackers and close them down.
  • Defenders methods and communication becomes more sophisticated e.g. working in a line, moving up together etc. If using tags, defenders remove tags.
  • There should be evidence of teamwork on both sides.
  • Players respond to what they see and what they hear.
  • Players think about is happening now, but also about what might happen next.

PROGRESSION

Tag Rugby Variation: Play the same game, but make sure all the players have tags. Each player that's doesn't get touched by a ball has two lives - two tags. They keep running until either touched by the ball (they have to remove both tags), or have both tags removed by a defender who has been taged with a ball.

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