Age group coaching ideas

There is a logical approach to coaching age group rugby, however we thought we'd make your lives easier and write down some ideas with helpful video examples. At the youngest rugby age groups, coaches need to be aware of the fundamentals of movement rather than rugby specific movements, building love for the game and the values inherent within it. Here are some things to focus on...

U7s - U11s:

• Fundamental movement coaching / core skills - run, pass, catch and evade
• Development from touch/tag to the tackle
• Mini maul - ruck
• Principles of play
• New rules of play

From U12s we can adopt a different approach whereby development is more technical and rugby specific. Subsequently the coaches knowledge needs to be developed from here onwards inline with the demands of the sport: some film examples are provided.

U12s - U15s:

• Principles of play
• Ball grip, ball transfer & carry (watch here 📺)
• Passing variations inc. push/spin/netball (watch here 📺)
• Running lines inc. width/depth/support/
• Tackle variations -side/front/safety aspects/dominant-soak
• Offloading, ball transfer, fending - add in moving defenders/support (watch here 📺)
• Hierarchy of contact - before/during/after
• Ball Presentations - winning the collision/losing/jacknife/long lie/upfield (watch here 📺)
• Roles at the breakdown & decision making - clearing/body shape
• Continuity - inc passing rucking/mauling/leeching/ball carry
• Scrummaging - inc Tower of Power - 1v1/2v1/3v3/5v5/8v8 (watch here 📺)
• Lineout - throwing in,movement,calls - mauling/OTT/peels
• Preparing to lift (U15s) - blockers (watch here 📺)
• Defensive systems - at the ruck/drift/man on man (watch here 📺)
• Counter attack
• Positional play - 1 to 15
• Restarts
• Kicking strategy & coaching of these technical skills: box, grubber, cross-field etc.(watch here 📺)
• many more examples at RugbyCoachingDrills.com

It's highly unlikely that you'll have the time or energy to get through all these aspects to the necessary level of understanding. RugbyCoachingDrills.com can assist you in having the knowledge and understanding at your fingertips. We can give you a range of technical videos and films practices that allow you to deliver a session with plenty of good fun games but also the technical delivery that players need.

Take a look at our last blog on the importance of training the technical skills alongside your gameplay work here.

If you are looking to set up a school or club account with RCD then please get in touch with info@rugbycoachingdrills.com