Tackle Technique - Down/Up and hit shield

Originally a rugby league practise this exercise is used for players to gain confidence in contact with both contact shields and the ground. Body position is important as is leg drive and the speed of hitting the ground and getting back up again. You can do this in lines and use it for fitness

4 v 3 after 5m reset

Core skills training

Passing 4 v 3 reset

A progression from 2 v 1 , 3 v 2 to 4 v 3

Passing Warm-up in 3s

A simple pass-along-the-line warm up. Work in lines of 3 and ensure you pass off both hands. There's no need to do this for too long, but it is useful to get players switched on to passing.

Lateral passing & double switch in 3s

A core handling exercise for developing lines of running

Lateral passing in 3s

A core handling exercise that coaches can use to vary the width, depth of pass plus introduce static and live defenders. An exercise repeated at the elite end of the game

Tackle bag drill one hit & support

support has to read whch bag is being tackled and get to be in support by reading the situation

Dynamic Warm up in 3s

Filton College prepare for a sevens match with dynamic footwork and light plyometric drills.

Support play in 3s, Offload and ruck

Practice the different options in recycling the ball. A lot of the time, the ball will be tied up and an offload won't be on. Develop this drill by allowing the players to call how the ball should be played, and for their teammates to react.

Lateral passing in 3s

Core skills development of teh lateral pass whgilst running

Attacking realignment in 3s exercise

Handling progression

Alignment exercise in 3s

A handling progression for developing speed of handling & alignment

Lateral passing in 3s with a switch

A core passing exercise for developing the lateral passing drill

Lateral passing in 3s (SM)

A simple lateral passing exercise for all standards. These basic skills are fundamental to rugby and should be repeated using a number of different practises. Key factors : Communication - Present a target with your hands - Run straight - Pass the ball across your body - Realign to repeat

Lateral passing in 3s

A great warm up drill and passing exercise.

Tower Of Power; With Shields

Lateral passing & miss pass with follow in 3s

handling progression for developing lines of running and support

Lateral Passing in 3s

A quick exercise to identify ability in catching & passing. Encourage players to have targets up, and to hold their run.

Impact Wrap Tackle

Impact Wrap Tackle

Tackle Techniques For Hard Ground

Tackle practise during the summer months can be tricky with the hard grounds. Using contact shields to improve the key safety features should be part of your training toolbox

Brian Smith - How to Plan Training

London Irish Director of Rugby Brian Smith discusses the key objectives and challenges when planning a training session.

Ruck Clearing and Decision Making

Advanced clearing exercises for senior players. The support player makes a decision on how to clear out the ruck based on the position of the opposition.

Tom Wood on Tackle Technique

Breakdown - Two Man Turnovers

Turnovers at the breakdown is back in the spotlight and the recent Australian performances have highlighted how important they are. Neal Hatley from Bath explains how the role of the 2nd man is key and how to practise the technique

Techniques needed to box kick

Elite coach and player go through the skills required to box kick. There are three main steps and some recommended practises with some added competition to help improve

Tackle Technique - Full Session

[WITH DRILL VIDEOS] This session from Joe Goodman (Bristol University Rugby) has been designed to prepare players for a return to full contact competition, re-establishing correct technique to ensure safe, efficient tackling through progressively increasing the level of contact and complexity of skill execution.

England Sevens - Tom Mitchell - Conditioning Circuit

7s training

Collision Fitness - Spinning Bears

Another innovative exercise from "The Athlete Factory" which combines speed & power with technical accuracy. These exercises can be applied to all age groups to build confidence

Tackling 4 - Feet and Body Position

Tackling 4 - Feet and Body Position

Pressure's on - Coaching Decision Making

Total Control Under Pressure - When teams performances unfold late on in matches and players seem to struggle to make the right decisions its usually to do with fatigue and pressure. How can coaches help players to improve in this area

Tackle Technique - Head Position

With the attacker holding a tackle shield, and running either left or right of the defender, the key point of this drill is ensure the tackler's head is on the right side.

Contact Warm-up

A multi-stage bag drill that gets players ready for an intense contact session.

Head position - How To Coach

Making sure that defenders put their head on the correct side is the most important aspect of tackling, coaches can improve confidence by using contact shields and surprise tactics to help train players improve their technique

Attack vs Defence Continuous Drill 4V2

The attackers work to beat the defence, setting up a 'tip' (running a hard line) and 'pull back' option. They should read the defensive movements and make a decision to hit the tip option or pull out the back.

Offloads through contact then lateral pass

In groups of 4, players must support each other through a tight channel of tackle shields, before panning out to complete lateral passes to the wing.

Tackling 9 - Revise Tracking and Front Tackling

Passing - 3 v 2 Static Defenders

Progress to working in 3s against two static defenders. The pressure is on the middle player to hold their depth and perform a quick pass.

Two Channel Passing Exercise

Players work in 3s running around the corner and realigning to attack. Introduce defenders and the need to look up and communicate.

Ball Retention Techniques

Progressions are used to build the technical competency and the confidence of players learning to clear defenders away from the contact area. It is interesting to see that no contact shields are used

Introducing a defensive System

This exercise focuses on the key elements of a strong defensive system, including scanning, line-speed and staying linked with your team mates.

Worcester - Live breakdown work

A further progression for players to make decisions with multiple attackers and defenders on what the 1st and 2nd player does at the tackle

Kiwi Tackling - Pre Tackle Practises

Sharing our coaching ideas is great for the game. Players in New Zealand hone their skills at an early age and it is globally accepted that they have the best techniques across all positions. Coaching the tackle is a key fundamental that all players practise regularly

Safety 1st With The Tower of Power

The "Tower of Power" is integral to coaching all contact with safety as the main priority

Attacking progression's 5 v 4

Progressing from 3 v 2s an 4 v 3s, you can now attack with something resembling a full back-line. Give the defence different instructions each time to test the reactions and decision-making skills of your attacking players.

Contact Square - Inside Clear

All attacking players need to fix their opposite defender.

Tackle Technique - Progressions for Juniors

This clip illustrates tackle technique using progressions suitable to all players and possibly requiring regular revisit to embed safe and effective tackling

Ground work is crucial to retain possession

It is important for players to practice working hard on the ground to get the ball presented back to their team. This session uses bodyweight exercises to practice the movement and enforces it with a conditioned game.

The Science Behind Goal Kicking

There is a science and a process that underpins kicking at goal. This video clip takes you through the key factors to focus on when practising your kicking

Bouncing - The key to contact skills

Encouraging players to improve their "Floor" skills is the key to improving contact skills such as tackling, rucking and competing for the ball. It might be simple but it is effective

Functional Movement Warm Up Part 1

Every player should be able to perform these movements well! Mastering these will carry over to preventing injuries, managing collisions and maximising power and speed. Check out the related videos for part 2.

Learning to Tackle - Under 9's & Up

The RFU new rules of play have completely changed the approach of introducing young players to tackling. A phased approach may challenge previous methods however by viewing the practical session on this video you can see how the process works

Ball Presentation Game

Use this game to practice great ball presentation. Ensure the tackling player is bouncing back to their feet so that this mentality carries over to game day.

Expert Passing

Elite Sixth form players showcase that good passing technique is essential to become a good rugby player. The pass has some simple but very important components that need to be practised

The Tackler's Responsibilities

This clip shows a whole session including progressions on the actions of the tackler during the tackle and after the tackle. An excellent contact session delivered by the Sale Sharks Community coaches.

Breakdown Skills for Mini age groups

Introducing contact and breakdown skills to younger players can be a challenge for many coaches, in this clip the Northampton saints community coaches explain some of the technical points and use some simple practises to help them learn

Impact Guard Tackle

This tackle is used when close to either try line and intended to stop the ball carrier from moving forward

Kicking - The Drop / Ball Placement

Dropping the ball properly is considered the main priority for many kickers, if they get the drop right then the other techniques fall into place. Dave Walder from the Newcastle Falcons explains some of the skills

Building the scrummage

The new scrum laws are providing a challenge for all levels of the game, here Jon Curry from Northampton saints questions junior players on their knowledge, clarifies his interpretation and provides some practical answers and solutions to executing an effective scrum

Games & drills for tackle technique

The Falcons coaches use a variety of games and breakout drills to progress their tackle technique session. The players respond to questions to vary the style of coaching

Chop Tackle - Pad Drill

Aim to develop good tackle habits through repetitive practice. Using pads allows you to train with intensity whilst lowering the impact on the body.

Home Training - Solo Passing

Practicing rugby skills at home can be difficult if there are no others to play with. But there are still things you can do by yourself if you have a ball handy. This exercise requires passing against a wall, developing accuracy, hand-eye co-ordination and problem solving. Also, check out our other videos on developing grip.

Home skills - Wall passing

Practising skills on your own can be tedious but using a wall to improve your passing can present some interesting challenges

Catching is the First Skill of Passing

Being able to catch is fundamental to rugby and the majority of sports. Catching in rugby is slightly different due to the shape of the ball and understanding the technical points of "How to catch" is a very important area for all young players. This clip explains some of the finer points and why a good catch is the basis of a good pass

Contact Preparation

To prevent injury, it's important to ensure your players have done some upper body / contact exercises before doing any tackling drills.

Wasps - Footwork The Key To Big Tackles

Aggressive tackling is fundamental to Wasps performances and their players physicality is part of their DNA. Brad Davis overseas a tackle technique session that will change your approach to coaching the tackle

How to coach the Catch or Choke Tackle

Some of the latest ideas around tackle technique and what defenders are trying to achieve. This session provides the technical progressions needed to teach the choke / catch tackle

Ruck touch - Focus on rolling players away

A key technique at the breakdown is the ability to roll players away, this applies when your opponent already has a good body position over the ball. Danny Wild from Leeds carnegie uses a game and breakout sessions to deliver his session

Quick Ball Presentation Drills

Use these quick and competitive games to practice good and strong ball presentation. Practice with high standards and it will come naturally in the games!

Quick Ball Presentation Drills

Use these quick and competitive games to practice good and strong ball presentation. Practice with high standards and it will come naturally in the games!

Back Row Defence

Back Row Defence

Managing the Contact Area

Concentrating on the actions of the tackler and the support player in the moments after a tackle. It's important to practice the correct body position and technique so that the right decision can be made on the pitch.

Kicking - Striking The Ball

Accurate kicking requires an understanding of how the foot should strike the ball. Expert kicking coach Dave Walder delivers a coaching clinic detailing the key factors and steps coaches should follow

Kicking - Striking The Sweetspot

If you strike the ball in the right place you are halfway to delivering an accurate kick. The "Sweetspot" of the ball is significantly larger than you may think. This clip explains where the sweetspot is and how to get a good connection

Sale Sharks Community - Breakdown Technique

Sale Sharks Community Coach Darren Lemon takes a youth session on effective breakdown technique, including essential safety pointers. Join now to see the full session and many others.

Loosehead Prop Tips

Technical pointers for senior loosehead props in the scrum. Share this video by going clicking a blue tab below and selecting the share icon

Develop Confidence For Tackling

Developing confidence in and around the tackle is very important when starting to teach tackle techniques. This clip provides a few ideas that you could use in your sessions

Tackling 5 - 'Boxer Hands' and Arms

Dylan Hartley on the Lineout

Home training - Skills on your own

Some simple skills to work on at home on your own. You can set yourself targets and make the exercise easier or more difficult

Technical Fitness with Tackle Bags

Tackle bags are a great tool to use in your conditioning sessions. The reduced impact allows players to peform high repititions of contact technique under fatigue, with low risk of injury.

Joe Launchbury - Lineout Tips

England & Wasps Second row Joe Launchbury provides a few tips on the role of the lock and what coaches and players should focus on

Contact Conditioning Intervals

Get your players ready for contact with these exercises, warming up the body for a season of collisions. Start with 1 minute on 1 minute off and play about with the intervals!

Bear Crawl Touch

During pre-season, it's a great idea to keep training fun, but with emphasis on building fitness. Conditioned games are an excellent way to do this. In this game, defenders who make a touch must run back to their own try line and complete a bear crawl before rejoining the game. This gives opportunities to the attacking team.

Attacking lines and late shifting

This clip demonstrates the skills and movements required to fix and beat defenders. Using a combination of passing accuracy and physical agility can significantly improve your attacking options. The coach uses questions to help the players learn

Harlequins - What Coaches Look For

What is it that elite coaches look for in players

How Gloucester academy prepare for matches

See how the Gloucester academy manager prepares his squad prior to an academy fixture. The warm up includes lots of games, stretching and unit skills with a gradual increase in intensity

Groundwork Skills

Improving some simple ball presentation skills can have a significant effect on the quality of your breakdown and the speed of the ball delivered from the contact area. This is a great technique that all players should learn

The Choke Tackle

The choke tackle is a technique used to slow attacking ball down. By wrapping the attacker high around the ball and lifting them slightly, their momentum is reduced and they are unable to make the offload. The longer a tackler can keep them from going to ground, the more time the rest of the defence have to get ready.

Sale - Lineout lifting & set

Coaching junior players to lift effectively in the line out is based upon some simple steps. Ross Harrison from Sale sharks outlines the key principles and progresses to the driving maul

Ruck Clearing Exercises

Two crucial clearance techniques - the saddle roll, and the duck and clean. It's important for players to practice these at length, under pressure, under fatigue, and with an element of decision-making in order to best re-create a match situation.

Geech - World-class Basics

Wasps Tackle Safely & Dominate

Coaching a safe head position for tackling is not only a "Duty of care" for coaches but it also developes great body position and the platform to drive your opponents backwards. This video shows how physical the Wasps players are but not without safety & accurate technique

Neal Hatley - Decision Making At The Breakdown

Coaching players to make the right decisions at the breakdown is a challenging task. Bath coach Neal Hatley has a number of tips and in this clip he takes us through one of them

Premiership Rugby Camps

Premiership rugby camps are a great opportunity to test & challenge young players, learn new skills & have great fun. New environments, elite coaches and new friends are just a few of the benefits in attending

Level 2 - Scrum Body Positions

Level 2 - Scrum Body Positions

Defence - Tackle Progressions

Understanding tackle techniques and the progressions is integral for all coaches as a basic fundamental in coaching contact. The IRB "rugby ready" course provides a step by step approach to compliment the technques in this section

Complimentary Attack

Complimentary Attack

Introduction to tackling - Step 2

The transition from practicing tackling on knees to tackling on feet starts with the tackler remaining on their knees and the ball-carrier walking past. Then progress to having both players on their feet, but still executing the tackle at a controlled, walking pace.

Tackling 16 - Conditioned Games

Tackling 6 - Revision of Tracking and Basic Technique