British Bulldogs - Defence game

The classic schoolyard game. Played full contact but with tackle pads. Attackers must get to the other side of the field without dropping their ball or being pinned to the ground by defenders with tackle pads.

Games for coaching Contact

The coaches use a variety of conditions for both the attackers and defenders to reinforce the coaching points. Small sided games enable players to learn in a live environment similar to actual match conditions

Tag Game - Mis-Match Tag

A TAG progression to identify attacking opportunities

Conditioned Game

A full-contact game to finish the session. The condition is that breakdowns only allow one player from each side, putting more focus on open play to practice the running and tackling skills covered in the session.

Offload off floor touchrugby

A game for support running and lifting the ball off the floor after the tackle

Chapter 1 - Playing Tag Rugby

Introduction to TAG

Touch rugby with offload after touch

A game for understanding the importance of support.

Paramatta Touch

An advanced game for understanding the decision making under pressure with repeated 4v3 opportunities - this is also a great conditioning drill

Attacking a Drift defence game

An advanced game for fixing defenders trying to drift

Conditioned touch - Defence press up

Allow your players to put what they've learned into action. In this example, one attacker and one defender must take a knee at the tackle area to resemble the breakdown.

Tag Game - Keep Ball Tag

8 v 4 Overload touch

A game for developing advanced understanding of decision making

Broncos 6 - Attack to Defence 8 v 5

A combination of skills are tested, both technical and tactical with the defenders moving from a passing activity to defending 8 attackers. The coach can change the attack with different starting points and number of attackers

Tag Game - Piggy in the Middle

A TAG variation to keep challenging decision-making

Broncos 5 - 2 Ball touch to test the defence

This exercise tests the defenders ability to keep a peripheral view of where the next threat might be coming from and to keep communicating with colleagues. Attackers are always looking for the next opportunity an so should defenders

Tag Game - Any Direction Tag Clip

Helps to identify space and works vision and decision making skills

Conor O Shea - is gamesense important

Conor O Shea discuss how using games is a big part of coaching at all levels

One touch turnover

An advanced game for developing spacial awareness

Conor O Shea - Managing officials

Conor O Shea discusses the importance of how it is important manage officials during a game

Colour touch game

A great game to play to develop spacial awareness and scanning techniques of players under pressure. Defensive players are allocated colours; which when called out require defenders to touch a nearby cone. Thus creating space for the attackers to exploit.