L2 - Colours Touch

Skill Practice Description • Each player is given a colour. • The coach will call out a colour at any time during the game. • The defender/s who have been given that colour need to leave the defence line, run round the nearest cone of that colour and rejoin the defence. • The attack should identify where the spatial opportunity has appeared and take immediate advantage. • The frequency of the call depends on how much the coach wants to work the players. • The coach may call for all players, both defence and attack, to run around an allotted cone colour. • Coach should have two rugby balls to ensure a fast game and a change of defence to attack at times. Key Coaching Points • Visual Acuity-Looking for space • Spatial awareness • Communication - highlighting spaces and mismatches • Evasion skills and footwork • Decision making Relevance to the Game • Spaces are created by the leaving defenders, which the attack has to identify, decide on the appropriate action and attack accordingly. • By using the second ball, the coach can also develop counter attack

Colour Touch

In this game, defenders in coloured bibs are called back to touch their try line, creating space and opportunities for the attack to exploit.

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.

9. Colour Touch

QBE - Colours Touch

Colour Touch

This game develops the ability of the attack to play against a broken field that is different everytime.

L2 - Mis-match Touch

Skill Practice Description • Two or three players (depending on numbers in each team) wear bibs of a different colour to the others. • The players in bibs can participate in every way except their tackles do not count. • The objective is for the team in possession to attack the areas these players defend. • If other defenders move to cover the players in bibs, that will open space elsewhere. • The defence may position the bibbed players in order to protect them or limit the spatial options. • Any strategic thinking is to be encouraged. • A progression may be to remove the bibs and nominate players to role play as non tackles or loose tackles if playing full contact. • It is the job of the attack to identify and find these weaker areas in the defence and take advantage. • It is the job of the defence not to leave these players exposed in too much space. Key Coaching Points • The attacking team are to scan for weaker defenders. • Once identified, keep working the attack to these areas. • If the defence cover the weaker defenders the attack should scan to seek out alternative opportunity as a result

Touch rugby with offload after touch

A game for understanding the importance of support.

Touch rugby - one touch on forwards

A game for understanding

One touch - touch rugby

a game for understanding space & time

L2 - Drop-off Touch

Skill Practice Description • The teams play touch with the ball being passed back through the legs when touched. • The defender/s who make the touch, turn (drop off) immediately and run to their own try line. • These drop off defenders need to realign with the defence as soon as possible. • The attack should seek to take advantage of the space created by the drop off defender/s. • To get maximum effort from the players, it is advised the pitch is not so long that players do not make the effort to realign in defence. • The coach may observe the attacking players moving the ball away from the space opportunity left by the drop off player. It may be that the defence close the space left by the drop off, however this will create space elsewhere. Can the attack find the appropriate space to utilise? Key Coaching Points • Speed in scanning and communicating the spatial opportunity. • Defensive effort to drop off a realign so the defence can cover the primary threat.

Drop off touch - start with a game

Chris Kibble of Esher RFC & Whitgift school says to start your sessions with a game. In this clip Chris runs a game called "Drop touch" where the players run back to a line when they make a touch. This is good for fitness and creating wholes to attack

6v4 Touch (2)

A simple game of touch rugby with more players on the attacking team, and the defenders are required to retreat 5m after each touch. This should give more opportunities to the attackers and promote quick decision-making.

Drop touch

Drop touch is perfect for Pre-Season and as a coach you can set a wide variety of conditions just based on this simple game. Add extra fitness drills and set challenges for the attackers, its your choice

Pre-Season Offload Touch For Fitness

This Pre-Season touch game is based upon offloading however there are other conditions which make it an ideal practise to combine skills and fitness

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.

Pop Off The Ground Touch

Pop Off The Ground Touch

Drop-off Touch

QBE - Drop-off Touch

Group Touch Game

Group Touch Game

L2 - Anxiety Touch

Skill Practice Description Two teams play normal rules touch or contact. • Separate to either team are two rogue players to whom the rules do not apply. • These two players may be anywhere at any time including from set piece and their role is to disrupt the attack or the defence in any way they can. • A progression may be for the defence to be allowed to be a metre off side at every tackle and set piece. • These actions will place players under an exaggerated state of pressure they will not be under in a match. • Therefore the match may appear more manageable when the laws of the game are applied as normal.

5-a-side Touch

To put the passing and support drills into practice, end with a game of 5 v 5 touch. Few players on each team will mean more time with the ball for each.

Breakdown Touch

This is a game which can be used to introduce contact gradually into pre-season training. With each touch, one player from each side must compete at a controlled breakdown situation. It is important for players to maintain good technique when they are fatigued, and for the coach to manage this.

Ball Presentation Touch Game

Ball Presentation Touch

Quins - Two touch Game

This conditioned game allows attackers two touches so that they can isolate one defender, the game encourages good support play and can be used to improve fitness

L2 - Chaos Touch

Skill Practice Description • Two teams play touch with the rules as stipulated by the coach. • At any time during the game, the coach may blow the whistle. • The ball is passed to the coach and players run around whichever corner cone they are closest to, although it must be of their own try line. This ensures all players come back into the game at different times. • The coach can reintroduce the ball to either side and play resumes. Key Coaching Points • Looking for space on the pitch. • Ability to make intuitive decisions. • Innovative economy of movement in order to preserve energy. • Competitive spirit and team commitment. Relevance to the Game • This is primarily pre-season conditioning game. • The demand on the players is to scan for opportunity or danger while under the pressure of fatigue. • The game also tests team spirit and commitment to each other

L2 - Chaos Touch

Skill Practice Description • Two teams play touch with the rules as stipulated by the coach. • At any time during the game, the coach may blow the whistle. • The ball is passed to the coach and players run around whichever corner cone they are closest to, although it must be of their own try line. This ensures all players come back into the game at different times. • The coach can reintroduce the ball to either side and play resumes. Key Coaching Points • Looking for space on the pitch. • Ability to make intuitive decisions. • Innovative economy of movement in order to preserve energy. • Competitive spirit and team commitment. Relevance to the Game • This is primarily pre-season conditioning game. • The demand on the players is to scan for opportunity or danger while under the pressure of fatigue. • The game also tests team spirit and commitment to each other

Breakout Touch Rugby Game

Breakout Touch Rugby Game

Number Touch Game

Number Touch Game

CCRU Game - Ball Touch

Aim of the game: Touch as many players as possible with the ball in one minute. The ball must be held in both hands at all times

Game - Defence Touch

Another conditioned game that will test your players' fitness. This requires all defenders to perform a 'down-up' after each touch, before re-aligning. As players become tired, more gaps will appear, testing the defence even more.

Small-side game - Ruck Touch

There are many versions of ruck touch with the support players needing to recognise the needs of the tackled player.

The defence should be conditioned to provide increasing pressure to the tackle area. This will develop the situation recognision of the attacking players who must play accordingly. Robotics in rucking regardles of the situation should be discouraged and the option of picking upthe ball and going forward should be an option

L2 - Bozo Touch

Skill Practice Description • There are to be three teams. • Two teams play while one wait by the touch line. • When a score is made, the defence pick up the ball and attack immediately. • The scoring team leave the pitch while the waiting team run on and defend. • Turnover of possession is via a score, a forward pass, dropped ball, intercept etc. • The rules may also stipulate a six touch turnover for example. • The coach to observe how the waiting players spread when in the off pitch area in order to cover space when called onto the pitch. It may not be the team in possession at that time that scores. Key Coaching Points • Speed in scanning and communicating the spatial opportunity. • Development of foundation skills, passing and running. • Innovation in positioning when planning to enter the pitch from outside. • Develop team work and commitment to each other. Relevance to the Game • Develop the understanding of inviting multiple defenders into a tackle area in order to create space elsewhere.

Conditioned Touch - 1sec Offload

This game of touch is conditioned to encourage both close support in attack, and a proactive defence. Attacking players can offload immediately after a touch is made.

6v4 Touch

A simple game of touch rugby with more players on the attacking team, and the defenders are required to retreat 5m after each touch. This should give more opportunities to the attackers and promote quick decision-making.

Conditioned Touch - Tackler drops to Knee

The condition in this game is for those making the 'tackle' (or touch) to drop to their knee for four seconds before re-joining the game. This should give more space for the attackers to exploit. A good game if you have been working on 2v1 or 3v2 handling exercises.

Offside Touch - Heads Up Rugby

Use this game of offside touch to force your players to play with their heads up to identify space. One player per side can play in an offside position and players are allowed to kick.

Offside Touch

Try this offside touch game from London Scottish. Gets your players working hard whilst developing their technical skills.

Reptile Touch

Another great conditioned game for pre-season training. With the addition of 'reptile crawls' for players who have made a touch, you incorporate an excellent core strength exercise that requires concentration under fatigue.

12. Kneel Touch

18. Wide Touch

11. 4 v 2 Continuous Touch Rugby

2. Any Direction Touch

10. Number Touch

10. Overload Touch

QBE - Ruck Touch

Two Touch With Tackle Practice

This game has multiple conditions for both attackers and defenders. Dropping defenders to practise their tackling while working on support lines and groundwork for the attackers. Great for the first half an hour of your session

Game - Tackle Touch

Whether you're introducing tackling to young players for the first time, or re-introducing it to senior players after a summer away, this is a great game to play to ease back into it. It isolates the 1v1 tackle and puts emphasis on technique without the high speed impact of a full contact game.

QBE - Anxiety Touch

QBE - Mismatch Touch

Conditioned Touch - Linked defenders

In this game, two defenders must link up, slowing them down and creating more opportunities for the attacking side. This can create the overlap necessary to put 2 v 1 and 3 v 2 techniques into practice.

Warm Up - Touch

A game of touch in a shortened pitch to keep the game moving quicker and keep all players active. Split players into separate games to ensure everyone is involved. Coaches are free to call turnovers and add any conditions to make it more dynamic.

Touch games for mini's

Using games is becoming more popular and important when coaching young players. This clip shows a a simple touch game and format to include coaches, have fun and develop skills

Touch Game variation

Here after a touch the defence do an immediate pressup - thus creating space and an chaotic environment for the attack

One handed passing touch

Here the aim is for the player to pass the ball one-handed to support once they are touched.

Ruck Touch Rugby

Coaches can use games to introduce all skills for your age group. If you are very specific about the conditions you apply then players will learn these skills in a fun and enjoyable game

QBE - Bozo Touch

QBE - Chaos Touch

Quins - Support Touch Game

The coaches use games to teach techniques and allow players to experiment in game situations. The coach can set the parameters for the game dependent on the skill sets of the players

3. Ruck Touch

L2 - Numbers Touch

Skill Practice Description • Players are given numbers (1-6 for Example). • At any time during the game, the coach calls a number and the defender with that number kneels. • Once the attack has gone behind the kneeling defender, they may get back into the game. • The attack should identify the opportunity quickly and take advantage of the space created. • With larger numbers in a game the coach may give numbers 1 - 3 for example so several defenders will have the same number. This results in several opportunities arising at any one time. • Play is continuous. Key Coaching Points • Spatial awareness. • Listening and cooperation. • Intuitive decision making. Relevance to the Game • This game will develop the intuitive decision making and clinical attacking skills

13. Drop Down Touch

QBE - Numbers Touch

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

Bulldog Touch

Starting with 8 v 2, attackers must find their way through to the other side of the pitch without being tagged. This can help to develop evasive running technique.

Decision making at the breakdown - Ruck touch

Coaching players to make the right decision at the breakdown is a complex challenge for coaches. In this video Danny Wild from Leeds carnegie uses a whole - part - whole approach to help improve the players decision making

Parramatta Touch

A conditioned game for support and continuity

American Football Touch

Creating new games challenges and motivates players. This game is about getting players to scan and use space

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

One touch rugby

A game for understanding space

Team Patterns - Warm up touch rugby

Using games with a purpose is great preparation for the session

Touch rugby with press up variation

This variation allows the attack to be more successful - and for the defence to work hard to cover the attack

Touch rugby - roll ball back

A game for understanding

Touch rugby - ball presentation

A game for understanding how the presentation of the ball can affect the speed of the game and the ability to attack space

Touch rugby with an immediate pass to support

A game for developing understanding of space and support.

Touch rugby with press up variation

A game for understanding space & movement

Paramatta Touch

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

One touch turnover

An advanced game for developing spacial awareness

Kneel Touch

An excellent game for developing

8 v 4 Overload touch

A game for developing advanced understanding of decision making

8v4 one touch rugby game

In attack Looking to develop creation and identification of space and ability to keep the ball - defensively looking to work hard on the overloaded situation

CCRU Game - Chaos Touch

Aim of the game: Teams of three or four players attempt to score points by passing the ball to team mates when they are in one of the scoring zones. Defenders attempt to prevent the attack from scoring by intercepting passes. There is no contact between attack and defence. Passes can be made in any direction and players are encouraged to recognise and move into space to receive a pass. If the defence intercepts the ball they can attack. Coaches can involve the players to devise a scoring system i.e. first to five points and so on

Kick Out Touch

This game simulates a counter-attack situation. The attacking side must gather the ball, look up to assess the defensive line, and attack the right areas. Start with fewer defenders, adding one on each attempt to increase difficulty. Progression: Defensive lines should vary between a wide or narrow alignment, to test the decision-making of the attackers.

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.

3. Support - Colour Reaction Drill

Isolated technical practice

Courtesy of the SRU

Drop touch - Full pitch

In this game, defenders are randomly selected to sprint back to their try line before re-joining the game. This creates spaces for the attacking side to spot and exploit.

12. Any Direction Touch (4 Goals)

Coaching 7-a-side Rugby - Choice Touch

This small sided game is design to develop intuitive decision making.

The players need to recognise the situation and react accordingly.

Practice through a conditioned game is the most effective way to develop the necessary skills to recognise a situation as it unfolds and to react appropriately and without hesitation

4. Bib Touch

L2 - Scatter Defence Game

Skill Practice Description • Ideal practice for when defences break up later in games or with counter attack decision making. • Attackers stand in front of a numbered cone and ball. • The coach calls a number and all attackers must run around their own numbered cone but whichever number was called, that ball becomes active. • At the same time a colour is called for the defenders and all defenders must turn and run around a cone of that colour. They must however choose different cones. • If a touch is made, the teams swap over roles. • If a try is scored, the attackers stay the same. • First to five tries wins. Key Coaching Points • Spatial awareness • Communication • Quickness of attack at a disorganised defence • Skills to attack space • Footwork and evasion skills • Scanning skills • Decision making • Importance of getting behind defenders Relevance to the Game • Great for coaching counter attacking disorganised defences from different angles. • Any player can be ball carrier and communication is vital as is decision making in identifying space and the best way to attack it successfully • Cones can be placed to shape different types of defence. Organised or scattered

L2 - Tactical Scoring Game

Skill Practice Description • Play 7v7 in the game area but mark different scoring zones along the try lines (use coloured cones). • Mark 5 metres in from each try line with red markers and if a try is scored in either of these areas then it will be worth 8pts. • The next two 5 metre zones moving inwards would be worth 5 pts and the rest of the try line worth 3pts. • This should challenge the ability to outflank or penetrate in order to build a score. • It may be that the defenders primarily defend in the outside channels leaving the middle with more space. • The attack can then take advantage of this new situation, scoring in the middle zone. • Thus identifying the weaknesses of the defence. Key Coaching Points • Spatial awareness • Communication • Quickness of attack at a disorganised defence • Skills to attack space • Footwork and evasion skills • Scanning skills • Decision making Relevance to the Game • This game challenges the decision making of both attack and defence. • If for example a turn over occurs, which score area does the attack target? • Which area does the defence cover and defend first?

L2 - Support Line Breaks

Skill Practice Description • The objective is to increase the commitment to supporting a line break. • The teams play continuous touch, grip or tackle. • Stage 1: when a score is made all attacking players must touch the try line within 3 seconds or the try is disallowed and a turn over is awarded. • Stage 2: when a try is scored all attacking players must touch the ball on the ground within 5 seconds or the try is disallowed and a turnover is awarded. • Play starts again direct from the try line. • The coach may split the defence so cover defenders can challenge the effect of support play once the first line has been breached. Key Coaching Points • Encourage supporting players to angle toward the line break and not stay wide and lateral. • Encourage all attacking players to react and support a line break. • Speed of reaction. • Communication and team work

L2 - Attacking a Condensed Defence

Skill Practice Description • Two teams play normal touch rules. • 5 touch turnover. • When a touch is made, the game pauses and all defenders need to close in and place a hand on the shoulder of another defender. So all the defenders are bunched and in contact with each other. • The coach calls ‘play’ and the attack restarts. • The progression may be to leave one defender out of the bunch, which may provide a different challenge to the attack. • Then leave two defenders out of the bunch and slowly release the conditions to see if the attack can consistently identify opportunities to outflank or penetrate the defence. Key Coaching Points • Peripheral vision and general awareness. • Intuitive decision making. • Communication • Support and team work. Relevance to the Game • This game is designed to challenge the observation and decision making ability of the attack. • For the defence, it challenges the ability to cover quickly with both drift and sweeping defenders

L2 - Conditioning Circuit

Using the full length of the pitch the practice is a continuous 3 v 2 scenario. • 3 attackers knock over a bag to collect a ball and attack 2 defenders in the 5m channel. • If they fail to beat the defenders (touch/grip), the attackers run back to knock over another bag and start again. • Having beaten the first defenders they carry on with the same ball to beat 2 further defenders who may choose a colour and start from the appropriate cone. • If the attackers fail to beat the defence they run back to the bag and start again with another ball. The defence can choose another colour to start from. • The next challenge is two free roaming defenders. If the attack fail they go back and knock over another bag to start again. • Finally the defenders choose a colour to start from and if the attack fail they get another ball and the defence choose another starting colour. • The objective is to complete the attack with the starting ball and restarts. Keep score to create competition

CCRU Game - Capture the Aliens

Description of activity: Two players start with one ball between them, as humans and the rest are aliens. The humans capture the aliens by holding the ball in two hands and touching the alien with the ball. Once an alien has been touched they are turned into a human and can help. When a human has the ball, they cannot move but if they don’t have the ball they can run anywhere inside the grid

L2 - Decision-making Development

Skill Practice Description • The coach kicks the ball out to the waiting attackers from under the posts. • The coach calls out a number of defenders to defend (4 in the example). • This number can change depending on ability. • The attacking team need to catch the ball and attempt to score on the try line without being touched (more than 1 touch can be allowed depending on ability) • Dropping the ball or being touched in possession results in a fail and all attackers must return to the 10m line before starting again. • The drill can be used as a competition by allowing each team a specified number of attempts before swapping the sides, the team scoring the most tries wins. Key Coaching Points • Being aware of the space between attack and defence • Using depth and not attacking in a flat line • The need to create 3v2’s and the ultimate goal of creating 2v1’s. Relevance to the Game • Attacking a broken field. • Collecting a lose kick and counter attacking with an assessment of the • opportunities presented. • Appropriate selection of pass i.e. long or short

L2 - Attacking a Drift, Blitz and Cover Defence

Skill Practice Description • Within a game of touch the coach can at any breakdown - call blitz, drift and the defenders must run and touch the appropriate line. • The coach may also give players numbers in order to call specific defenders to leave the defence line which will create the need for defence to realign quickly. • Attackers must face the other way and attack when the ball is rolled from behind them. • On the coach’s call, the attack turn and the closest attacker picks up the ball and plays. • This ensures the coach can vary each player’s role and make the defence react. • Coach can then develop game by giving a visual clue to the defenders thus making the attackers react to an unexpected type of defence. Key Coaching Points • Visual Acuity-Looking for space. • Spatial awareness. • Highlighting defensive systems and attacking them appropriately. • Decision making. Relevance to the Game • This game is excellent for visual acuity and attacking differing defensive alignments. • Spaces are created by the leaving defenders, which the attackers have to identify

Military fitness for games - Pre season

Pre season fitness can be tedious and repetitive however you can integrate the latest fitness drills into games of touch or other conditioned games to make your training more challenging

Breakdown - Using games to coach

Academy coaches use conditioned games with strict rules around the tackle / touch activity to teach the skills required for contact and clearing defenders away. Questioning is used as the main style of coaching

Drift Defence from Breakdown

After starting with a defence-focused game, this drill can be used to focus on organising a drift defence from the breakdown. The four defenders touch all cones in the tackle area to simulate chaos before getting into position.

Lineout Movement and Lifting

Using a coloured grid, pods of 3 can work on their timing and technique when moving before the lift. The coach calls which colour cone to jump from, so the players can learn to react quickly. Rotate jumpers so that players practice working in different pods.