Sevens - Good contact body position/ball presentation 3

Junior - Good contact body position/ball presentation 3

Sevens - Good contact body position/ball presentation 2

Sevens - Good contact body position/ball presentation 1

Women's - Good contact body position/ball presentation 2

Women's - Good contact body position/ball presentation 2

Women's - Good contact body position/ball presentation 1

Women's - Good contact body position/ball presentation 1

Junior - Good contact body position/ball presentation 1

Junior - Good contact body position/ball presentation 1

Men's - Good body position in contact & ball presentation 1

Men's - Good body position in contact & ball presentation 1

Men's - Good body position in contact & ball presentation 2

Men's - Good body position in contact & ball presentation 2

Junior - Good contact body position/ball presentation 2

Sevens - Standard restart with good catch 3

USA Sevens - Techniques For Contact

Retaining possession in Seven's wins matches, it's that simple but these days you need to improve your contact skills. Phil Greening provides a few tips and some insight into some of the USA's training drills

Sevens - Patterns of Play 3

Working in units and working through phases is crucial to modern day sevens and in this clip the White team show great technique and patience to work their way up the field to score. Key factors : Ball retention - Communication - Work in units - Accurate passing - Patience - Stamina

Sevens - Full Lineout 3

Accurate skills are the key to lineouts in seven's, a combination of movement, lifting and throw combine to make an effective restart for the attacking team. The shape of the attacking side is pre planned to create a mis - match with a faster player v a slower one. key factors : Pre call the move - Fast feet - Strong core for jumper - Support from both players to lift the jumper - Jumper to jump - Accurate throw - Support he jumper to the ground - Offload pass to scrum half

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.

Sevens - Standard restart with attack winning ball 3

A well organised re start with one main attacker challenging for the ball with support both in front and behind him, if the ball is knocked either side of the main catcher the ball will be gathered by his teammates. Great leg drive to continue the attack and a very long pass to complete the scoring. Key factors : Accurate kick - Focus on the ball - Sideways jump - Catch ball above head - Structured support

Sevens - Wheeled Scrums 3

Men's - Lineout maul good defence 3

Men's - Lineout maul good defence 3

Contact Skills for Young Players

Leeds academy coaches cover the fundamentals skills for the contact area. This is a useful session for young players to focus on body position and key techinques.

Coaching Contact Skills With Games - U 11's

Using games to coach can be a challenge for junior coaches. In this clip the Sale sharks community coach delivers a session to develop contact skills at the breakdown by using games, questioning and challenging the players. This can be used for all Junior age groups

Sevens - Standard restart with good catch 4

Sevens - Turnovers and move the ball 3

Sevens - Standard restart with good catch 2

Sevens - Standard restart with good catch 1

Sevens - Classic Tackle 3

Sevens - Offloads 3

Sevens - Straight Scrums 3

Sevens - Standard restart with good catch 5

Good Practice - Segment 3

Sevens - Body Management

Quins Defence - Tackling in units 3 v 3

This exercise is part of a tackle technique progression and pitches 3 attackers v 3 defenders. As in match play the attacking players will present different challenges to the defenders. The coaches can choose to alter the conditions to put more or less pressure on the players

Upper body / torso stretch

Developing good body shape is key in the warm up, especially prior to any contact or scrum work

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

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!

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!

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

Contact Preparation

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

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!

Sevens - Offloads 2

To execute an offload you need to have support players in the right area, here the ball carrier knows he has support and is able to take a risk and offload out of the back of the tackle. Prior to the offload the ball carrier works hard to stay on his feet. Key factor : Leg drive - Twist and work the body in contact - Control ball one handed - Communication from support players

Andy Farrell's 3 Top tips For Defence

Sevens - Uncovered - The Support Staff

Upper Body Warm-up

Some basic wrestling exercises to get the upper body ready for contact.

Sevens - Uncovered - The Breakdown Specialists

The breakdown has become a significant area for coaches and players to focus on. All players now need the technical skills and the intensity to compete at the tackle area and if players are poor in this area teams will be exposed. Some teams will select a specialist in this area and combine his skills with tackle technique from other players so that they work in units to turn over possesion

USA Sevens - Learn The Rules Of The Ruck

With less players the breakdown is much cleaner in Seven's and knowing the laws and being accurate in your skills wins matches. Mike Friday clarifies what can be a complex area and why many coaches focus on this facet of the game

3. Ruck Touch

Tackling 4 - Feet and Body Position

Tackling 4 - Feet and Body Position

Continuity in Attack - Contact

Continuity in Attack - Contact

Sevens - Wheeled Scrums 1

A strong scrum can be a great weapon for attack in seven's, in this clip the Red scrum puts pressure on the defending loose head (Right hand prop) which wheels the scrum and allows the defending scrum half to disrupt the ball forcing a turnover. Key factors : Tight binding - Low body position - Leg drive - Working as a unit

Step 3 - Introducing the 1 v 1 Scrum

Sevens - Uncovered - Defence

The leading international coaches explain why defence is so important and how much emphasis they put on it. This clip features a variety of tackles and techniques and post good defence the opportunity to turn the ball over. Most coaches will use a system for their defence and here are some insights

Passing - 3 v 2 Live Defenders

Gradually progress from 2 static defenders, to 3 v 2 roaming defenders. The first two players must draw their defenders before giving the pass.

Contact skills - Dad & siblings

A few fun exercises that many families have moved away from. Wrestling is great for experiencing contact

Improve Ball Presentation and Handling

This exercise from London Scottish works to maintain high levels of both ball presentation and handling skills at the same time.

Agility Games for contact warm up

Saracens community coach uses games and competitive activities to introduce the contact elements of rugby. This builds confidence in players prior to actual contact skills

Tips for Coaching Sevens Rugby

Sevens expert Russell Earnshaw talks through his coaching philosophy and approach to drills, exercises and games

Sevens - Turnovers and move the ball 4

From a turnover in contact the attackers pass the ball wide one way and then a deep wide pass back in the other direction to pull the defence out of shape and create an opportunity to attack. Key factors : Wide flat pass - Players support from depth - Deep wide pass - Running and swerving past the defender

Ground Work and Ball Presentation

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. Log in to see the full video.

Strong Body Position for Scrummaging - Full Session

Revisiting the finer techniques can help to build the overall strength of your set piece, and your attack. Before even getting to the scrum machine, you can develop your players strength through their body position.

Tackle Technique 2/5 - Body Height

This step concentrates on achieving a lower body position before making a tackle.

Safe Body Position For Scrummaging

From Under 10's up to senior's being safe in the scrummage is about good technique, regular practise and working on improving your body position. Wasps prop Phil Swainston outlines some of the key fundamentals

Sevens - Uncovered - The Sevens Referee

Sevens - Uncovered - The Sevens Referee

Fitness - Body circuits are crucial

All elite fitness coaches will recommend body circuits for all rugby players. No player should be using weights unless they have followed a good core body weight program. This body circuit can be applied to junior players and senior players. We have other video clips that show the techniques in more detail

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.

England Sevens - Marcus Watson - Trunk Circuit

Sevens - Uncovered - Attack

Elite coaches discuss their attacking philosophies and this underpines the skills and techniques they will work on as coaches and the type of trainign sessions they will plan. As a coach how do you coach the skills that the Fijian players possess or the patience the Welsh side had to win the last 7's world cup. Does the team represent the ideas and plans of the coach?

Scrum Factory - 3. TOP With Rugby Balls

Expensive training equipment is not necessary and the simple rugby ball can provide an excellent technical and conditioning work out

USA Sevens - Creating Habits Through Collision Conditioning

Perfect practise is about replicating match conditions in training. Phil Greening outlines his approach and provides some practical examples

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

Warm Up - Upper Body Resistance

Various light resistance exercises to prepare the upper body for contact work.

Sevens - Strike Moves 2

Players can strike from any location on the pitch, in this clip the Red team relax thinking they have the attackers behind their own posts, however a strong scrum, good pass and great step create the gap to go through, the next 95 metres is all about speed and fitnes. Key factors : Space beetween attackers - Good pass - Side step - Speed - Stamina

Lions - 3&5 man scrum practice

A progression from the 3 man scrum - developing body shape and positions

3. Half Back Play Continued

A scrum half needs good vision, speed and awareness, quick hands and lightning reactions. The scrum half is the key link between the forwards and the back line. A good scrum half will know how to vary the play and take advantage of any opportunity that the opposition may offer
The fly half is the heart beat of the side and should be a key influence on the way the team plays the game. Almost every attack will go through the fly half, so they need to develop tactical awareness, accurate passing, kicking accuracy, vision, leadership and resilience

Introduction to Contact - Be safe

Session Introduction. It is important for young players to be introduced to tackling in a structured and safe way.

Step 5 - Introducing the 3 v 3 Scrum

Tackle technique 3

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

Scrum Factory - 2. Tower of Power Demonstration

Good body posture is essential and applicable to all players regardless of age and gender
This posture transfers to the tackle, ruck, maul and in a vertical plain the lineout, so it is important that all players are coached to adopt good posture in contact

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

Level 2 - Scrum Body Positions

Level 2 - Scrum Body Positions

How to manage contact

Managing contact on your own terms is vital to most teams. The Saints academy manager explains and showcases some of the fundamental skills they work on

Sevens - Classic Tackle 1

Good tackle technique when chasing a player from behind. The defender gets to his feet quickly to contest the ball. Key factors : Head to one side - Arms around attackers waist and slide down - Keep your arms around the attackers legs - Use momentum to get back to your feet

Worcester Academy - Ball Presentation

Worcester Academy - Ball Presentation

Sevens - Uncovered - The Playmaker

This footage outlines the importance of "decision making" in seven's. The top sides have players with a variety of skills but to be consistent performers teams require a playmaker who has the vision and tactical acumen to manage team tactics "On the move" and the ability to create opportunities out of nothing

Body Climbing

In this warm-up exercise, one player squats and holds up their partner, as they climb all the way around their body. Players must work together, and engage key muscle groups in their entire body.

Ball Presentation Touch Game

Ball Presentation Touch

New Rules of Play - U9s

When viewed as a training session the New Rules Of Play are very straight forward and this clip should explain most of the changes and what you should be doing as a coach

Sevens - Strike Moves 1

A simple but effective attack from a scrum. Three good passes provides the winger to run past his defender to score. Notice how the first reciever is directly behind the scrum and not to the side, (This makes the pass from the scrum easier when under pressure). Key factors : Position of 1st reciever - Run straigh and wide spin pass - Speed of the runner

Sevens - 2 v 1

A variety of passes create a 2 v 1 which is executed perfectly for the outside attacker to score. Key factors : Different angles of running and support - Comunication - Ball presentation - Effective clearing of defenders at the breakdown - Accurate wide passes - Attack the inside shoulder of the last defender - Flat spin pass

Attacking in waves of 3

The ability to realign quickly is important to developing the back play and counter attacking. Coaches can vary the numbers and timing of the first pass to make this exercise easier or more demanding. Key factors : Run straight - Comunicate early - Uniform distance and depth - Catch & pass in one movement - Hips straight - Hands & armes across the body - Realign quickly - Aerobic fitness

3. Chain Tig

3 v 2 in channel

A good progression from the 2 v 1 drill

Strong Body Position for Scrummaging

A strong attack is built on a solid set piece, and a solid set piece depends on performing fundamental techniques well. In the scrum, this means a strong body position made up of many components. Log in to see the full version of this very useful video from Wasps community.

Sevens Uncovered

Sevens Unccovered

Sevens - Uncovered - The Aerial Battle

Re - starts are as numerous as scrums in seven's and coaches should put as much emphasis on the kick off as any other facet of the game. Possession is crucial in seven's and an effective re - start strategy can win not only matches but tournaments for teams. You must posses players who can kick and contest the ball in the air becasue if not you will be competing without the ball for long periods of the match. Listen to the top coaches on how important they think the kick offs are

England Sevens - Tom Mitchell - Conditioning Circuit

7s training

Coaching Philosophy - Contact is key

Head coach Dickon Edwards talks through the theory behind their approach to contact and why that approach is important in understanding how you want to play

Sevens - Uncovered - The Coach

What is the role of the coach. In this clip some of the top 7's coaches give some thoughts on what they do and how they see themselves in the make up of the modern 7's squad

Back-to-back Wrestle

A good upper body warm-up to get players ready for contact. Can be used with all age groups.

STG - Statues

A fun and easy-to-grasp game that encourages good footwork and evasion skills. This is a good warm up game to use before teaching young players contact skills for the first time, but should always be followed by an upper-body warm up as well.

3 v 1 in Channel

A progression from the 2 v 1, where a second pass is encouraged to move the ball away from the defender.