Essential 2024 Rugby Training Drills for Contact Readiness

As the new season approaches, preparing your rugby team for contact is crucial. Whether you’re coaching adults or youth, incorporating effective rugby training drills can significantly enhance your team’s performance and safety. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of essential contact drills, ensuring your players are ready for the challenges ahead.

Understanding Contact in Rugby

Rugby is a contact sport where tackling and physical engagements are integral. It’s vital to introduce these elements gradually, ensuring players are confident and safe. For youth rugby, particularly in England, contact training is regulated and starts only during the actual season for under 11s and below.

Safely Introducing Tackling Contact

Safety First: Before diving into tackling drills, ensure players understand the techniques and safety issues involved. Start with static targets like tackle bags and progress to static players on their knees before moving to standing tackles. Emphasise body shape, sighting the target, footwork, arm grip, head position, and recovery.

Gradual Progression: Use ruck pads where the holder wraps their arms around the top third of the pad, allowing the tackle to be completed safely. This teaches players how to fall safely, get up quickly, and drive over the ball or grab it.

Essential Tackling Techniques

Side-On Tackles

1. Right Shoulder Tackle: Start with slow speed, focusing on technique, then gradually increase speed.
2. Left Shoulder Tackle: Ensure balance and proficiency on both sides.

Simulated Rear and Front-On Tackles

3. Simulated Rear Tackle: Practise with both shoulders.
4. Front-On Offensive Tackle: Focus on forward driving.
5. Front-On Defensive Tackle: Emphasise backward falling.

Developing Better Contact Readiness

Contact readiness requires both physical and mental preparation. Players need to activate their muscles correctly and maintain the right body positions to minimise injury risks.

The “Scaps On” Warm-Up Drill

This drill involves pulling the shoulder blades back and pushing the tongue to the roof of the mouth, combined with core and shoulder tension during contact. This can be practised with visualising going into a tackle.

Enhancing Tackle Posture

Ensure players drive in with strong arms, a straight back, and a natural head position while looking forward. Using tackle pads and holding tennis balls in each hand during drills can improve shoulder engagement and arm action.

One-on-One Scrummaging Drill

Match players for size, weight, strength, and training status. Have one player resist while the other pushes, then switch roles. Emphasise straight backs, “scaps on,” and correct body positions.

Incorporating Wrestling for Contact Training

Adding wrestling to training can break the monotony and enhance contact skills. Wrestling drills help improve body positioning and strength, critical for rugby contact scenarios.

Ruck Warm-Up Drill

Combine wrestling-type exercises with ruck pads to reduce bone-on-bone contact. Focus on the best height to drive into contact and proper techniques.

How Spond Can Help with Rugby Training Drills

Planning and coordinating rugby training drills can be challenging, but Spond offers a robust solution. With Spond, you can:

• Organise Training Sessions: Schedule and manage all your training sessions in one place. Send out invitations and track attendance easily.
• Share Drill Plans: Upload and share detailed drill plans and instructions with your team. Ensure everyone knows what to expect and can prepare accordingly.
• Communication: Keep all communication in one place. Send messages, updates, and reminders to your team directly through the app.
• Feedback: Collect feedback from your players on drills and sessions to continually improve and tailor your training programme.

Ultimate Rugby Training Drills

Incorporating these rugby training drills will ensure your team is contact-ready. Emphasise safety, gradual progression, and proper techniques to build confidence and enhance performance. By preparing thoroughly, your team will be better equipped to handle the physical demands of rugby, reducing the risk of injuries and improving overall gameplay.

Remember, consistent practice and adherence to safety guidelines are key to successful contact training. Make these drills a regular part of your training sessions to see significant improvements in your team’s contact readiness. With Spond rugby team app, managing and coordinating these training drills becomes seamless, allowing you to focus more on coaching and less on logistics.