Scrum Factory - 11. Flanker Channeling and The Role of the Number 8

The roles of each player in channelling the ball to the number 8

Scrum Factory - 6. TOP Stick Work

By using sticks and poles, the players are encouraged to self assess their body shape. Peer coaching is also a valuable process in this area and players can work in pairs, quickly learning from each other

Performance Analysis - Scrum 8 use

Performance Analysis - Scrum 8 use

8-man Scrum

A demonstration of how to construct a full, 8-man scrum.

Scrum Factory - 8. Individual Technique

Each player should understand how their individual contribution affects the scrum as a whole

British Lions - play from wheeled scrum going left

Developing play from the scrum is an important part of the understanding of how the scrum is part of a gameplan

8-man Scrum v Machine

Testing your scrums in training using a scrum machine / sled helps to ensure all of your pack practice the correct body position and timing in cooperation with their team mates. This is a great time to try out new combinations of players before match day.

Maul and Ruck - Maul Leg Drive

Staying on the feet and maintaining aggressive leg drive, can be very difficult to defend

8-man Scrum v Machine

With the brakes on, the scrum is more realistic to game situations, and the players must apply power at the same time to achieve any movement.

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

Scrum Half Passing with Chris Cusiter - Wrist Warm-Up

Sale Sharks and Scotland scrum half Chris Cusiter leads a session on passing from the base of a scrum or ruck. In this first video, Chris addresses basic technique in a couple of exercises that warm up the wrists and arms.

Scrum Factory - 9. Scrum Positions

The role of each position

Advantage Clip 6 - Scrum Advantage

Infringements Clip 8 - Scrum Half Management

Sevens - Straight Scrums 1

A strong scrum from the black team turns over the ball for an attack. The left hand prop (Loose head) puts pressure on the Red team hooker so that he does not hook the ball effectively. Key factors : Tight binding - Low driving position - Working as a unit - Leg drive

Maul and Ruck - Maul Slide Drive

In this technique, the ball is constantly being shifted so the point of pressure is moving and challenging the defence

Junior - Straight Scrums 2

Two even packs compete at the scrum, good technique creates a good and safe contest. The black team use the platform from the scrum to score a try wide out. Key factors : 8 players working as a unit - Calling - Strong body position - Hips, back and head all facing forward - Accurate binding

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.

Scrum tips for Props

This clip provides some advice for the front row on their binding, body position and driving in the scrum.

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

Scrum Factory - 16. Building the Scrum

A straight drive and square culture, will bring about eight players doing the same thing at the same time

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

Level 2 - Scrum Body Positions

Level 2 - Scrum Body Positions

Scrum Factory - 5. TOP Towels & Bands

The use of towels and bands are used to develop front row posture just before engagement when the body weight is forward and balance is important

Women's - Straight Scrums 1

A well contested scrum from both teams. Good technique and body position ensure a solid and safe scrum. The red team use this restart to kick and gain territory. Key factors : Strong body position - Tight binding between the players - Calling - Players push in a straight line - Ball control from ther no 8

Sevens - Straight Scrums 2

Scrums are a great platform to attack from in seven's, notice the fly half (2nd reciever) is directly behind the scrum and can choose which way to attack. Key factors : Work as a unit - Strong core - Tight binding - Leg drive

Scrum Factory - 10. Put in and Strike

Practicing the strike can be developed with the left side triangle, so the key players involved are working together

Step 6 - Introducing the Lineout

Lions 09 - Driving Body-position

A great practice for ALL players in the scrum to adopt the best position to drive from. You can use tackle bags as well as tyres

Lions - Building the scrum practice

Building the scrum to the full 8 man - focusing on body shape

Scrum Factory - 15. Binding

The bind should be secure as opposed to tight. A secure hand grip will enable the players to react to pressure whereas a tight bind may limit the ability to respond and change position

Scrum Factory - 13. Key Triangle Explanation

Building the scrum in triangles

Breakdown - Accurate Rucking

This series of clips shows how conditioning and good technique are crucial to be effective at the breakdown. The progressions are simple and the key coaching points are Low to high body position Strong leg drive Accuracy on the target - The tackle bag

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.

Scrum-half Passing Exercises

Some useful exercises for scrum-halves to develop their passing skills.

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

Scrum - New Drills & Progressions

Set piece coach George skivington from London Irish talks through some new tips to coach the scrum

Coach the Scrum Half Pass

This clip outlines some of the fundamental techniques required to become a good passer of the ball from the ground, an essential skill for scrum half's. Simple and easy instructions for both coaches and players to benefit from

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

Step 5 - Introducing the 3 v 3 Scrum

Back Play from Set Piece - Attack from Scrum

It’s not a matter of going through the strike move repertoire. It is about selecting appropriately from the repertoire according to the opposition and game situation.

Attacking the space between the two teams is paramount and attacking the ball when running support lines will assist the offload and turn defenders.

Maul and Ruck - Clearing the Ruck

Clearing the tackle area with pace relies on committed support. Clearance rucking is a dynamic method of restarting the attack if the defence has managed to create a breakdown.

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

Scrum Factory; Front Row Briefing

Maul and Ruck - Under 13s and 14s Ruck

Training through traditional drills does not develop game understanding and players often become robotic in their behaviour

Conditioned games promote game understanding and encourage players to recognise the needs at any given situation

The drill should be used only to refine technique and the danger is to develop players that act without game understanding

Chapter 6 - Introducing the Lineout

Fitness - Reptile crawls for rucking

Fitness exercises to help players improve their effectiveness in contact are very popular at present. Jack Crehan talks through this exercise and demonstrates how it should be done

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

Lineout Catch & Drive

Premiership Rugby coaches and players highlight the importance of the lineout as an entry point and an attacking platform. Join PremiershipRugbyCoaching.com for ideas and examples to improve your lineouts.

Building the Catch and Drive

The driven lineout is an increasingly effective attacking platform. Here is a quick preview of some of the exercises and advice available on Premiership Rugby Coaching. Join now to see more.

Scrum half pass with Lee Dickson

Lee Dickson leads a passing session at the Northampton saints summer training camp. The focus is on doing the simple things well and progressing the practises to make things more challenging

8. Attacking a Drift Defence

3. Ruck Touch

6. Tunnel Tig

New Rules of Play - Under 10s - Scrum Coaching

The introduction of the scrum for both mini players and coaches can be confusing. This clip explains the the reasoning behind the 3 man scrum and the technical points that ned to be taught

Expert - Conor o Shea - what is the role of a scrum half

Conor O Shea disucsses what a scrum half is responsible for

Tackle Technique 3/5 - Drive Through

This stage looks at tackler maintaining a square body position and following their feet to drive through.

Leg-drive in Contact

Staying strong and maintaining a leg-drive when in contact can help to gain territory, give teammates more time to support, and sometimes, counteract the tackle entirely. In this clip, Eastbourne College score a try against Eton as a result of powerful running and leg-drive.

Maul and Ruck - U9 Coaching

Notice how these players do not naturally set up rucks. Both teams try to keep the ball away from breakdown situations.
What would these games look like if the coaches stepped in and insisted on rucking?

British Lions - Play from scrum - continuity 2

Developing play from the scrum is an important part of the understanding of how the scrum is part of a gameplan

Lions - play from scrum - continuity

Developing play from the scrum is an important part of the understanding of how the scrum is part of a gameplan

Lineout Catch-and-drive

Lineout catch and drive drill

Men's - Straight Scrums 1

An example of a straight scrum.

Dean Ryan: Intellect at 8, 9 and 10

Dean Ryan explains how the intellectual players at 8, 9 and 10 can help the cohesiveness of a rugby team.

Junior - Straight Scrums

Junior Scrums

Scrum Technique Progressions for youths

Working from a single players body position to a full scrum can be daunting for some coaches. In this clip there are simple steps to progress and the technical points are consistent

Expert - Conor O Shea - What makes a great scrum half

Conor O Shea discuss the profile of scrum half

Teaching scrum engagement

Coaching the scrum has a series of processes to follow and once you have established a strong body position the engagement and getting ready for the engagement is the next step

Step 4 - Introducing the 2 v 2 Scrum

Step 3 - Introducing the 1 v 1 Scrum

18. Wide Touch

Scrum - Tighthead tips for Senior Players

The dark arts are not for all of us, but the minority of specialists will benefit from this clip. You can share this video with those who should see it. Go into the video library where you can send it on - RCD Video Library

Women's - Straight Scrums 2

Women's - Straight Scrums 2

Richard Wigglesworth - Scrum Half Tips

England Scrum half Richard Wrigglesworth discusses the factors which help players improve and how to approach training

Focus on Scrum Half

Great scrum halves always bring their own individual elements to the game, but an excellent command of the basic skills is essential for all of them. Join now to see position-specific exercises and tips from Aviva Premiership Rugby players and coaches.

New Scrum Laws - Hooking Technique

Jon Curry at Northampton Saints discusses the new scrum laws and their implications for hookers, along with some exercises to get them up to scratch. Log in to see the full session and many others.

Level 2 - Scrum Warm up Activities

This clip shows some appropriate warm up activities for the scrum

Women's - Lineout catch & maul / drive

Women's - Lineout catch & maul / drive

Ball retention wide

If a drift defence has you pointed towards the touch-line, the wide player should change their running direction and attack the inside defender. This is proactive and gives more chance for the ball to be recycled for another attempt.

6v2v2v2v3 wide

Channel development into a decision making exercise with the empahsis on going straight then wide

Scrum - 1 vs 1

Practice body position and warm up for full scrum session.

Lions 09 - 3-man Scrum Practice

Develop the front row as a foundation for the building of the scrum

Lions - 3&5 man scrum practice

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

Lions - Full scrum practice

Full scrum practice - essential at all levels of the game

British Lions - scrum practice 2

Progressiing the scrum practice always requires the underlining of the basics of the unit skill

Team patterns from scrum

Play from the scrum is essential and this is one option

Building the scrum

It is important to slowly build your scrum each row at a time, particularly if there are new players in your pack, or an inexperienced front row.

Maul and Ruck - Maul Gain Lines

With the maul, the gain line is fluid and the defence can be forced onto the back foot
With the ruck, the gain line is static and the defence are often set and on the front foot

Maul and Ruck - Under 10s and 11s Mauling

Notice how the tackled player often remains on their feet and a mass of pulling and pushing begins

When a player is taken to the ground, the supporting players try to pick the ball up. There is not a natural inclination to ruck

Scrum Factory - 14. Sub Unit Engagement

Using the triangles to coach an effective scrum

Scrum Factory - 12. Unit Development

Putting together the scrum may vary technically and tactically and there will also be personal preference. So working on units and subunits should be a partnership between the coach and the players

Rucking Zone

A tiring exercise of continuous rucking. Encourage your players to maintain good standards even when tiring and highlight the importance of getting straight up after one breakdown to make another.

Men's - Lineout catch & maul drive 1

Men's - Lineout catch & maul drive 1

Men's - Straight Scrums 2

An example of a straight scrum

Men's - Wheeled Scrums 2

An example of a wheeled scrum

Men's - Wheeled Scrums 3

An example of a wheeled scrum

Men's - Wheeled Scrums 4

An example of a wheeled scrum

Men's - Collapsed Scrums 2

An example of a collapsed scrum

Men's - Lineout catch & maul drive 2

An example of setting up a maul after a catch and drive at a lineout

Rugby Netball using goals on wide pitch

A game for developing players understanding of space out wide.