Rugby Coaching Drills Video Library

Warm up resistance with fend

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Warm up resistance with fend

Adding in a warm up for collision work is essential with older age groups

Contact Warm-Up

0:35

Back-to-back Wrestle

Players sit back-to-back and link arms. The coach calls either left or right, and the players try to get the corresponding shoulder to the ground; thus fighting against their partner. A great warm up before going into contact.

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1:29

Contact Preparation

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

0:45

Press Up Wrestle

Players get into pairs and take up a press-up position facing each other. They then attempt to slap away their opponents arms. The exercise requires balance, core and upper body strength.

1:07

Warm Up - Upper Body Resistance

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

1:34

Squat Piggy Back

A good warm up for contact that also gets players thinking about their body position for tackling.

0:30

Warm up with collision

A progression for preparing the player for contact & collison

0:36

Contact skills introduction

Warm ups should include contact and collision work

0:43

Upper body / torso stretch

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

Hit and drive shields from floor

Getting off the floor quickly and back into the game is a key part of continuity and of playing a high tempo game.

0:15

Warm up resistance with wrestling

Warm ups need to include dynamic preparation exercises

Tackle Bag Relay

This is a great drill for building confidence in young players and establishing an understanding how contact and collision occurs in the game. It is also a good fitness drill or contact warm-up for all levels.

1 to 1 Scrum

A great start for learning about correct and safe body shape in beginners. Also used with advanced senior players for effective scrum preparation and warm up.

Press ups

An exercise for the chest, shoulders and triceps using only your body weight.

1:49

Warm up torso on ground

An active warm up is best, for all the body

Group 1 v 1 scrummaging

This exercise allows you to develop good body shape in all forwards - they get multiple opportunities to practice foot positions and correct body shape and movement.