Contact and defence warm up drill

A pre-match warm up drill to prepare your players and keep them motivated, fit and challenged.

Before the match

Players should take some form of contact before a match.
Build the intensity of tackles without going to full pace.
More important to visualise the contact than take the contact.
Make sure that there are only positive outcomes from tackling warm-up drill. That is, avoid circumstances for missing tackles in the warm-up drill.
Injuries are just as likely for the tackled player as for the tackler, who is unlikely to be going at full pace. The coach must be very attentive.

Tackling warm-up drill

Organise your players into two teams of four players. Set up the two teams about five metres apart, facing each other. On your signal, for instance touching a ball on the floor, the first four players come forward to meet second four.

They then bump shoulders. Next have them grab and drive, and then have them tackle each other to the ground.

Finally, give each of the players in one team a ball. Each player in the other team then has to tackle one of the ball carriers to the ground. Both players have to then get up quickly to compete for the ball.

Rugby coaching tip: Remember to vary the shoulders the players tackle with and switch round the two teams.