Rugby drills using tyres

Using tyres can offer a fun alternative to the usual rugby coaching props to boost your players' core rugby skills and fitness.

Black tyres can be a great training tool to practise and develop core rugby skills. They can also be used in a fun way to mix up the usual drills. Here are nine great ways to use tyres in your training programme:

Rugby drills with tyres

1. Footwork

Place the tyres on the floor. Each player has to step inside every ring. Since they have to lift and place their foot, this improves the players' agility and foot speed. Depending on the size of the tyre, one or both feet can go into it.

Tyres could be placed together or a metre apart. A good drill to break up a player's rhythm is if the tyres are set further apart, since the player has to take a few normal steps before stepping into the ring.

2. Weights

Tyres are awkward to carry, so make ideal training alternatives to weight lifting. They can be lifted standing still, stacked, or even carried from one drill station to another. Tyres could also be placed over each arm before setting off on a run.

3. Obstacles

Standing up, tyres make an excellent avoidance obstacle course. Players have to dodge around the tyres without knocking them over, again improving balance and footwork.

4. Targets

Lighter tyres or rubber inners can be held up for target practice for passing the ball. Players could be given a target to hit over a number of passes. For example, 6 out of 10 right-handed passes through the target from 8 metres away.

5. Rolling obstacles

Tyres can be rolled between two players, with runners having to avoid them as they pass through. The idea is not to knock the players over, but help them use their footwork to avoid contact. Obviously care needs to be taken over how hard the tyres are rolled, particularly with younger age groups.

6. Passing plinths

Standing astride a tyre, players can use it as an unusual base from which to pass. They'll have to adjust their feet on the tyre to keep their balance while passing.

7. Wrestling plinths

Depending on the size of the tyre, players could try to push each other off it. On a bigger tyre two players could stand on one tyre. On small tyres, one could have their own. A slight variation is to hold the ball in one hand, while fending off with the other.

8. Pulling an inner tube

The rubber inner tubes, with the valves removed of course, can be great fun to use. They allow stretching but offer good resistance.

For example, set out a 10 metre square, the size depending on the elasticity of the tube. Have four players stand in a corner, holding the inner tube. Each has to pull the tube and the other players into his corner.

9. Pulling a tyre behind you

Instead of spending money on sledges, tyres can be pulled along with a rope. A simple harness can be attached so players can run using a tyre as resistance.

You should be able to get the tyres for free. I rang round a couple of MOT centres and garages near me and found many of them were more than happy for me to take old tyres off their hands.

This article is taken from the Better Rugby Coaching e-newsletter. Click here to sign up and get free rugby drills and skills twice a week.

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