Body shape for forward units

Forwards need to get their basic body shapes right before they are ready to move on to more competitive unit work. This session can be used to prepare for unit work and as a whole session for forwards. You can also mix forwards and backs together because the skills are easily transferable (ruck positions for example).

What to think about

set-up

1. Make sure you can hold your scrum profile AFTER you are moved out of position.
2. Throw to meet the hands. Jump to meet the throw.

What you get your players to do

1. Make a player stand upright, with feet shoulder width apart. Then ask him to go into a scrummage position, so his heels are just off the ground. Then ask him to stand upright again, before repeating. Hold each shape for a minimum of five seconds (see picture 1, fig 1).
2. Make a player fall forward from a scrummage position onto his hands. He then has to bounce back up and into the scrummage position once again. He might have to do this by walking his hands towards his body (see picture 1, fig 2).
3. Make players take one step backwards from a scrummage position to take up the same body shape (see picture 1, fig 3).

1. Put three players in a triangle 5m apart sitting on ruck pads. They throw a ball overhead to each other. This replicates a throw, catch and turn process. Make sure the catcher extends himself fully if he can. Swap the direction (see picture 2, top).
2. Put a jumper between two cones 5m apart. Place a thrower 5m away from each cone and a receiver to the side. Get one thrower to throw the ball to the jumper, who jumps, catches and passes to the receiver. The receiver then passes to the other thrower. The jumper, in the meantime, turns and runs to take the ball from the next thrower (see picture 2, bottom).