Rugby coaching session to improve agility and footwork

What you tell your players to do

1. Perform a footwork pattern accurately through the ladders.

2. Perform a rugby skill at the end of the ladders effectively.

What to call out

• "Run on the balls of your feet and use your arms"

• "Stay balanced and keep your feet underneath you"

• "Accuracy NOT speed"

What to look for

• Flat footed players. Emphasise using the toes to feel the ground to promote using the balls of the feet.

• Players stabbing their feet into the ground, slowing them down. They are off balance and need to keep their feet under them.

• Players missing spaces or hitting rungs. Usually this is because they are trying to go too fast and overbalance.

What to think about

• Where in a game should players use these simple footwork patterns?

• What other patterns of movement do your players use during games?

• How can you keep your players' heads up while they are going through the ladders or patterns?

What you get your players to do

Set out some 10 or 12 rung ladders, ideally one ladder per four or five players. If you do not have ladders, you can use string, poles, cones or line marking paint. The space between the rungs should be about 18 inches square.

Have your players move through the ladders putting one foot in each space. Most players will quickly become good at this but persist until all of them have mastered it.

Then have your players put both feet into each space. Again, persist until all players have mastered the skill. Watch out for players "galloping" through the exercises. Make sure they use their arms and run smoothly.

You might like to practise the different footwork patterns before using them in training, so you can demonstrate them effectively.

Development

1. Players put one foot in each space for the first half of the ladder and then change to two feet in each space, and vice versa.

2. As players exit the ladder they perform a rugby skill – pick up a ball, take and give a pass, hit and drive a ruck pad, try and beat a defender.

How would I put this into a game situation?

Ladder attack

Use shorter ladders with five or six rungs, or a longer ladder folded over. Three attacking players go through the ladders and then have to beat two defenders (arriving from anywhere you want) and score.

Keep varying the starting positions of the defenders, and the exercises the players perform through the ladders.

You can also change the starting positions of the attacking players. For example: To arrive from the sides, deeper, or even in front of the ball carrier, to run back to support him.

The game can be touch, TAG or full contact, and played in any size of area depending on the age and ability of your players.