Whatever the level you coach, you cannot afford to have players in any position who won’t or don’t know how to ruck. Rucking should be practised as one of your core skills along with passing, support play and tackling.
Include 10 to 15 minutes of rucking in your training each week either as part of a game or as a dedicated exercise. Emphasise the importance of the players nearest to the ruck to get involved, regardless of their position.
This is especially important for your centres and wingers who will often be the first players to arrive at the tackle situation and will be key to retaining the ball.
Set up exercises where the ball is passed down a line of backs to a player who gets tackled. The passers then have to arrive at the tackle situation and secure the ball.
A backs move with rucking
When you are coaching passing exercises or running moves with your backs, add in some rucking to get them used to it.
For example, the backs can run a very simple move such as where 10 performs a scissors with 12, and 11 and 15 run dummy/support lines.
Instead of stopping and resetting to run another move, simulate a ruck where 12 gets tackled.
Players have to decide who is needed in the ruck to win the ball. In this case, 11 and 15 go in to win the ball and the other backs can realign ready for the next attack.
Once perfected, add defenders to challenge for the ball.
What to tell your backs when rucking
Body perfect
This article is from Rugby Coach Weekly.
In a recent survey 89% of subscribers said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them more confident, 91% said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them a more effective coach and 93% said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them more inspired.
Get Weekly Inspiration
All the latest techniques and approaches
Rugby Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use rugby drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice.
We've been at the cutting edge of rugby coaching since we launched in 2005, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.