INSPIRE BELIEVE GROW PLAY - Women's Rugby Coaching

WOMEN'S RUGBY COACHINGMARCH 2021 | ISSUE 002 | BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

RACHAEL BURFORD >GIRLS RUGBY CLUB FOUNDER AND ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL

INSPIREINSPIREBELIEVEBELIEVEGROWGROWPLAYPLAY

The launch of Women’s Rugby Coaching, saw coaches across the country engaging with the topics in our first issue.

It was fantastic to have positive feedback from male and female coaches, especially on our menstruation article. I have spoken to community coaches about the challenges and goals at their club.

I am excited to hear about the progress of women and girls’ rugby at different clubs as well as the ones I’m directly connected to.

The most recent lockdown has presented challenges for coaches as rugby and all outdoor sports is halted. Although everyone within the sporting community is frustrated, there is an opportunity to pause and think about the systems we currently use in clubs.

Now could be the time to set a new culture in place for your team or club. 2021 and 2022 don’t have to be a repeat of the previous decade. These lockdowns are an opportunity for coaches and clubs to hit a reset button.

Putting mental health at the forefront of your team’s culture and how you coach could be a key decision when we emerge from lockdown.

Chatting to Tom Hodgins, former Performance Psychologist for England 7s, was an eye opener in how I can include mental skills within team huddles. I had tried to incorporate questioning on mental fitness in past training sessions, but now I feel much more confident about how to approach it.

I also spoke to Tom about my new coach developer role at Huddersfield RUFC. Starting this role just before

WOMEN'S RUGBY COACHINGMARCH 2021 | ISSUE 002 | BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

RACHEL BURFORD >GIRLS RUGBY CLUB FOUNDER AND ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL

INSPIREINSPIREBELIEVEBELIEVEGROWGROWPLAYPLAY

Issue 002 March 2021

lockdown has meant I haven’t had much interaction with other coaches. However, I have organised a webinar for them and signposted them towards different online upskilling opportunities. This interaction, albeit over email, will hopefully keep coaches engaged in their own practice and help lay the groundwork for discussions with them on the pitch.

Although the launch of the women’s team came just before one lockdown and the launch of the girls training has been delayed by another, the club has seen some positive moments.

Before Christmas, the club held a Girls Rugby Club one day camp. The camp saw girls from our own club and one’s from our area have a day of coaching from Harlequins and England star Rachael Burford. The camp was a great experience for all involved but also ensured that everyone in the area and at the club knew that girls rugby had arrived at Huddersfield RUFC. I can’t wait to recapture that feeling when we launch our training sessions.

Pausing rugby during lockdown has also meant delaying the RFU’s Inner Warrior campaign. However, there is a positive hidden within this. The

Inner Warrior events are fantastic for encouraging those completely new to the sport to come and give it a try.

After this lockdown we enter into spring, when the weather is brighter. There will be more women and girls itching to be active outdoors. An Inner Warrior or recruitment event could be perfectly timed to ride a wave of new people wanting to try rugby. Huddersfield RUFC will be running two Inner Warriors and I can’t wait to try out the new ideas and games I’ve seen during lockdown.

Women’s Rugby Coaching is new and just like a coach trying out new ideas on the pitch, I’m keen to hear your feedback, ideas and any challenges you’ve had.

Get in touch by emailing me on [email protected]. I will be reaching out to subscribers on a regular basis to understand your challenges.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me, I would love to hear from you.

Women's Rugby Coaching is part of Rugby Coach Weekly website and weekly digital magazine which offers proven, easy to use rugby drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, training games, warm-ups, tips and advice. The resources are created for the grassroots coach following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.

Women's Rugby Coaching is published by Green Star Media Ltd

Women's Editor Jess Bunyard

Consultant EditorLiza Burgess

Head of Rugby Dan Cottrell

Pictures Reuters Media ExpressOmega Photography

Production Green Star Media Ltd

Customer [email protected]

Managing Director Kevin Barrow

(c) Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Click here to read the full disclaimer Cover picture Rachael Burford

To subscribe to Women's Rugby Coachinggo to Womensrugbycoaching.comor subscribe online here

2

Pandemic challenges bring opportunties

Jess Bunyard

womensrugbycoaching.com Issue 002

Challenge of coaching during lockdown

WOMEN S RUGBY COACHING

Lessons from a GRC day P3Experiencing what happens on a Girls Rugby Club day with Rachael Burford Recruit and retain players P4 Community coaches share their experiences Mental fitness P5-6Tom Hodgins on how to support your players on and off the fieldReduce female injury risk P7-8Build skills with a familiar game#ICARE shouts about rugby P9Fighting back on social media Playing the numbers P11Kicking, passing and running gameLoop-de-loop P12 Creating the extra player in attackColours overlap P13 Challenges with different widthsPlay back touch P14Improve support play

FROM THE EDITOR

THIS MONTH'S CONTRIBUTORS

CONTENTS

Rachael BurfordEngland internationalCaoimhe MorrisWomen's coordinator at Rugby Academy Ireland Maria CrowfootHead coach, Lichfield LadiesJacob Hurford,Head coach, Exeter Saracens U18s

Tom HodginsPerformance Psychologist who’s worked with England 7s and BathJames HallHead coach, Cambridge RFCJonny BurdenCoach at Cranleigh RFCAndy StevensCoach, Ellingham & Ringwood RFC

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DEVELOPMENT

womensrugbycoaching.com Issue 002 WOMEN S RUGBY COACHING

When Yorkshire briefly emerged from lockdown, Huddersfield RUFC hosted a one day rugby camp organised and led by Girls Rugby Club. The events offer clubs and girls an opportunity to experience being coached by Rachael Burford, who has over 70 appearances for England.

Although as a club we had not launched our girls’ training yet, we had a number of players in younger age groups who would be able to attend.

After lockdown, I felt it was important to have an event that would celebrate girls rugby, within RFU and government covid rules. It would also be a statement of intent that women and girls rugby was here at Huddersfield RUFC.

We had a real mix of girls turn up, some from our club and many from clubs across West Yorkshire. I also saw and connected with a few players I had encountered at different clubs and at county level.

It was great to see girls coming together to enjoy rugby and learn from one of the best, especially after having had no sport.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXTThe day started with fun introductory games to break the ice between the girls and goal setting. Each player had to write a goal on a post it note and stick it on the wall. This is so

everyone could see each other’s goals and the coaches could tailor the sessions for the players.

Alongside Rachael Burford, Vicky Alexander an experienced coach within the women and girls’ game, teamed up to form the coaching duo for the camp. There is often an indoor learning opportunity in other GRC camps, but in order to keep things covid safe a decision was made to offer all activities outdoors and to only come inside for lunch.

INTO ACTIONTo warm up the group of 16 girls played a game of multidirectional touch. The players were then split into two age groups, with Vicky and Rachael taking the lead with the two groups.

The players did a range of skill zones including passing quickly, offloading, sprinting and contact.

I tried to divide my time equally between the two age groups, giving feedback to a few players 1 on 1 and observing Rachael and Vicky. Observing other coaches is something I don’t get an opportunity to do often. I wanted to make sure I took full advantage of observing coaches who are well known within rugby.

PLAYING GAMESAfter the skill zones, the girls then moved onto a range of games. For this part of the day, I spent the majority of my time with Rachael Burford.

The game started with multidirectional touch as its base. Rachael then expanded upon the game by bringing in different rules including: changing the width of the pitch, adding in rules for offloads and bringing in a turn and burn element.

A turn and burn in a game means that when a team scores, they retain possession and are now attacking the try line they were previously defending. The defending team that just conceded the try, are now defending the other try line. This means the effort for the attacking

team doesn’t cease and both teams have to immediately realign and organise themselves according to their new try lines.

The game was short, fast paced and unrelenting for the players. The game offered them lots of opportunities for problem solving, when they had solved one problem, they were presented with another one.

BREAKING BARRIERSWhat was great to see Rachael and Vicky was the way they got rid of any barriers for the players.

For the girls turning up on the day, it will be exciting but also quite daunting to be coached by Rachael Burford.

Rachael and the team did what is at the core of a good coaching encounter: they formed good relationships.

Rachael became more than a legend within the game, seemingly far away and untouchable. She became the friend and mentor of all the players.

She broke down the barrier by talking about what the players wanted from the session, relating training to theirs and prior experiences.

She smiled, engaged with them and listened to them.

Due to forging those connections, the girls felt they could ask questions and they reaped the full benefits of the rugby expertise of the one day camp.

Lessons from a Girls Rugby Club

one day campHow Rachael Burford and her team of coaches broke down

barriers and energised

GAME ZONES INSPIRED BY GRC ONE DAY CAMPMultidirectional touch

Played in a grid, with two scoring try lines. Players can pass the ball in any direction. If a player gets touched by a member of the opposition they must stop and pass.

Change the width game

Set up a rectangular grid. Within the grid place a line of differently coloured cones. The coach can now restrict the playing area to the new line or widen it to the far one.

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL SKILL ZONEOne skill at a time A skill zone normally works on one skill, for example offloads, kicking, catching a kick.

Keep a skill zone small Use limited numbers of players so everyone has time to learn.

Coach/player relationship With a small number of players, a skill zone is the perfect chance to build a relationship

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ALL AGES DEVELOPMENT


Attracting new players to your club is similar to enticing a customer to trying a new business. They need a good offer to initially walk through the door and a positive encounter to warrant repeat customAs a coach, offering a positive learning experience to players should be the priority. However, this doesn’t just have to happen within a standard training session.

You can attract and retain players through offering freebies, pizza after training or simple team bonding events.

Here are a few ideas from coaches of how you can recruit and retain new players.

FEEL PART OF THE CLUB

Don't underestimate the importance of feeling welcome within the wider club environment.

Players can feel part of their own team, but if they feel pushed to one side within the club they will always feel uncomfortable at the club.

An ideal way to make players feel welcome is for them to bond with other club members at touch tournaments for everyone.

Instead of a Women and Girl’s section feeling like a satellite part of the club, get all club members and players to know each other through a common bond: rugby.

EVERYONE LOVES FREEBIES

If you buy 10 coffees in a row, you get a free coffee. If you sign up for the gym you get freebies.

Giveaways are a great idea and can be adapted to any budget big or small.

Giving out prizes for players who are new or rewarding players who have been training for a while is a great way to make players feel good about turning up.

It’s even better if these freebies have club logos on. The players can get a sense of belonging as they wear their t-shirt or drink from a water bottle that says they play rugby at a local club.

MAKING FRIENDSPeople return because they have fun,

they learn, they get to be competitive and they get to achieve all this whilst bonding with a new rugby family.

People are often hesitate to turn up to new events not knowing anybody.

Take that away and help everyone get to know each other better with special or regular team bonding events.

A coach might incorporate team building events at the start of the season or after there’s had an influx of players. However, coaches could use team building games during a training session to keep friendships strong within the group and to keep it fun.

Jacob Hurford, Head Coach of Exeter Saracens WRFC U18s“We run an intra club

touch tournament. Last year we ran it during the

summer within covid protocols as a Ready4Rugby tournament.

It was fantastic, you had the senior men, senior women, colts, u18s girls and u16 lads all up the club.

There was a bbq and an outside bar all day. It got members of the club who would otherwise not know each other talking and having a laugh.

It has created connections between teams and has really helped to the grow the one club ethos that we are trying to create.”

ways recruit and retain players3

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2

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On the beach with rugby, sandcastle building and fitness. Photo: Lauren Roberts

Jess Bunyard, head of womens rugby, Huddersfield RUFC“I have previously

organised freebie bundles: turn up to 6 consecutive

sessions and get a bundle including a t-shirt, water bottle and protein bar.

This year I’m planning to put a different spin on it by producing digital bonus cards.

Each week a player turns up they get a digital stamp and a prize given to them after training.

Every session they attend the prize goes up in value until it’s a club t-shirt on the 6th week.

There’s also a bonus 7th stamp if they bring a friend to training.”

Jonny Burden, attack and backs coach at Cranleigh RFC“During my time at

Northumbria University women’s team, we had a

“Wicked Wednesday” where we wanted to introduce team building sessions.

We had a beach training session, for example, where we did some bits of training: sprinting on sand, wrestling etc. We then did a sandcastle/sand movie scene competition with the group and they had to act out the scene or explain what was going on.

Never underestimate the power of incorporating team building events into training sessions. It gets anyone new bonding and laughing with the rest of the players and makes them feel part of the group."

A digital bonus card where you get rewarded for turning up to training

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ALL AGES COACHING


During numerous covid lockdowns mental health has suffered but more people are talking about how to become more mentally fit. Using tools for a team’s mental health has also been see on television recently in the men’s Premiership.

You can see teams have been taking a collective breath in their huddles.

Coaches and players can become more aware of mental health and give it equal importance as tactical and technical within matches and training sessions.

The key is personalising any approach.

Here are some key guidelines on how to coach a mentally active team.

MENTAL HEALTH SPACEI worked with England Women’s 7s for three and a half years and during that time I was fully embedded within the team and I felt I was quite protected in my role.

Instead of always been in an office far away from the coaching team, I would be given an hour every week to work on individual and team mental skills. We put a lot of emphasis on the culture and the team dynamics.

We were having really powerful conversations. I often ran a group session alongside the coach and sometimes it was just myself and the players. I also did 1-2-1s, which could help provide insight into how the players were feeling at coaches’ meetings, if the players were ok with me discussing it outside of the room.

The role within the 7s set up was one of the best jobs I’ve had because I felt a part of the team and could contribute like another coach.

The collective mental skills work was done within these group sessions. It was often codesigned with the coachand the aim was trying to get the girls to understand each other.

We might ask questions about how the team would approach dealing with a maverick player. Everyone has different opinions and it’s through the sharing of those opinions that the team culture was formed, the players all began to understand each other.

There’s real value in sitting and doing a 1-2-1 session, but if we’re talking about mental skills that people use on the pitch, one of the best ways to develop it is outside.

We might talk about refocusing or handling pressure. Just like kicking, the best way to develop a skill is out on the pitch.

I helped coaches design sessions on how to put players under pressure and really test them, so that they are prepared for match day pressure.

In a session where there’s a lot of running and contact players are being physically tested, I worked with the coaches to put the players under cognitive stress as well.

Coaches are so focused on the tactical and technical side of sport that sometimes mental skills are underdeveloped.

Mental skills can be the difference in a game and ultimately it’s about creating mentally healthier athletes.

Get your players mentally fitPERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGIST TOM HODGINS WHO'S WORKED WITH NORTHAMPTON SAINTS, BATH AND ENGLAND WOMEN 7S

We might ask questions about how the team would

approach dealing with a maverick playerEngland sevens in action in the

2018 Commonwealth games

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ALL AGES COACHING


WORK WITH THE GROUP AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUALI'm a big believer that you can do a lot of mental skills work on an individual level but if you've got one person who disrupts the group and brings down everyone's confidence by 10% that has a massive implication for the whole team.

Getting to work within the dynamics of the group is probably the most important thing coaches and myself can get right. If you make sure the mental awareness of the group space is comfortable, then the mental skills of the individual is allowed to thrive.

One way to start is to try and make space for it within the questions that coaches would normally ask in a session. It’s gets the players to put mental skills on their radar.

For example if you’re running a skill zone where it’s challenging for the players, a passing drill that was designed to be difficult, a coach could ask them questions about how their confidence was and how did they refocus themselves whilst under pressure.

Sharing insight between the players is great at all levels of the game. During my time at England 7s, the players would share their own experiences of major events, like the Commonwealth games. It meant players who had never been to these events before knew what to expect.

If coaches include mental questions alongside their tactical and technical questions, then mental skills is given equal time and thought amongst players and the team.

SUPPORT AND UNDERSTAND DURING LOCKDOWNOne thing I can recommend for coaches during lockdown and after is having a few pre-set questions they can ask players. This chat might take place over zoom or via text messages.

Coaches can send the questions in advance as well so that the players can have time to think about their answers. These questions will enable the players to reflect on their mental fitness, for example: what has gone well this week, what hasn’t gone well.

If you just ask someone how they are, they’ll say “fine” or “ok”, very few will actually open up.

Asking more direct questions enables people to reflect and open up. Part of the frustrations during lockdown comes from an expectation that motivation still has to be high.

It’s ok for motivation to dip, players and coaches are not alone. Grassroots or professional, the most important thing is that people are doing the best they can.

Setting team challenges, not just sports related but cooking and other life skills can make things easier. Often it’s just finding ways to make people feel like they’re moving forward.

The best response to times like this is taking action, making ourselves feel like we’re progressing.

FIND WHAT WORKS Teams have been using breathing techniques recently in huddles. From what I’ve seen it’s just been one breath. The breathing approach has spread from the Southern Hemisphere.

It’s like all trends, it tends to sweep across teams. Clapping or whooping after a training session are now very common to try to bring a sense of collectiveness and culture.

Teams tend to watch someone else do it and copy it for themselves. There’s lots of good research around breathing, for example when you take longer exhales it activates your parasympathetic system which is essentially a rest and digest system. It helps you relax, but I’m unsure whether just doing one collective

breath can help.

However if it’s used to refocus a team or a person during a quick debrief after they’ve just conceded a try, it’s probably more about taking the space to pause before someone starts talking than the actual breath.

If a team or coach is wanting to put their own spin on a refocusing or team moment is to talk to the players about how to help ground them in that moment. Coaches can help the players figure out what works for them.

Humans tend to have internal thinking, so getting players to think externally can help. It might be looking at something near the pitch they’ve never noticed before.

For a grassroots coach during an evening session, they could help players by saying “I want you to focus every time you feel your emotions bubbling up or every time you lose focus I want you to focus on something externally. I'm going to give you 30 seconds now to find what you’re going to look at.”

This could be anything, something red in the surrounding environment or the water bottles on the side line.

The aim is how can you help people get out of their own way and focus externally. It could be a collective inhale, it could be focusing on the environment or that you’re going to have a 5-10 seconds silence before anyone speaks in a huddle or meeting.

The key is finding something that works for the team and the players.

CONNECTIf you want to find out more:

Tom Hodgins (pictured)

Twitter @thpsychology_

Dr Coleen Hacker, worked as a mental skills coach and Performance Psychology Specialist for the U.S.A at five Olympics.

Twitter: @DrColleenHacker

Aaron Walsh, mental skills coach for Chiefs Rugby, LinkedIn contact

Questions to get players thinking about mental

fitness � How does it feel when you’re under pressure in a game?

� How could we improve our mental fitness in team huddles?

� What went well this week in and outside of training?

� What didn’t go well this week in and outside of training?

� On a scale of 1-10, where was your confidence in that drill?

� What would have made it higher?

� Why wasn’t it lower? � When was your confidence/focus at its best in tonight’s session? Why was that?

If you just ask someone how they are, they’ll say

“fine” or “ok”, very few will actually open up.

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PHYSICAL


Female athletes are more at risk of certain injuries, such as ACLs and concussions. A warm up can reduce injury risk and prepare the player physically and mentally for the rest of the session. Learn how to reduce injury risk in a training session and how to educate players in moving safely. The function of the warm up is to prepare the body for the task ahead. Players who participate in a warm up have a lower injury risk and higher power/speed/strength output and are more switched on than those who don’t.

The warm up is not only useful for injury reduction, but it is also a great opportunity to

expose players to skills and movements that they are unfamiliar with.

When coaching young or unexperienced athletes who're just learning how to move their body, the warm up provides an opportunity for coaches to show their players how to squat, lunge, hinge, jump, land, sprint and slow down in a controlled environment. These skills are vital in the pursuit of injury reduction.

A player who has been taught to efficiently decelerate in a controlled manner at training (low pressure) will also be able to do so in a match (high pressure).

DESIGNING A WARM UPWarm up design doesn’t need to be overly complicated. There’s some great resources out there that give you a pre-made warm up to follow.

Sporting governing bodies have produced some guides to help coaches, such as FIFA 11+, RFU Activate or GAA 15.

One protocol that I use is the Ian Jeffreys’ RAMP protocol. It’s is useful because ensures your players get a full body warm up in an incremental manner.

The warm-up should be the first exposure your athletes get to moderate or high intensity work. It should be structured and planned.

It’s vital that it is incremental in terms of physiological demand and neurological challenge.

RAMP PROTOCOLHow the Ian Jeffery's RAMP protocal works:

R: Raise the heartrate through easy, low demand exercise

A: Activate the muscles through a range of exercises

M: Mobilise the joints through a range of exercises

P: Potentiate the body by practicing session or sport specific tasks

How to reduce

injury risk in female

playersCAOIMHE MORRIS, AN S&C AND RUGBY

COACH AND THE WOMEN’S COORDINATOR OF RUGBY ACADEMY IRELAND, PROVIDES

HER GUIDE TO AN EFFECTIVE WARM UP

“A body at rest is unprepared for activity”

Dr Ian Jeffreys

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ALL AGES PHYSICAL


CONSIDERATIONS FOR FEMALE ATHELETES When designing a warm up for female teams, I would always advise that coaches take the extra time to educate their players on how to perform the exercises they’re doing in their warm up.

When they’re performing the lunge, make sure to challenge their awareness of where their toe is pointing, if their back straight, if their weight all in their front leg or split evenly.

If a player is able to understand and identify those things in a simple lunge, their understanding of their position of their body in a ruck, tackle or set piece improves. There is a direct correlation.

Teaching them to understand their movement in the warm up will make them better able to understand their movement in the game.

GAMES FOR WARM UPSIn the Potentiation part of the warm-up, I would expose players to chasing games, reaction games and linear sprints. These activities focus on skills such as sprinting, decelerating and changing direction.

This will help prepare them for the session or match and improve their understanding of how to do those movements safely.

Giving the players adequate recovery between repetitions and sets, will strengthen the hamstrings and lower the risk of running injuries.

Exposure to change of direction and deceleration will help perfect the technique of those movements and lower the risk of injuries such as ACL and ankle sprains.

BUILD UP LEVELSThe tables show an example of a generic warm up routine using levels 1, 2 and 3.

The levels can be chosen depending on the exposure your team has had to these movements.

However I would generally advise that all teams start at level 1 first so that coaches can get an idea of how well each individual player moves and understands the movement.

If you’re looking for warm up ideas to help build up injury resilience I recommend activities Cone grab and Don't Drop the Bomb. They’ll help female athletes due to the change of direction from different starting points. Players will be able to increase their reaction times and improve their core stability.

For more ideas and information on warm ups check out these profiles on Twitter:Jeremy Frisch @JeremyFrischErica Suter @soccerqueenIvi Casagrande @ivicasagrande

CONE GRAB

1. Split the players into pairs and give each person a cone.2. Players start out in a bearcrawl position, facing each other, with the cone on their back.3. Players must get the other person’s cone to fall of their back by causing them to move around or get close enough so they can grab the cone.4. Whoever’s cone stays on their back during the bearcrawl wins the round.

TECHNIQUESStrong body position, agility

NOTESThis warm up focuses on core stability and works on injury reduction by getting players to move whilst keeping their centre of gravity low. It’s good preparation for contact.

DEVELOPMENTSPlace a tennis ball on the cone.Make the warm up a 3v3 or 4v4 with players allowed to dislodge other people’s hands or feet.

DON'T DROP THE BOMB

1. Set up a small square for four players.2. Players work in teams of two3. Players aim to throw the ball to the opposite pair and cause them to drop it4. Each time a team drops the ball, their opponents get a point5. Players can throw the ball how they like and can move around the grid.

NOTESThis warm up focuses on hand-eye coordination, redistribution of weight and tactical awareness.

DEVELOPMENTSKicks allowed.Add in smaller balls or more balls.Make the space wider and make it a 3v3.Bounce ball off the ground before a catch.

Level 1

Raise Jogging forwards & backwards, side shuffles

Activate & mobilise

Lying leg swings, glute bridge, T-walks

Strength & conditioning

Lunge, plank, knee press up

Potentiate Broad jump & stick, striding into sprinting, ball drop & catch

Level 2

Raise Jogging forward & backwards, side shuffles, skipping, jogging & turning

Activate & mobilise

Partner standing leg swings, slow glute bridge, T-walks with twist


Lunge with a twist, side plank, press up

Potentiate Multiple Broad jumps, curved striding into sprinting, 1v1 ball drop & catch

Level 3

Raise Jog forward, back, side shuffle, skipping with high knees, shadow partner

Activate & mobilise

Walking leg swings, Single-leg glute bridgeT-walks with partner tip


Lunge with a tip, spiderman plank, slow press up

Potentiate Broad jump into single leg land, moderate into high speed chasing

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NEWS


When the postponement of the 2021 Women’s Six Nations was announced some took to social media to let the world know that they didn’t care. That no one would care that women’s international rugby wasn’t taking place. The negative response, sadly, is not surprising. A BBC survey found that social media abuse affects almost a third of elite British sportswomen. Players, coaches, fans and teams took to social media to say that they cared and to fight back using positivity against the trolls.

#ICARE shouts about rugby

Playing the numbersWith a small space and a rugby ball, players are presented with a different overlap each time. Coaches can also give the team different constraints to work on creative ways to organise themselves. Time10 minutesMinimum level of equipmentCones, 1-2 ballsCore skillsPassing, organisation.

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HOW TO...SESSIONS

WOMEN 'S RUGBY COACHING

This month we are expanding our definition of skill zones. Ditch the dull and think about how a skill zone can layer different mental as well as physical tasks for players. As well as working on fundamental skills, these activities will challenge teams and excite them into problem solving.

Quickfire guide to our activities

P11

P12

P14

P13

Loop-de-loopGet your players to understand how to loop and follow their pass, whilst working on their decision making. Try using this skill zone in between two games. Consider awarding points in the second game if they try the loop that they just learnt. Time10 minutesMinimum level of equipmentCones, 1-2 ballsCore skillsSupport in attack

Colours overlapSay goodbye to a standard 2v1 and add in some extra challenges with just a few cones and balls. This zone purposefully creates a busy environment and presents an opportunity to work within differently sized spaces. Time10 minutesMinimum level of equipmentA set of red cones, a set of blue cones, 2-4 ballsCore skillPassing, spatial awareness

Play back touchWork on players support in attack and foundations of the ruck in this fast paced game. The number of adaptations means it can be easily worked into a session for any team. The ruck support element also means the game works on quick transitions from attack to defence or vice versa.Time10-20 minutesMinimum level of equipmentCones, 1-2 ballsCore skillsTower of power, support in attack

womensrugbycoaching.com Issue 002

SET UPSet up a wide but shallow rectangle. Place six cones along one of the longest lines of the rectangle. Six players start on the cone.

HOW TO DO IT> When the coach calls a number, for example “2”, two players run into the box and turn to face the players who are still by the cones.

> The two players who ran out are now defending.

> The four players remaining have the ball rolled towards them, they are now attacking and trying to score on the opposite try line.

> The scenario stops when the players score or the defenders force a mistake from the attackers.

> The players return to their starting cones.

DEVELOPMENTS

> Every few rounds or each time you run the skill zone, make the players invent a different system for who runs out when a number is called.

> The players must organise who runs out silently.

> Each player takes it in turns to organise the group.

> Add in bonus points for thinking creatively, for example grubber kicks.

COMMENTS"When I’ve run this game, I’ve made it fairly rapid to test the players reactions to an overlap, but also to test their organisation skills. The skill zone works on practical rugby skills, such as passing as well as team communication and problem solving.

"Players may want to brainstorm ideas, through using a team huddle or a whiteboard. I’ve also found it useful to allow players a space to reflect as a team on what the challenge and any of the developments made them do."

This skill zone appears simple. A fast paced, overlap challenge: beat the defenders and score a try. However, the set up that leads to it provides players with the opportunity to problem solve within team organisation and communication. By Jess Bunyard

Playing the numbers

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AGES 12+ATTACK

Pass Ground covered Direction of run

Make the space wide

enough for all players

� Call out a number and

that number of players run out into the middle of the grid and turn to face the attackers

� Attackers must use

the space and the overlap to score

� The defenders try to stop the

attackers by trying to force a mistake

� Line up all players on one side of the box

� The remaining

players now have to attempt a try by beating the defenders

NOTESBeing able to vary the number of attackers and defenders each round, makes each scenario the players are presented with different. Players have to decide who runs out each time, making them get creative with team organisation. Adding in the 6 starter cones, helps new players line themselves up for the zone.

womensrugbycoaching.com Issue 002 WOMEN 'S RUGBY COACHING

WHY USE IT Give players the tools to execute a loop and game awareness of when and where to loop.

SET UPSet up a grid large enough for four players. The players start at one end of the grid in an attacking line.

HOW TO DO IT> The players must pass the ball to all four players and score a try at the opposite end executing a loop.

> The person starting with the ball is usually the looper.

> The coach stands in a random position just in front of the try line mimicking a defender to encourage the person looping to scan and identify where to receive the pass.

> The players respond to the looper and realign in order to receive a pass.

> The last player to receive a ball scores on the try line.

DEVELOPMENTS

> Challenge players to work back inside if the looper is pushed too far towards the edge of the grid.

> Use a player not training to position themselves as a defender.

> Add in 3 “live” defenders that can tag players but are only allowed to move side to side.

TECHNIQUE> Scanning

COMMENTS“I've used this with U12 and U18 boys and U13/15/18 girls. The players admitted they like a loop but have had no idea where they should loop to in order to maximise the attack potential.

"This has really helped them to work on that. I’ve found standing between players 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 have been the most beneficial and game relevant.”

Transform your standard passing skill zone into one that gives players a case to work on their decision making in attack. By Andrew Stevens, U15 Girls lead coach at Ellingham and Ringwood RFC, Cobra Sport Academy Lead Coach and host of the Glass Half Full podcast

Loop-de-loop

12

AGES 12+ATTACK


The coach stands in line

with player to mimic a defender near the tryline

� Once the starting ball carrier has passed, they then loop

round to receive the ball

� Attackers must use the space and the overlap to

score

� The other attackers

respond to the looper and change their space

OPTIONS

� Players have the option to

move back inside if the looper has run too far out

The last player to

touch the ball scores

NOTESThis skill zone helps players understand when to try a loop. It also helps development a team’s communication, as the looping player has to talk to their teammates for the loop to work successfully. The key is to let the players communicate and problem solve as a group of


WHY USE IT A 2v1 allows players to be creative in a small space. A 2v1 skill zone can also allow coaches to be creative and to use it to get players to problem solve and self-organise.

SET UPSet up two differently coloured grids side by side with a channel in the middle. Make one grid wider than the other.

HOW TO DO IT> 6-12 players start in the middle channel. The coach calls out a colour, corresponding to one of the two grids.

> The players now try to execute a 2 on 1 in the grid. The players run into the grid with one defending.

> The two attackers receive the ball from the coach and try to score a try.

DEVELOPMENTS> Add two players into the skill zone to make it a 3v2.

> Increase the total number of players in the channel to have two grids running at once.

> Add in bonus points scoring for players trying something new, such as a kick or an offload.

> Add in full tackling or a tackle hug, if covid rules allow.

> Instead of the coach passing to the players, have a player practice the role of a scrum half and pass the ball off the ground to the attackers.

COMMENTS“I’ve run this with 18 players, it’s been chaos but great. The skill zone increases communication, especially when escalated to a 3v2. It’s very flexible: you can vary the numbers, have lots of balls being used and encourage kicking as well as the basics of beating a defender and passing."

Uses this 2v1 to challenge your players to organise and execute an overlap in different sized spaces.By Maria Crowfoot, head coach of Lichfield Ladies

Colours overlap

13

AGES 12+DECISION MAKING


Players stand in between the two

boxes

� After the coach calls out a colour 3 players run in, 1

defender and 2 attackers

� Add in bonus points for players trying creative solutions to the problem

� The attackers now try and beat the

defender

� Set up two boxes with different widths

� Players decide who runs into the box


WHY USE IT This game support through an attacker supporting the ball and the ball carrier after they’ve gone to ground. The threat of a defender coming through and stealing the ball if no one is there means the attackers have to organise themselves and ensure the ball carrier has support. The 3 second rule for the try ensures that all attackers have to be following the try scorer in support.

SET UPSet up a 40m box, varying to suit your players.

HOW TO DO IT> Every time a two handed touch is made by a defender, the ball carrier must drop to the floor and present the ball back to their teammates.

> The defender that made the touch must drop to the floor and spring back up before they can return to the defensive line

> A member of the attacking team must position themselves over the ball carrier and the ball.

> If there is no ball protector a defender may step over the player in a jackal position and steal the ball.

> If a try is scored all attackers must be over the try line within 3 seconds for the score to count.

DEVELOPMENTS> Include contact rucking when the ball carrier has gone to ground. Keep the two handed touch to purely work on rucking.

> Only play the 3 second rule and make the game multidirectional, meaning passes can go in any direction.

COMMENTS“I’ve used this game part of a warm up or within a main session. It’s a great way to work on core skills, fitness, support play and players positioning all in one."

This game of touch develops player’s awareness to support each other. It works on protecting the ball at a ruck and running to support the ball carrier. The added fitness elements make the game more match realistic. By James Hall, head of women and girls at Cambridge RFC

Play back touch

14

AGES 12+GAMES


If the ball carrier gets touched they

present the ball to their team

� An attacker must ruck over, with no contact,

to protect the ball

� Once a try is scored all the attackers

must be on the try line in 3 seconds

� Start the game with equal number of players on each

teams

� The defender that made the touch must

drop to the floor and spring back up


INSPIRE BELIEVE GROW PLAY - Women's Rugby Coaching

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