RUGBY GAMES Part II
DON'T DROP IT (Catching, kicking, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, speed)
- One rugby ball and eight cones per eight participants
Arrange the participants into groups of eight, and then separate each group into teams of four. Use cones to mark out a playing area for each team. The areas should approximately 15 by 15 metres. The distance between the two areas depends on the age or ability of the participants; a shorter distance is preferable for younger or less able participants.
One participant begins with the rugby ball as the kicker. She kicks the ball so it travels through the air (across the area between the teams) to bounce inside the opposing team's area. Members of the opposing team must try to catch the ball before it bounces in their area. However, they should let the ball bounce if it is not going to land in their area. The kicker scores a point if the ball bounces inside the opposing team's area. The opponents score a point if the ball does not land inside the area or is caught before it bounces. Teams take turns to kick the ball across to their opponents' area. Within each team, participants take turns to kick when it is their team's turn. Have them play for a set time (e.g., 5 to 10 minutes) or until one team has scored a set number of points (e.g., 15 to 20).
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Ensure participants have completed a thorough warm-up before playing this activity because it involves ballistic kicking actions.
- Space groups so participants aren't hit by stray rugby balls that other teams have kicked.
- Instruct other participants to call out their names when they are going to catch the rugby ball, so other teammates do not go for it.
- Teach less able participants how to kick the ball correctly. Following are key coaching points for the kick:
a) Hold the middle of the ball, with one hand on the top of it and one on the bottom;
b) Hold the ball so that the longest axis of the ball is horizontal to the ground;
c) Drop the ball; do not throw it upwards prior to the foot strike;
d) Place the standing foot on the floor so it is pointing towards the target;
e) Use the laces to strike the ball;
f) Take a high backswing and follow through with the kickng leg;
g) Lock the ankle of the kicking foot when striking the ball with the toes pointed down.
GAME VARIATION: This game can be played indoors on a badminton court. The kicker can throw or kick the ball over the net from the back of the court. This is a good variation for playing during a wet weather season.
GAME VARIATION: A participant who drops the ball or is the closest to it when it bounces in her area is out. A player is also out if she kicks the ball so that it bounces outside of the opposing team's area. Participants stand to the side of their area when they are out. The game continues until all of the participants from one team are out, at which point the opposing team is awarded a point. Participants who are out rejoin the game for the next round. Have them play for a set time (e.g., 5 to 10 minutes)); the team with the most points is the winner.
HARDER: Participants must use a drop-kick technique to play the ball across the area.
SMALL GROUPS: Play according to the same rules as the game variation in which participants are removed from the game, but have only one participant stand in one of the areas; that person is the kicker. The remaining participants stand in the other area. The kicker keeps kicking the ball into the area until one participant is left; that participant scores a point and changes roles with the kicker. Have them play for a set time (e.g., 5 to 10 minutes); the participant with the most points wins.
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FIVE PASS AND OVER (Attacking, defending, kicking, passing, receiving, support play, agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, speed)
- One rugby ball per 10 participants
- One bib per two participants
- Cones
Arrange the participants into groups of 20; then separate each group into teams of 10. Number the teams 1 and 2, and have one team put bibs on. Place cones to mark out a large rectangular area approximately 40 by 20 metres for each group. Use cones to separate this large area into three zones. The outer zones are attacking zones, and the zone between the attacking zones is the centre zone. The attacking zones are approximately 15 by 20 metres and the centre zone is approximately 10 by 20 metres. Team 1 starts as the attacking team, with five participants standing in each of the attacking zones. Team 2 starts as the defending team and stands in the centre zone. Give a participant from team 1 a rugby ball.
When the game starts, the participant with the ball passes it to one of his teammates. All the attackers in this zone try to make five passes, after which, one of them kicks the ball over the heads of the defenders to one of their teammates standing in the other attacking zone.
As soon as the attackers start passing the ball, two of the defenders move into the attacking zone where the ball is. The two defenders attempt to stop the attackers making five passes or the kick across by intercepting an attacker's pass, tackle an opponent in possession of the ball or block any attempted kicks. The attackers can continue to pass among each other after they have made the fifth pass if their kicks are blocked by a defender.
If the ball is caught after being kicked over the centre zone, the attacking team scores a point. The attackers in the zone where the kick has just been received try to make the set number of passes and then kick the ball over to the other attacking zone.
Each time the ball is kicked into a new attacking zone, two new defenders move into this zone to prevent the attackers making the passes or kicking the ball over. The defenders who are in the zone where the ball was kicked move back to the centre area. If the defenders prevent the attackers in one of the zones from making the set number of passes (by intercepting a pass) or the attackers drop the ball while passing it, the attackers start passing to each other again by they start counting the passes from zero.
If the attackers in one of the zones have three failed attempts to make the set number of passes, then possession is given to their teammates in the other attacking zone. Once the ball has been kicked over the defenders, they cannot enter into the zone where the ball is until an attacker catches it or picks it up if one of them does not catch it. The defenders in the centre zone can try to block or catch any kicks across their area. Team 1 attacks for a set time (e.g., 5 minutes), trying to score as many points as possible. After the set time the teams swap roles. Once both teams have attacked, the team with the most points wins.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- This game is only suitable with participants who can kick the ball effectively.
- Make sure the outer areas are large enough.
- Defenders may enter into the attackers' areas only once an opponent has caught the ball. If the ball is kicked out of an area, the defenders must quickly return to the centre zone.
- Attackers should not try to rush the kick after they have made the fifth pass. They should try to pass to a player in space who has time to kick the ball without being blocked by an opponent.
- Defenders should take turns to enter into the attacking zone.
EASIER/HARDER: Change the number of defenders allowed into the attacking zone to change the level of difficulty.
GAME VARIATION: Defenders start by sending one participant into the attacking zone, but when the attackers have scored three points, they are allowed to send in another defender. Continue adding defenders each time the attackers score 3 points to make the game more challenging for the attackers. GAME VARIATION: If the attackers drop the rugby ball or the defenders intercept the ball or catch a kicked ball in the centre zone, the teams switch roles. Have them play for a set time; the team with the most points wins.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: This game can be adapted for use in soccer sessions. Participants must kick the ball to pass to teammates when making the set number of passes. They should use a chipped pass to send the ball over the top of the defenders to teammates in the other attacking zone.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: This game can be adapted for use in other passing and receiving and throwing and catching games, such as basketball, cricket and netball.
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GLADIATOR (Attacking, defending, agility, balance, coordination, endurance, power, speed, reaction time)
- One bib per two participants
- One rugby ball per participant
- Cones
- Five hoops per 12 participants
Arrange the participants into groups of 12; then separate each group into teams of six. Number the teams 1 and 2, and have one team put bibs on. Team 1 starts as the attacking team, and Team 2 starts as the defending team. Cone out a playing area for each group of approximately 30 by 30 metres. Place five hoops on the floor in the area - one in the centre and the other four in a square of approximately 10 by 10 metres around the centre one. Four of the defenders stand inside the area waiting for their turn to join the action. Three attackers line up on the outside of one side of the area. The remaining attackers line up on the opposite side of the area. Place half of the rugby balls beside one line of attackers and the remaining balls beside the other line of attackers.
When the game begins, the attackers at the front of the two lines each pick up a ball and move into the area. They try to place the rugby ball inside one of the hoops without being tackled by one of the defenders. Five points are awarded if the ball is placed in the centre hoop, and three points are awarded for placing the ball in one of the outer hoops. The defenders try to stop the attackers from putting their rugby ball in the hoop by tackling them. If an attacker is tackled, she returns to her line, gives the ball to the teammate at the front of the line and then joins the back of the line. If an attacker places her rugby ball inside one of the hoops, she leaves the ball there and returns to the back of her line. The next teammate can go once the attacker has returned to the back of the line. Once an attacking team has managed to place all of its rugby balls in the hoops, teammembers can begin to score the equivalent number of points by retrieving any of the rugby balls. For example, if an attacker retrieves a ball from the centre hoop and returns with it back to her line without being tackled, she is awarded 5 points.
After a set time (e.g, 1 minute) the defenders who are waiting at the side of the area switch with two of their teammates. This is repeated after another set time so that all of the defenders on the side of the area have taken a turn. At this point, the teams switch roles so Team 2 can take its turn to attack. Once both teams have taken their turns to attack, the team with the most points wins.
- Use tag or touch rules for tackling. Full-contact tackling should be incorporated only when participants have been taught the correct techniques.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Allow recovery periods between rounds.
- Warn attackers to be very careful not to clash heads with each other when trying to place a rugby ball in the same hoop.
- Participants should place the rugby balls in the hoops and not throw them. They must place the ball inside the hoop so that it stays there. If the ball does not stay in the hoop, then no points are awarded.
- Attackers should try to dodge, sidestep, swerve and use changes of pace to get past the defenders.
- Attackers should carry the rugby ball in both hands.
EASIER: Make the game easier for the attackers by allowing them to enter into the area whenever they like. They do not have to line up. Ideally, you should have more rugby ball per group if playing this variation.
EASIER: Make the game easier for the attackers by having only two defenders working at the same time. Defenders swap in and out every minute.
GAME VARIATION: Attackers work in pairs to try to place the rugby balls in the hoops. The attackers can pass the ball to each other. The defenders can tackle the attackers only when they are in possession of the ball.
HARDER: Make the game harder for the attackers by taking away some of the hoops.
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INVADER (Decision making, passing, receiving, tactical awareness, agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, speed)
- One bib and one rugby ball per two participants
- Cones
Arrange the participants into groups of eight; then separate each group into two teams of four. Number the teams 1 and 2, and have one of the teams put bibs on. Using cones, mark a playing area of approximately 45 by 15 metres for each group. Use other cones to split the area into three zones, with the two outer zones being approximately 15 by 15 metres. Team 1 stands in one of the outer zones, and Team 2 stands in the other. Each team should be given two rugby balls, but they are only needed when the team is defending. The area between the two teams is the centre zone.
A participant from Team 1 attacks while all of the participants from team 2 defend. A participant attacks by moving across to the other team's zone and trying to tag one of the defenders. Two of the defenders start with their team's rugby balls, which the defenders can pass between each other. A defender with a rugby ball in his hand cannot be tagged. The attacker tries to tag one of the defenders who isn't holding a ball. Defenders are not allowed to have possession of the ball for longer than 10 seconds at a time. The defenders are allowed to move around their zone, but they must stay inside of it.
Once an attacker has tagged an opponent, he has to run back to his own zone as quickly as possible. If he successfully gets back to his zone, he scores a point. Once an attacker has tagged a defender, the defenders can prevent the attacker from scoring a point by tagging him with a ball. Defenders can move into the centre zone to tag the attacker if they have a ball, but they can only move into this area once a teammate has been tagged. To tag an opponent, the defenders must touch him with one of the rugby balls. A tag counts only if the attacker is touched on the back or arms with the ball. It should not be pushed into the front of his body, at his head or in his face. Defenders must hold the ball while tagging; they are not allowed to throw it.
After the first participant has attacked, the teams switch roles and one participant from Team 2 becomes the attacker. Teams then alternate between attacking and defending, but within each team, participants take turns to attack. Have them play for a set time (e.g., 5 to 10 minutes) or until all the participants have had a set number of turns being the attacker (e.g., three turns each). The team with the most points wins the game.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Attackers should not tag the defenders too hard.
- Defenders should not tag too hard with the rugby ball. Defenders must not throw the rugby ball at attackers to tag them. The rugby ball must be in the defender's hand when he tags the attacker.
- Ask questions to check understanding after explaining the rules.
- The size of the areas depend on the age and ability of the participants. Smaller areas and shorter distance between them is preferable for younger or less able participants.
- If attackers are struggling to tag one of the defenders, allow them only 30 seconds to try; if they do not tag an opponent in 30 seconds, the team defending is awarded a point and the teams switch roles.
EASIER/HARDER: Make the game easier for the attackers (and harder for the defenders) by allowing the defenders to have only one ball.
EASIER/HARDER: Change the size of the areas to change the level of difficulty of the game.
GAME VARIATION: Teams are allowed to send two attackers across. Once an attacker has tagged a defender, the defenders can tag either of the attackers, so both attackers should return to their zone. Attackers should call out 'tag' when they have made the tag so their teammate knows to run back to the area.
GAME VARIATION: Defenders cannot move when they are in possession of one of the rugby balls, until a tag has been made. Defenders can move with the ball after a tag.
GAME VARIATION: Only play this game with sponge rugby balls. Defenders are not allowed to leave their zone. They can tag an opponent with the ball when he is in his area, but once the attacker is in the centre zone, the defenders can throw the ball so it hits the attacker below the waist. The defenders must use an underarm action to throw the ball and must keep it low (i.e., below the waist)
From book, More Fun and Games: 100 new sport-related activities (Anthony Dowson)
