5 April, 2026 0 Comments 1 category

Rugby Training Drills: The Best Drills to Improve Your Game

Whether you are just starting out at your local club or you have been playing for years and want to sharpen specific skills, structured training drills are the fastest route to genuine improvement. Rugby is a sport that demands an unusual combination of physical attributes — strength, speed, endurance, coordination, and decision-making under pressure. Good drills address all of these, breaking the game down into manageable components so you can practise each one with intent.

This guide covers the essential rugby training drills across every key area of the game. Work through these consistently and you will notice the difference on match day.

Why Drills Matter for Rugby Improvement

It is easy to fall into the habit of just playing touch rugby or doing laps at training and calling it a session. That has its place, but it will not fix a poor pass or an unsafe tackle technique. Drills exist to isolate a single skill, repeat it enough times to build muscle memory, and then transfer it into match conditions.

For beginners especially, drills create a safe and structured environment to learn fundamentals before you are under pressure in a game. For more experienced players, they are a tool for correcting bad habits and maintaining sharpness through a long season.

The key principle is repetition with purpose. Mindless repetition achieves little. Every drill should have a clear focus, a cue for what good execution looks like, and ideally some form of progression — making it harder or faster as the skill improves.

Passing Drills

Passing is the foundation of rugby. A team that passes accurately and quickly will always have an advantage over one that does not. These drills work for players of all levels and can be done with just two or three people.

Pop Pass Drill

The pop pass is a short, soft pass used close to the defensive line. It is often used by a ball carrier to offload to a supporting runner at the breakdown.

Two players stand about one metre apart, moving forward together at a jog.
The carrier holds the ball in both hands, fingers spread wide.
As the support runner draws level, the carrier pops the ball upward with a short, wristy motion — not a full swing pass.
Focus: the receiver should not have to break stride. The pass should be delivered in front of their body, at chest height.
Progression: increase pace, add a third player, introduce a passive defender to simulate timing pressure.

Spin Pass Drill

The spin pass is the standard wide pass in rugby, used to move the ball quickly along the backline.

Set up two lines of players facing each other, about 10 metres apart.
Player one spin passes across to player two, who returns it. Both players work on passing off both hands.
Focus: the ball should spiral cleanly. This comes from a full arm swing, rotating the hips and shoulders into the pass, with the trailing hand following through and pointing at the target.
Common fault to correct: throwing the ball backward before releasing, which slows and kills the pass. Keep the ball in front of you as long as possible before releasing.
Progression: move the players further apart (15m, 20m), add movement so both players are running across field.

Contact and Tackling Drills

Tackling is the most technically demanding and potentially dangerous skill in rugby. Every drill in this area must prioritise safety first. Do not rush progression. Beginners should always start with static or slow-speed contact before moving to full pace.

Pad Tackle Drill

One player holds a tackle bag or contact shield. The other practises the tackle approach.
Focus on: low body position on approach, eyes on the target (not the floor), cheek-to-cheek contact (head to the side of the carrier’s body, not in front), driving the legs through on impact.
Complete the tackle by wrapping both arms and driving the pad holder backward.
Progression: the pad holder starts to move across field, so the tackler must adjust their angle.

One-on-One Tackle Grid

Set up a small grid, roughly 5m x 5m.
A ball carrier tries to reach the far end while a defender attempts to make the tackle.
This drill introduces realistic movement and decision-making for both attacker and defender.
Rules: no running at full sprint until both players are confident with the technique. Start at 50-60% pace.
Coach focus: watch for high tackles (a serious safety and legal issue), dropped chins, and arm tackles where the legs stop driving.

Kicking Drills

Kicking is often neglected in amateur club training, but even forwards benefit from understanding the kicking game. For backs, it is an essential tool.

Place Kick Routine

Set up a kicking tee on various positions across the field — in front of the posts, at different angles, and from the touchline.
Practise the same run-up and striking action every time. Consistency comes from a repeatable routine.
Focus: plant foot should land beside the ball (not behind it), strike through the sweet spot with the instep, follow through toward the target.

Box Kick Drill

The box kick is used by scrum-halves and often by 10s in tight situations. The ball is kicked high into the air over the defensive line.
Practise dropping the ball onto the kicking foot (do not toss it up), striking under the ball to get height rather than distance.
Add a chaser to practise running onto the kick and competing for the ball in the air.

Fitness and Conditioning Drills

Rugby fitness is not just about running a long distance. It is about repeated high-intensity efforts with short recovery periods, which mirrors the actual demands of a match.

Shuttle Runs (Rugby Intervals)

Set cones at 5m, 10m, 15m, and 22m from a start line.
Sprint to the 5m cone and back, then the 10m and back, the 15m and back, and finally the 22m and back without stopping.
Rest for 60 seconds and repeat. Aim for 6-8 sets.
This replicates the short burst, change-of-direction demands of a rugby match.

Contact Fitness Circuit

Combine physical effort with contact skills to build rugby-specific fitness.
Example circuit: 10m sprint, hit the tackle bag, 10m sprint back, 5 squat thrusts, repeat for 60 seconds.
The goal is to practise skills while fatigued, because that is the condition in which you will be using them in the second half of a match.

Team Drills: Lineouts and Scrum Basics

Set pieces are where matches are won and lost at club level. Even if your team is not yet polished, understanding the basics makes a big difference.

Lineout Throwing Drill

The hooker practises throwing to a stationary target first, then to a jumper lifting off the ground.
Focus: the throw must be straight (parallel to the touchline), delivered with a consistent action — two-handed, above the head.
Jumpers and lifters should practise the timing of the lift so it peaks at the same moment as the ball arrives.
Start with a simple two-man lineout (thrower and one jumper) before adding numbers and more complex calls.

Scrum Technique Basics

For beginners, the priority is body position: low, flat back, eyes up, weight through the legs not the neck.
Start with individual body position practice without any opposition. Props, hooker, and locks should each understand their own role before the pack assembles.
Walk through the engagement sequence at slow pace: crouch, bind, set. Get the bind right — a full arm bind around the jersey, not just a handful of material.
Do not rush into full competitive scrummaging until everyone understands the basics. Scrum injuries are almost always the result of poor technique and rushing.

How to Structure a Training Session

A well-structured session keeps players engaged, reduces injury risk, and makes the best use of limited time. Most club sessions run for 90 minutes. Here is a straightforward framework:

Warm-up (10-15 mins): Light jogging, dynamic stretching (leg swings, hip rotations, arm circles), and some ball-in-hand movement to get players comfortable.
Skills focus (20-25 mins): Pick one or two specific skills — for example, passing accuracy and one-on-one tackling. Use the drills above. Keep groups small so everyone gets plenty of touches.
Unit work (15-20 mins): Forwards work on lineouts or scrum technique while backs work on attacking patterns or kicking drills.
Conditioned game (20-25 mins): A game with specific rules designed to reinforce the skill theme. For example, if you have been working on passing, set a rule that teams can only score from a move that includes at least five passes.
Cool-down and debrief (10 mins): Static stretching, a brief team debrief on what went well and what to work on next session.

Consistency matters more than any single session. Players who train with purpose twice a week will improve faster than those who train three times with no clear focus.

Tips for Training at Home or Solo

Not every week allows for a full team session. Solo training can still make a meaningful difference, particularly for individual skills.

Wall passing: Spin passing against a wall builds arm strength and consistency. Mark a target at chest height and aim for it with both hands.
Kicking against a post or target: Set up cones as a target and practise goal kicks, grubbers, and punt technique. Even 20 minutes of focused kicking practice per week adds up over a season.
Footwork ladders: Agility ladder drills improve foot speed and coordination, both useful for evading defenders.
Strength and conditioning: Bodyweight circuits — squats, lunges, press-ups, core work — can all be done at home with no equipment and directly improve your on-field performance.
Video review: Watch your own match footage or professional games with a specific skill in mind. Watch how scrum-halves position themselves at the breakdown, or how wingers time their cut-back angle. Learning carries over to training.
Ball handling: Simply carrying a ball around, practising your grip, tossing it between hands, or practising catching while walking all build familiarity with the ball.

The players who improve fastest are almost always the ones who put in small amounts of extra work between sessions. It does not have to be long — even 15-20 minutes of focused individual practice makes a difference over a full season.