Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

The tap-penalty strike that swept the club game, unleashed by the Bulls in a URC semi-final and lifted by Leicester on their title run. Two pre-planned hammer carries at one spot fold the defence in, then a pre-called blind pop scores before they are legally set. All speed, no wrestle, fully age-grade legal.

How the move works

1. The tap

   9 taps the instant the arm goes up, the move lives in the first three seconds.

2. Hammer one

   8 carries hard and low at one spot; two defenders fold into the tackle.

3. Hammer two

   Lightning recycle, 6 hits the same channel; the fold deepens, the blindside guard creeps in.

4. The count

   9 is counting the blindside the whole time: two hammers in, the short side has one drifting defender.

5. The blind pop

   Flat, backward ball to 7, held wide and deep for exactly this moment.

6. The finish

   7 arcs through the vacated door. Whistle to try: under twelve seconds.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

The old wall move, reborn legal: two separate pods either side of the 9, both showing drive. Ball into the front of one pod and straight back out in one touch, no drive, no latch, for a hidden strike runner hitting the seam between the walls.

How the move works

1. The tap

   9 taps with both pods already set either side, two pictures, both live.

2. The walls

   Both pods step up showing drive; the defence must split its numbers.

3. The tip

   Ball into pod A’s front man and back out in ONE touch, never a drive, never a latch.

4. The seam

   The near defenders bite on pod A; the gap between the walls opens for a heartbeat.

5. The strike

   12, hidden behind pod B, hits the seam flat out onto the tip ball.

6. The finish

   Through the line from 22 metres at pace, straight under the posts.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Not a set play, a standing system: every penalty in their half is tapped within three seconds, every time, with one pre-named shadow runner always trailing. Defences switch off the moment the whistle goes; the Sniper refuses to let them.

How the move works

1. The trigger

   Whistle = tap. Within three seconds, anywhere in their half, a team rule, not a call.

2. The gap

   9 darts at the biggest hole in the walking line, the gap, never the nearest man.

3. The shadow

   One pre-named runner trails every tap at full speed. Not sometimes, every time.

4. The draw

   Only the sweeper remains; 9 runs straight at him and makes him commit.

5. The kill

   Flat, backward ball to the shadow arriving at pace with nobody left to beat.

6. The finish

   Under the posts while the wings, sprinting wide on every tap, stretch the stragglers.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Finn Russell’s five signature deliveries, the touchline miss, quick hands, the no-look, out the back, and the switch. Each one is a core pass wrapped in the deception that makes it unplayable. Watch the defenders: every pass moves them.

How the move works

1. The touchline miss

   Flat off the deck before the defence is set, misses two players, 15 straightens, 14 finishes in the corner.

2. Quick hands

   Four flat balls at pace through 12, 13 and 15. The ball beats the drift and 14 scores.

3. The no-look

   Eyes and shoulders sell it wide, the ball goes the other way to 11 splitting the first two defenders.

4. Out the back

   12 crashes as the decoy and the ball slides behind him to 13; quick hands send 14 over.

5. The switch

   10 attacks the middle defender to sell it, then pops to 12 cutting through the 1–2 gap.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Johnny Sexton’s wraparound: 10 gives to 12, loops around behind, and takes the ball back in the wider channel while 13 crashes a dummy line. The loop makes two defenders play the same man twice.

How the move works

1. Give and loop

   10 passes flat to 12 and immediately wraps behind at full pace, call it early.

2. Sell the dummy

   13 crashes a hard line; the defender bites and steps in.

3. Take it back

   12 pops the ball back to the wrapping 10 in the wider channel.

4. Draw the last man

   10 attacks the edge, fixes the last defender, and releases at the right moment.

5. Finish

   11 arrives at speed on the touchline and scores in the corner.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

George Gregan’s reverse ball: 9 darts a few flat steps off the ruck and flips it back inside early, before the gap shuts, for a hard runner to hit the hole beside the ruck.

How the move works

1. Dart flat

   9 picks from the ruck and runs hard and flat across the face of the defence.

2. Flip early

   Just a few steps in, 9 flips the reverse pass back inside, before defenders can commit.

3. Hit the hole

   The support runner times a hard line at the gap beside the ruck and takes it at full pace.

4. Break the line

   The ball beats the defenders in the moment they move, the runner is through.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Thomas Ramos’s counter-attack return: the opposition kick long, 15 takes it clean, both wingers fold in behind the ball, and the pod attacks whichever door the ragged chase leaves open. Catch it, start it, finish it.

How the move works

1. The catch

   15 takes the kick clean and scans while the ball is in the air, the call comes at the catch.

2. The pod

   11 and 14 sprint back and fold in either side of 15, both behind the ball. Three in shape in three seconds, two doors open.

3. The fix

   15 carries straight and hard for one beat at the nearest chaser, forcing him to plant and commit.

4. The release

   The chase bunches, 15 takes the other door with a flat, backward pass into the side with grass.

5. The strike

   14 straightens through the gap between two tired chasers, then draws the last defender out toward the touchline.

6. The finish

   15 follows his own pass on a support line; 14 gives the inside ball and the catcher scores.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Beauden Barrett’s cross-field kick: line-speed defences compress around the ball, and the one place they cannot defend is behind their own last man on the far touchline. The 10 reads the edge, and the winger’s held width turns one kick into seven points.

How the move works

1. The trigger

   Ruck ball, eyes up. The 10 counts the edge: when their winger steps in off the touchline, the far corner is open. The kick is a decision, not a hope, no trigger, no kick.

2. The width

   Both wingers hold their touchlines, deep and behind the 10, onside when the kick goes, hitting the ball at full speed. Two doors.

3. The shape

   The 10 takes it flat and shows pass, with 12 and 13 live behind him to hold the drift. Everyone stays behind the kicker.

4. The kick

   A hanging cross-field kick to the grass in front of the winger, 5–10 metres in from touch. Kick to space, not to the man.

5. The chase

   The winger attacks the ball flat out from the moment boot meets ball, chest and eyes forward, never checking his run.

6. The finish

   Catch, straighten, corner. Their sweeper cannot cover both touchlines, whichever door the 10 picks, the sweeper is a stride too late.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Antoine Dupont is the best player in the world because of what he does after he passes. The 9 gives the first pass, chases his own involvement on a hidden arc behind the line, and reappears two passes later as the unmarked extra man.

How the move works

1. The give

   Ruck ball. 9 fires the first pass to 10 and does NOT stand and watch, the move starts the moment the ball leaves his hands.

2. The arc

   9 chases his own pass on a curved support line behind the backline, out of the defence’s eyeline. Stay behind the ball, stay invisible.

3. The skip

   10 moves the ball wide to 13, missing 12 who runs a hard decoy at the front door. Two visible runners, and the defence has forgotten the 9.

4. The draw

   13 straightens and attacks the outside shoulder, making two tacklers commit wide and opening the inside channel.

5. The second touch

   9 arrives on 13’s inside shoulder at full speed; 13 gives the inside ball, backward, into the hole.

6. The finish

   9 is through before the sweeper can turn and scores under the posts. The man who starts the move finishes it.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Every top attack in the world runs this shape. The 12 crashes at the front door and the ball slides behind him to the full back arriving as a second playmaker. One picture, two completely different plays, and the defence must guess.

How the move works

1. The platform

   Ruck ball, 9 flat to 10. The 10 takes it to the line with 12 already accelerating outside him and 15 climbing from deep.

2. The front door

   12 runs a full-conviction crash line at the defence’s face. He must believe he is getting the ball, so the defenders believe it too.

3. The back door

   The ball slides behind 12 to 15, inserted from deep as a second 10. The defence that jumps on the crash has just opened the edge.

4. The hold

   13 runs an unders line off 15’s shoulder, pinning the midfield so it cannot drift to the touchline.

5. The strike

   15 plays flat and wide to 14 at full pace, the winger has held his width the whole phase for exactly this ball.

6. The finish

   14 takes it on the move with the drift beaten and finishes in the corner. The sweeper is covering the crash channel and cannot get across.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

The forwards’ answer to the strike move: throw long to the tail, sell a dummy jump at the front, and peel a front-of-line forward around the back door into the channel their tail guard just vacated. Win the air, steal the ground.

How the move works

1. The throw

   Hooker throws long and flat to the tail, taken off the top, no maul, no delay.

2. The dummy

   The front jumper fakes a leap; their front pod lifts against nothing and is out of the play.

3. Off the top

   The tail jumper tips it straight down to 9 in one clean movement.

4. The peel

   The front forward, freed by his dummy, peels hard around the back of the line at full speed.

5. The punch

   9 gives the short, backward ball as their tail guard steps in on him, the channel is empty.

6. The finish

   The peeler punches through the vacated channel with the backline defence still drifting wide.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

The oldest strike move in rugby, still lethal because drift defences still exist. The 10 runs a hard angle one way, crosses with 12 coming back the other, and the ball changes direction against the grain of the slide, exactly where a drifting defender cannot turn and tackle.

How the move works

1. The angle

   10 takes the ball flat and runs a hard, committed line across the field, selling it completely.

2. The cross

   12 loops back underneath at the same pace, timed to arrive just as 10 reaches him.

3. The pop

   10 pops the ball back inside at the moment of the cross, short, soft, into the chest.

4. The cut

   12 bursts through on the new angle, against the exact direction the defence was sliding.

5. The read

   The nearest defender has committed to 10’s run and is already turning the wrong way.

6. The finish

   12 is in space with a clean run at the line, the drift simply cannot recover in time.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

The fastest way to beat a drift is to move the ball faster than it can slide. 12 runs a hard decoy, the ball flies clean over his head to 13, and the whole line gains a man the defence never saw coming, because it travelled through the air, not through hands.

How the move works

1. The setup

   10 takes it flat with 12 and 13 both showing width, the picture looks like a normal passing move.

2. The decoy

   12 runs a full-pace, full-conviction line, he must look exactly like the intended receiver.

3. The miss

   10 throws long and flat over 12’s head, straight to 13, the pass IS the strike.

4. The catch

   13 takes it in stride without breaking pace, timing is everything, arrive don’t wait.

5. The draw

   13 attacks the last defender’s outside shoulder, drawing him in before the ball goes again.

6. The finish

   14, arriving wide, takes the final pass into space the drift never reached.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

The lineout maul forces the defence to commit bodies to stop the shove, and every forward who joins the maul is a forward missing from the defensive line. The split exploits that gap the instant it opens, popping the ball to a forward peeling around the side door.

How the move works

1. The catch

   The jumper takes it clean and the pod sets, low, square, and ready before anyone drives.

2. The drive

   The pack drives forward together, forcing the defence to commit numbers or concede ground.

3. The read

   8 reads the fold: as defenders pile onto the maul, the channel beside it empties.

4. The split

   8 peels away from the maul on a tight arc, timed to hit the gap the instant it opens.

5. The pop

   9 pops it short and backward to 8, arriving at pace with nobody set to stop him.

6. The finish

   8 is over the gain line before the defence can react, the maul did the work before the ball even moved.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

Two metres from the line, panic loses more tries than defence does. The Trench is patience as a weapon: pick hard left, pick hard right, and by the third phase the defence's guards have pinched in so tight that the blind gap is standing open.

How the move works

1. Pick left

   1 picks and drives low off the ruck, hard, square, no fancy footwork needed this close.

2. Recycle

   Quick ruck ball, speed matters more than the carry here.

3. Pick right

   3 picks the opposite side with the same violence, the defence has now defended two directions.

4. The count

   9 watches their guards: two picks in, they've started pinching toward the ruck to help.

5. The sneak

   9 reads the pinch and snipes himself through the gap that's opened on the blind side.

6. The finish

   Nobody is home in the corner the guards just vacated, walk it in.

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Animated move · loops automatically ↺  Replay from the start

The simplest penalty strike in the library and one of the most repeatable: tap, carry one honest phase to occupy the near defenders, then sweep the ball all the way to a touchline already stacked three-on-one. Numbers don't lie, this move just cashes them in.

How the move works

1. The tap

   9 taps quickly while the defence is still retreating and unorganised.

2. The carry

   One honest carry through the middle, real intent, not a dummy, to hold the nearside defenders.

3. The count

   While that phase plays out, the backs have already stacked three attackers against one defender out wide.

4. The sweep

   The ball moves along the line in one continuous sweep, no lingering, no second thoughts.

5. The draw

   The final attacker before the stack draws the lone defender in.

6. The finish

   The ball reaches the free man on the overload with the corner wide open.

Watch & learn

F01 The Tail Peel, F02 The Drive & Split and F03 The Trench are live now, a lineout strike, a maul strike and a goal-line pattern. More forwards plays are coming to this shelf, built in the same format.

Every move in this library dies without a flat, accurate pass off both hands. This is the one skill that pays off in every game a player will ever play, and the one to train for ten minutes of every session, forever.

How to build it

1. The hold

   Ball in two hands at chest height, fingers spread, eyes up, never tucked, never one-handed.

2. The shape

   Same body position for every pass, long or short, left or right. If they can’t read your shape, they can’t read your pass.

3. The swing

   Hands swing across the body, weight through the target, catch and pass in one motion, no wind-up.

4. The target

   Pass in front of the receiver, chest height, so he runs onto it at pace, never at the man, always at the space.

5. The weak hand

   Every drill both directions, every session. A 10 who can only pass one way is half a 10.

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The 9 touches the ball more than anyone on the pitch, every ruck, every scrum, every tap. The best in the world, Antoine Dupont, is the best not because of what he does with the ball but because of what he does after he passes.

The job

1. First to every ruck

   The 9 arrives before the ball is ready, scanning the defence while he waits, never after.

2. Speed of ball

   Quick ball beats good defence. The 9’s pass speed sets the whole team’s tempo.

3. The eyes

   Before touching the ball: where is the blindside guard? Where is the fold? The 9 calls what he sees.

4. Pass and chase

   The Dupont rule, pass, then chase your pass on a support line. A standing 9 is out of the game.

5. The tap threat

   Own the Sniper (Penalties shelf): a 9 who taps fast makes every referee’s whistle a weapon.

Watch & learn

Almost every junior defence drifts: as the ball moves wide, defenders slide across and trust the touchline to help. Understand the drift and half this library suddenly makes sense, because nearly every move in it is a different way of punishing the same habit.

The drift, decoded

1. What it is

   Defenders slide sideways with the ball, each passing his man on to the next, using the touchline as an extra tackler.

2. Its strength

   It defends the wide attack with fewer men, which is why every club team does it.

3. Its weakness

   A sliding defender’s weight is going sideways. He cannot stop, turn, or tackle back against the grain.

4. Beating it inside

   The Gregan’s reverse flip and the Dupont’s second touch both strike back against the slide.

5. Beating it wide

   The Barrett kicks over it; the Mo’unga’s back door slides the ball behind it faster than it can drift.

6. Beating it with tempo

   The Russell’s quick hands and the Sniper’s tap simply move the ball faster than the slide.

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The tackle is the most coached and most protected skill in the game, and the safest tackler is almost always the best one. Everything here is about technique and confidence, never collision: a good tackle is won with the feet and the head position before anyone touches anyone.

The technique, in six parts

1. The approach

   Short, quick steps in, never a dive from distance. Get close before anything else happens.

2. The height

   Aim low and stay low through contact, target the shorts, never anywhere near high. Always follow your union’s current tackle-height rules for your age grade.

3. The head

   Head to the side, cheek to cheek, the golden rule. ‘Head behind or beside, never in front.’

4. The shoulder

   Contact with the shoulder, not the arms alone, arms wrap AFTER the shoulder connects.

5. The ring

   Wrap both arms and squeeze, a tackle without a wrap is a penalty and a miss.

6. The finish

   Drive the legs through contact, land on top, and get back to your feet first, the tackle isn’t over until you’re up.

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The 10 is the team’s decision-maker: every attack in this library flows through his hands or his boot. The job is not to be the hero, it’s to ask the defence a question on every single phase and pick the right answer from the shelf. Five names define the position at its very best: Jonny Wilkinson, Dan Carter, Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo’unga and Finn Russell, each brilliant in a different way.

The job

1. Flat or deep

   The 10 sets the attack’s depth: flat to threaten the line (the Mo’unga), deeper to buy time to kick (the Barrett).

2. The scan

   Before the ball arrives: count their edge, find their weakest defender, see the drift starting. Decisions are made pre-catch.

3. The hands

   Every pass in the Russell page is a 10’s pass, range off both hands from one body shape is the position’s core weapon.

4. The boot

   The cross-field kick, the grubber, territory, a 10 with a boot makes the defence defend all 100 metres.

5. The voice

   The 10 calls the shelf: ‘Sexton’, ‘Mo’unga’, ‘Barrett’, loud, early, and owned. A quiet 10 is a spectator.

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Players who understand the referee react faster than players who wait to be told. Every signal is information, and for a team that runs the Sniper, the penalty signal is a starting gun. This page is for players AND parents: know these and the game opens up.

The signals that matter most

1. Penalty

   Arm angled up toward the non-offending team. For us that means: TAP. Three seconds. The Sniper lives here.

2. Free kick

   Arm bent square at the elbow, you can tap quickly but cannot kick at goal. Still a green light for tempo.

3. Advantage

   Arm stretched out horizontally, play on! The biggest free shot in rugby: try anything, the penalty is coming back.

4. Knock-on / forward pass

   Hand gestures a forward motion, scrum coming. Backs: get set early, the defence is often slow to organise.

5. Try / no try

   Back straight, arm raised for the score; waved flat for no. Either way, react, don’t argue.

6. The one rule

   Only the captain talks to the referee. Everyone else: listen, learn the signal, play the next moment faster.

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Restarts happen more often than any other set-piece in the modern game, and most junior teams still treat them as an afterthought. Owning the high ball, calling it, catching it, landing it clean, wins territory and possession before a single phase is played.

How to build it

1. The call

   Shout early and own it, tell your team you have the ball before it arrives.

2. The move

   Small side-steps to get underneath the drop, eyes locked on the ball the whole way.

3. The take

   Hands above the eyeline, elbows in, fingers spread, attack the ball at its highest point.

4. The body

   Stay side-on through the catch, so a knock-on goes backward, not forward.

5. The land

   Ball straight into the chest, feet planted, ready to pass or carry immediately.

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More phases are won or lost at the breakdown than anywhere else on the pitch, and it's also where most junior penalties are conceded through simple confusion. Five rules cover almost everything a young player needs to know.

The rules that matter most

1. The tackle

   The tackler must release the ball-carrier immediately and roll away or get up.

2. The ruck forms

   The instant one player from each team is on their feet over the ball, it's a ruck.

3. The gate

   You may only enter from directly behind the ball, coming in from the side is a penalty.

4. Hands off

   Once a ruck has formed, no hands on the ball, feet only, no picking it up.

5. Stay on your feet

   Fall over in the ruck and you're out of the contest, and likely offside if you get up on the wrong side.

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The warm-up sets the tone for the whole session, and a bad one (static stretching, standing around, no ball) actively increases injury risk and wastes the sharpest minutes of a training night. This block gets a squad genuinely ready in twenty minutes flat.

The twenty minutes

1. 0–3 · Pulse raiser

   Easy jog building gradually to game pace, get blood moving before anything else.

2. 3–8 · Dynamic stretch

   Moving stretches only, lunges, high knees. Never static and cold; that's for after.

3. 8–13 · Ball in hands

   Pairs passing on the move, both directions, hands and feet working together.

4. 13–17 · Game-speed activation

   Short, sharp bursts with real changes of direction, the speeds the session will actually need.

5. 17–20 · Ready

   Heart rate up, muscles loose, straight into the session, no standing around losing the work.

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Reference diagram, exact layout and numbers

Developed for the All Blacks and now the standard rugby conditioning test worldwide. Four cones, one stopwatch, and a brutally simple task: cover 1,200 metres of shuttles as fast as possible. It measures aerobic capacity, repeated sprint ability, and how a player copes when it hurts.

The exact layout

1. The markers

   Four cones in a dead-straight line: 0m, 20m, 40m, and 60m. Flat grass or 4G, clearly marked.

2. One rep

   From 0m: run to 60m and back to 0m, then to 40m and back to 0m, then to 20m and back to 0m. That's 240m in one rep.

3. No rest between reps

   The instant one rep finishes, the next begins, five reps run back to back with no recovery.

4. The total distance

   5 reps × 240m = 1,200 metres, all timed as one continuous effort from first whistle to last line.

5. Reading the time

   As a rough guide: sub 5:00 is solid club-level conditioning; sub 4:30 starts to look like professional standard. Track each player's own time over the season rather than comparing across positions.

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Reference diagram, exact layout and numbers

Also called the multi-stage fitness test, bleep test, or PACER test, the most widely used aerobic fitness test in the world. Two lines, an audio track, and a pace that never stops climbing until you can't keep up with it.

The exact protocol

1. The course

   Two lines exactly 20 metres apart, marked clearly on a flat, non-slip surface, indoors or outdoors.

2. The start

   Level 1 begins at roughly 8.5 km/h. Each level lasts about one minute, signalled by a double beep or voice cue.

3. The rule

   Reach the far line at or before the beep, touch it, then run back, you cannot leave before the beep sounds.

4. The rise

   Speed increases by about 0.5 km/h at the start of every new level, so the time between beeps keeps shrinking.

5. Two cautions and out

   Miss the line before the beep once, and it's a warning. Miss it a second time and the test ends there, the score is recorded as Level.Shuttle, e.g. 9.5.

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Reference diagram, exact layout and numbers

The most common speed test in rugby: three timing gates, a standing start, and one job, be as fast as possible from 0 to 40 metres. Unlike the Bronco or Beep test, this measures raw acceleration and top speed rather than aerobic endurance.

The exact protocol

1. The gates

   Timing gates or clearly marked cones at 0m, 10m, 20m, and 40m, set out in a dead-straight line on a flat, dry surface.

2. The start

   A standing start with the front foot placed 0.5 metres behind the first gate, no rolling start, no run-up.

3. The effort

   Sprint maximally through all three gates, the 10m split shows acceleration, the 20m and 40m show top-end speed.

4. Run through

   Keep sprinting at least 5 metres past the 40m line, players who start decelerating early skew their own 40m time.

5. Two attempts

   Rest a full 5 minutes to allow real recovery, repeat the sprint, and record the faster of the two times.

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Packing down on the open side of the scrum, the loosehead's job used to be pure brute force. The modern game asks for far more: Ellis Genge, one of the best in the world today, combines destructive scrummaging with genuine ball-carrying threat and a defensive workrate that rivals a back-rower.

The job

1. The angle

   The loosehead's bind naturally gives an angle advantage, use it to disrupt the opposition tighthead, not just survive the shove.

2. The carry

   Modern looseheads are ball-carriers. Genge channels controlled aggression into confrontational carries that gain hard metres.

3. The tackle

   First and second up in defence, every time. A prop who avoids contact is a passenger.

4. The lift

   At the lineout, the loosehead is a lifting platform, timing and a strong base matter as much as strength.

5. The engine

   Fitness separates good props from great ones, scrummage, then sprint to the next ruck, all game.

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Once seen as a pure scrummaging specialist, the hooker is now one of the most skilful positions on the field, responsible for a clean, accurate lineout throw under pressure, a tight scrum bind, and increasingly the ball-carrying threat of a loose forward.

The job

1. The throw

   Every lineout starts and often ends with the hooker's accuracy, practise it more than any other single skill.

2. The hook

   In the scrum, timing the strike for the ball the instant it's fed remains a genuine specialist skill.

3. The bind

   A tight, square bind holds the whole front row stable, a loose hooker undermines both props.

4. The carry

   Modern hookers like Malcolm Marx carry as hard as any back-rower, don't hide at the back of rucks.

5. The call

   Often the lineout caller, reading the opposition's defensive setup and choosing the right option.

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The cornerstone of the scrum. Ireland and Lions great Tadhg Furlong is the modern gold standard: elite scrummaging technique blended with soft hands, spatial awareness and ball-handling rarely seen in a front-rower.

The job

1. The anchor

   Scrummaging against two opponents, the tighthead must be technically flawless, height and body position win the battle before the push even starts.

2. The disruption

   A great tighthead doesn't just hold his ground, he actively unbalances the opposition loosehead.

3. The hands

   Furlong's reputation rests partly on passing and offloading skill that most props never develop, practise catching and passing every session.

4. The base

   Resilience under repeated pressure, scrum after scrum, is what separates good tightheads from great ones.

5. The longevity

   Farm work, gym work, conditioning, the tighthead's power has to last 80 minutes and a whole season.

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The lineout kingpin and scrum engine room. England and Lions lock Maro Itoje represents the modern second row at its best: a dominant aerial presence combined with turnover ability and defensive leadership that touches every part of the game.

The job

1. The jump

   Timing, not just height, wins lineout ball, the best jumpers read the throw and time their leap to the split second.

2. The engine room

   In the scrum, locks provide the core push, straight back, bound tight, legs driving.

3. The turnover

   Elite locks like Itoje compete at the breakdown as hard as any flanker, stealing ball that should be lost causes.

4. The organiser

   Often the loudest defensive voice on the pitch, locks see the whole defensive line and must call it.

5. The workrate

   Covering the width of the pitch phase after phase, modern locks are far more mobile than the stereotype.

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The second lock partners the first in the engine room, and South Africa's Eben Etzebeth shows the other model of excellence at this position: pure physical dominance, an intimidating scrum presence, and a defensive line that opposition attackers simply avoid.

The job

1. The physicality

   Etzebeth's game is built on being the most physically dominant player on the pitch, every single collision.

2. The scrum weight

   Locks provide the core of the scrum's power, straight spine, full leg drive, bound tight to the props.

3. The aerial threat

   A genuine lineout target the opposition must always account for, even when not the primary jumper.

4. The tackle count

   Elite locks routinely lead their team in tackles, defensive work-rate is not optional at this position.

5. The intimidation

   Presence matters: a lock who wins the physical battle early sets the tone for the whole pack.

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The blindside flanker is generally the bigger, more physical of the two flankers, built to make big tackles and charge into the opposition's defensive line, while also lifting at the lineout and providing a scrummaging platform.

The job

1. The size

   Blindsides are typically the larger flanker, taking on the biggest defensive collisions of the back row.

2. The lift

   A primary lineout lifter, timing and core strength matter as much as raw power.

3. The carry

   Direct, physical ball-carrying close to the ruck, the blindside is often the team's first-phase battering ram.

4. The scrum shove

   Provides genuine pushing power in the scrum, more so than the more mobile openside.

5. The short side

   Defends the narrow side of the pitch, where the biggest, most direct collisions tend to happen.

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Voted rugby's greatest openside flanker of all time by RugbyPass readers in a landslide, Richie McCaw defined the position: relentless work-rate, a genius for stealing ball at the breakdown, and a presence in every passage of play.

The job

1. The speed

   Openside flankers need to be quicker and more mobile than their blindside counterpart, they cover far more ground.

2. The breakdown

   First to every ruck, competing legally for turnover ball, the single most valuable skill in the modern game.

3. The tackle

   A relentless defensive workrate, closing down the opposition fly-half whenever they emerge with ball.

4. The support line

   Always on the shoulder of the ball-carrier after a linebreak, the link between one phase and the next.

5. The fitness

   Elite opensides can run 3km in under 12 minutes, this position is won as much in training as on matchday.

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The only forward allowed to pick the ball straight from the base of the scrum, the number 8 is the link between forwards and backs. Modern greats like Ardie Savea and Kieran Read combine that scrum responsibility with the ball-carrying power and footwork of a world-class back-rower.

The job

1. The scrum base

   Binds to both locks and drives with the head between them, then decides: drive on, pick and run, or feed the scrum-half.

2. The read

   That decision must fit the game situation, the number 8 needs a genuinely good rugby brain.

3. The carry

   The explosive, direct running the position demands, especially close to the opposition line.

4. The lineout option

   Often the jumper at the tail of the lineout, needs the aerial skills of a lock combined with a back-rower's mobility.

5. The link

   Connects forward platform to back-line strike, timing the release to the scrum-half is a genuine skill.

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Wingers are usually the fastest players on the pitch and score a disproportionate share of tries. South African legend Bryan Habana built a career on electric pace and predatory finishing, but the modern winger, like Cheslin Kolbe, adds footwork and aerial skill that make them a genuine attacking weapon, not just a finisher.

The job

1. The finish

   Clean hands and composure under pressure at the exact moment of scoring, practised, not just natural.

2. The chase

   Chasing kicks and covering in defence is just as important as attacking speed.

3. The aerial game

   Contesting the high ball on the wing has become a genuine specialist skill in the modern game.

4. The footwork

   Kolbe's game shows that a smaller winger can beat bigger defenders with footwork and acceleration rather than raw pace alone.

5. The work-rate

   Elite wingers track back defensively phase after phase, not just standing and waiting for the ball.

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The inside centre is usually the more direct, physical of the two centres, New Zealand great Ma'a Nonu set the modern template: a genuine go-forward ball-carrier who could also distribute with real skill, taking defensive pressure off the fly-half.

The job

1. The go-forward

   Often the first receiver from the fly-half, tasked with making hard yards through the middle of the pitch.

2. The distribution

   Elite inside centres, like Nonu, combine power with genuine passing range, not just a battering ram.

3. The defence

   Usually the first defender to make contact with the opposition's most direct threats, physicality is non-negotiable.

4. The decoy

   Running hard, committed decoy lines that open space for others, even without receiving the ball.

5. The link

   Bridges the fly-half's decision-making with the outside backs' pace and space.

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The outside centre typically has more space and time than the inside centre, and needs the footwork and vision to exploit it. Wales legend Jonathan Davies built his game on reading a drift defence and picking exactly the right moment to strike.

The job

1. The read

   Scanning the defensive line before the ball arrives, spotting the drift, the gap, the mismatch.

2. The footwork

   Elite outside centres beat defenders one-on-one through a genuine step or change of pace.

3. The distribution

   Often the link to the wing, timing and accuracy of the final pass decides whether a try is scored.

4. The defence

   Reading attacking shape from the opposition and organising the outside defensive line.

5. The communication

   Constant talk with the wing and fullback, outside backs live or die by their organisation.

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The mirror of the left wing, with the same demands: pace, finishing, and defensive discipline. Wales international George North built a reputation on power finishing, showing that not every top winger relies purely on top-end speed.

The job

1. The finish

   Composure in the split second of scoring, the most practised, least natural skill in the position.

2. The power

   North's game shows a bigger winger can finish through contact, not just around it.

3. The chase

   Relentless chasing of kicks, applying pressure the moment the ball is in the air.

4. The aerial contest

   Increasingly expected to compete for restarts and high balls, not just finish tries.

5. The tracking

   Defensive discipline tracking back on the weak side, phase after phase.

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The last line of defence and, in the modern game, often the first line of attack. Beauden Barrett redefined the position: an elite kicking game and defensive reliability combined with the instincts of a genuine attacking playmaker joining the line at pace.

The job

1. The high ball

   Command of the air under the highest pressure, a dropped restart or up-and-under can cost the game.

2. The last line

   Reading the game to be in the right position to make the final, match-saving tackle.

3. The counter-attack

   Elite fullbacks turn defence into attack instantly, vision and acceleration from a standing start.

4. The join

   Coming into the backline at pace as an auxiliary attacker, adding a spare man the defence didn't count.

5. The boot

   A reliable kicking game, both for territory and as a running-game weapon in its own right.

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The front row is where a scrum is won or lost before the shove even begins. Loosehead, hooker and tighthead form the only point of contact with the opposition, and their job is technical as much as physical, body position and timing beat raw size every time.

The technique, in five parts

1. The stance

   Feet shoulder-width, hips low, spine straight, chin up. A front row that gets its levers wrong loses the fight before the ball is even fed.

2. The bind

   Tight, square binds hold the whole row stable, a loose bind on either side undermines both props either side of it.

3. The engagement

   Win the height battle on the hit, lower and square beats higher and heavier almost every time.

4. The hold

   Once engaged, the job shifts to holding the platform steady so the second row's drive has something solid to push through.

5. The hooker's strike

   Inside this row, the hooker has the unique job of striking for the ball the instant it's fed, without disturbing the platform the two props are holding.

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The two locks are the scrum's engine room. Their job looks simple, push, but it only counts if that power travels dead straight through a stable front row, which means the second row's technique starts with how tightly they bind into the row ahead of them.

The technique, in five parts

1. The bind

   Locks bind tight into the props ahead of them, gaps here leak power sideways instead of driving forward.

2. The drive

   Push comes from the hips and legs, dead straight through the spine, never up, never sideways, never before the front row is set.

3. The timing

   Drive begins on the front row's engagement, not before it, an early shove destabilises the whole scrum.

4. The dual role

   The same players are usually the lineout's primary jumpers, the leg drive and core strength built here pays off twice.

5. The communication

   Locks can see and feel things the front row can't, calling early when the scrum is going up, down, or wheeling matters.

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Two flankers and a number 8 bind at the back of the scrum, adding drive while staying ready to break away the instant the ball is available. It's the only row in the scrum that has to think about two different jobs at once, push now, play in three seconds.

The technique, in five parts

1. The bind

   Flankers bind at the side, the number 8 at the very back, all three add genuine push, not just a token presence.

2. The blindside's weight

   The blindside flanker typically adds the most raw scrummaging weight of the three, staying bound longest.

3. The openside's release

   The openside is already thinking about the breakdown to come, first away from a stable scrum to chase the game.

4. The number 8's control

   The unique job of controlling the ball at the base: drive on, pick and go, or release to the scrum-half, decided before the ball even arrives at the feet.

5. The transition

   The moment the ball leaves the scrum, the back row's job flips instantly from platform to attack or defence.

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Every lineout begins with one skill: the hooker's throw. A team can have the best jumpers and the sharpest calls in the league, but none of it matters if the ball doesn't arrive where and when it's needed. Accuracy under pressure is the single most valuable individual skill at the set piece.

The technique, in five parts

1. The grip

   A consistent grip and release point, practised until it needs no thought, consistency beats power every time.

2. The line

   Throwing dead straight down the middle of the channel, not favouring one side, so any jumper can be the target.

3. The pace

   Matching the speed of the throw to the call, flat and fast to the front, a higher arc to find the tail.

4. Under pressure

   The throw that matters is the one thrown with defenders inches away and the crowd loud, practise with real pressure, not just quiet reps.

5. The routine

   Elite hookers use the same physical routine, same grip, same run-up, same release, on every single throw, home or away.

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Winning lineout ball in the air is a genuine team skill: a jumper, two lifters, and split-second timing between all three. Get it right and the ball is won clean before the defence even leaves the ground; get it wrong and even a perfect throw is wasted.

The technique, in five parts

1. The pod

   Jumper and two lifters set up tight together, the lift only works if all three move as one unit.

2. The timing

   The jump starts on a call or a trigger movement, not a guess, early or late both cost height.

3. The lift

   Lifters drive up through the jumper's shorts and thighs, timed to the jumper's own take-off, not before it.

4. The take

   Hands high, ball taken at the very top of the jump, waiting for the ball to arrive loses height and time.

5. The landing

   A safe, controlled landing protects the jumper and keeps the ball secure, rushed landings cause needless knock-ons.

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A lineout is a chess match played in the air: calling the right option, disguising it from the defence, and reading the opposition's own calls when it's your turn to defend. This is where a coach's game plan meets a team's execution under real pressure.

The technique, in five parts

1. The call

   A clear, unambiguous call every player understands, confusion at the lineout gifts the opposition easy ball.

2. The disguise

   Dummy movements and decoy jumpers make the defence commit to the wrong target, sell it as hard as the real jump.

3. Defending your own ball

   Even winning your own throw needs a defensive shape ready the instant it's caught, in case of a rushed take.

4. Contesting theirs

   Reading the opposition's calls and body language to compete legally for their ball, not just standing and watching.

5. Off the top

   The best lineouts have a plan for what happens the instant the ball is won, maul, quick strike, or set phase, decided before the throw goes in.

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Rugby strength training isn't a gym-day split of legs, chest, and back. The most effective approach trains movement patterns instead of muscles, because that's how the body actually works on the pitch: a ruck combines a squat, a bend, and a push all in one action.

The technique, in five parts

1. The squat

   The foundation for almost every sport. Builds leg and hip strength while developing the balance and joint alignment that prevents injury at the knee and ankle.

2. The hinge

   Bending at the waist with a flat back, exactly the position used picking up a ball, hitting a ruck, or scrummaging. Poor hinge technique under fatigue is where back injuries happen.

3. The push

   Both horizontal (bench press, a hand-off) and vertical (overhead press, a lineout lift) pushing patterns, trained with one arm and two.

4. The pull

   The opposite of push, rows and pull-ups, horizontal and vertical. Balanced push and pull training prevents the postural problems that come from only training what you can see in a mirror.

5. Putting it together

   Rucking is squat, bend, push, and pull, all in one movement. Training the parts separately, with good form, makes the combined action automatic under real match pressure.

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Young players don't need a gym or a barbell to build real strength. Bodyweight training, done with good technique, builds the foundation that makes lifting weights safe and effective later, and for most age grades, it's all that's actually needed.

The technique, in five parts

1. Core first

   Core strength is the single area young players benefit most from developing early. The plank and its variations build the stability everything else is built on.

2. Low reps, good form

   Keep repetitions low (5 to 10) to start, and only increase once the technique is genuinely solid, never trade form for extra reps.

3. The bodyweight circuit

   Squats, lunges, press-ups (on the knees if needed), sit-ups, and step-ups cover the same movement patterns as a gym programme, with zero equipment.

4. Progressing safely

   Bodyweight squats and lunges first; only once those are controlled and confident should Bulgarian split squats or added load be introduced.

5. Building the habit

   Ten minutes of bodyweight strength work at the end of every training session builds the discipline and the base that a serious gym programme can be added to later.

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Every member of the rugby community, players, coaches, officials, and volunteers, has a right to respect, safety, and protection. This page is not a checklist to diagnose problems yourself. It's a guide to doing the right thing quickly and calmly if a concern ever arises, so a child gets help as fast as possible.

What to do

1. Trust your instincts

   If something feels wrong, it's worth raising, even if you're not certain. It is never your job to investigate or decide whether abuse has happened, only to pass on a concern.

2. Listen, don't promise secrecy

   If a child discloses something to you, listen calmly and take it seriously. Never promise to keep it a secret, you may need to pass it on to keep them safe.

3. Don't delay

   Where an urgent and serious concern exists, contact the relevant local authority, including police or child protection services, immediately. Reporting to your club or to World Rugby does not replace this.

4. Record the facts

   As soon as you can afterwards, write down exactly what was said or seen, in the words used, with the date and time. Don't add your own interpretation.

5. Report through the proper channel

   Pass your concern to your club's designated Safeguarding Officer without delay. If your concern involves someone in the rugby community more broadly, World Rugby's safeguarding team can also be contacted directly.

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World Rugby publishes clear, practical guidance on how coaches should work with children so that everyone, players, parents, and coaches themselves, is protected. These aren't complicated rules; they're habits that, once built in, make a club visibly and genuinely safer.

What to do

1. Stay visible

   If a child wants to talk to you privately, do it in an open area, in sight of other adults, coaches, officials, or parents, never somewhere isolated.

2. Changing rooms

   Knock or announce yourself before entering. Wherever possible, have at least one other adult present with you.

3. Physical contact

   Keep any contact appropriate to coaching a skill, brief, and something the player would expect. Avoid contact when children are in a state of undress, and never change in the same space as the players.

4. Outside the club

   No child should be invited into the home of an adult who coaches them. Keep communication about club matters, not personal ones.

5. Know your qualifications

   Carry proof that your background checks and required safeguarding courses are current and in line with local requirements, and keep them up to date.

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Performance nutrition isn't about exotic supplements or complicated meal plans. It's simply eating a balanced mix of quality foods at the right times, before training to have energy, and after training to recover. The same wholesome eating that benefits any growing child is the foundation for a young rugby player too.

What to know

1. Real food first

   Fuel comes from a balanced plate, not from supplements or shortcuts. Whole foods do the job that no product can replace.

2. Carbohydrates for energy

   Pasta, rice, bread, fruit, and vegetables are the body's preferred energy source for training and matches. A meal with some carbohydrate 2 to 3 hours before training helps players turn up with something in the tank.

3. Protein for recovery

   A good source of protein at meals, and especially after training, supports the muscle repair and growth that a young, active body needs.

4. Eating regularly

   Regular meals through the day, rather than skipping and catching up later, keep energy steady and support both training and recovery.

5. No complicated plans needed

   The goal is consistent, wholesome eating, not counting or restricting. Fuel the body to perform and grow, that's the whole principle.

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Staying properly hydrated is one of the simplest things a young player can do for both performance and safety. In hot, humid conditions, the risk of heat-related illness makes this more than just a performance question, it's a genuine safety one.

What to know

1. Little and often

   Carrying a water bottle and sipping through the day, not just at training, builds the habit that matters most.

2. Before training

   Drinking fluid in the couple of hours before exercise gives the body a head start rather than trying to catch up once training has already begun.

3. During breaks

   Use every water break, don't wait until feeling thirsty, by the time thirst is noticed, a player is often already behind.

4. Know the signs

   Headache, dizziness, unusual fatigue, or cramping can all be signs of dehydration. Any player showing these should stop, rest in the shade, and rehydrate.

5. After training

   Rehydrating after a session supports recovery just as much as eating well does, especially before another training day or a match.

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A weight room is only as safe as the habits everyone in it follows, every single time, no exceptions. These rules aren't suggestions, they're the baseline that keeps a training environment safe for growing bodies.

The rules

1. Always supervised

   Young athletes should never use strength training equipment without a qualified adult present, before, during, or after any organised session, with no exceptions.

2. No horseplay

   The weight room is a focused environment. No pushing, no distractions, no messing about, everyone's safety depends on everyone's focus.

3. Clear floors

   No water bottles, bags, or clutter on the training floor. Tripping hazards cause real injuries in a room full of heavy equipment.

4. Share the space

   Work together and respect equipment turns. Rushing to grab weights or crowding a station is how accidents happen.

5. Return equipment

   Put everything back where it belongs after use, so the next athlete inherits a safe, tidy space, not a hazard.

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Growing bodies need to master a movement before any weight is added to it. Starting light isn't a sign of weakness, it's exactly how smart athletes build a foundation that lasts, and it's the single biggest factor in keeping young lifters safe.

The rules

1. Bodyweight first

   Before puberty and early in training, bodyweight exercises, squats, push-ups, lunges, planks, teach coordination and control before any resistance is added.

2. Master the pattern

   A young athlete should be able to perform a movement with consistent, repeatable technique before load is ever introduced.

3. Light weight, real progress

   Starting with light resistance or just bodyweight is how a foundation is built. There's no rush, and no shortcut that's actually faster.

4. Stop when form breaks

   The moment technique starts to break down under fatigue is the moment the set ends, regardless of the rep count on the plan.

5. Never max out

   Growing bodies, including growth plates, are put under real strain by maximal or near-maximal lifts. Youth training is about building a base, not testing a limit.

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