Category: Fitness
Objective: To assess fitness levels of players
Gear: Audio file (free download) Or Tape Or Cd + Cones
Players: Whole team

The Bleep Test or Multi Stage Fitness Test is a test that is a commonly used to assess aerobic fitness. It is also known as the 20 meter shuttle run test, beep test or bleep test. The test involves running continuously between two points that are 20 m apart. These runs are synchronized with a pre-recorded audio tape or CD, which plays beeps at set intervals - (Download). As the test proceeds, the interval between each bleep reduces, forcing the participants to increase velocity over the course of the test, at the point in which the participant cannot keep up they must drop out - and their score is recorded using the level table below.

Shuttle Set Up

The recording is typically structured into 23 ‘levels’, each of which lasts around 63 seconds. Usually, the interval of beeps is calculated as requiring a speed at the start of 8.0 km/h, increasing by 0.5 km/h with each level. The progression from one level to the next is signaled by 3 rapid beeps.

Bleep Test Video:

Advantages: Large teams can perform this test all at the same time - using the free audio file provided the costs are little to none.

Disadvantages: Practice and motivation levels can influence the score participants attain. As the test is often conducted outside, the environmental conditions can also affect the results.

Download Free Bleep Test Audio File:

Category: Passing
Objective: To improve ball handling skills.
Gear: 1ball, 10 metre grid (can use cones or anything to mark area)
Players: 2 teams of 4 to 6

1. Each player in a team is given a number.
2. The ball must be passed between team members, but the rule is that it must be passed in order. i.e Player 1 must pass to 2, 2 must pass to 3 etc.
3. The game is like Piggy in the middle but as a group.
4. The defending team must try and break play down. If the player with the ball is held, or if a pass is dropped the ball is turned over.

Category: Ruck
Objective: Players consider options at Ruck Time
Gear: Hit shields (at least 2), balls
Players: Groups of 4 to attack, 2 hold hit shields

1. Two players hold hit shield close together facing attacking players.
2. 1st player of attackers comes up, hits the shield, and goes to ground
3. The next three players follow closely and make a decision as the first hits the ground…to either:
   • 2 players blow over the ball, 3rd picks up or
   • each player can attempt a pick and go.
4. The defending players can steal the ball, disrupt play.

Category: Kick-Off / Restart
Objective: To make a restart from half way or the 22m line.
Gear: Balls, and tee
Players: 4

1. The player who needs to practice their kicking takes to ball to halfway, midfield.
2. 3 forwards lineup at halfway in a group, in line with where the kick will be aimed.
3. The kicker then attempts to kick the ball, it must travel at least 10 meters.

The aim is for the kicker to land the ball over the 10 meter line on the full, but kick the ball high enough that the forwards chasing can reach the ball on the full.

At higher levels the forwards should be aiming the reach the ball in time to attempt to lift one player, and catch the ball in mid air.

Born: 4 September 1959
Teams Coached: Canterbury NPC, Canterbury Super and The Wallabies
Current Job: The Wallabies Head Coach

Robbie Deans is the most successful Super Rugby coach, coaching his Crusaders team to 5 tournament wins, more than any other coach. He was also successful as a provincial coach, coaching the Canterbury provincial team to a win in 1997. Deans, was assistant Coach to John Mitchell in 2001, and was also a All Black player himself, representing New Zealand on 19 occasions.

The Wallabies

The highest profile job Deans has taken is the head coaching rule for The Wallabies. Deans was unsuccessful and achieving the head coach role for the All Blacks and a highly public battle with Graham Henry. Henry’s reappointment was more to to with the NZRFU trying to be consistent, rather than Deans not being appropriate for the job, however, Deans headed to Australia. His first Tri Nations in charge was moderately successful, beating the All Blacks in their first match, and finishing 2nd.

Born: 8 June 1946
Teams Coached: All Blacks, Auckland NPC, Auckland Blues, Wales and Lions
Current Job: All Blacks Head Coach

His first major role was coaching the Auckland NPC team from 1992 to 1997. During that time Auckland won the NPC 4 times in a row. He then went on to coach the Auckland Blues Super rugby team, winning the title two years in a row in 96 and 97.

In 1998, Henry, passed over as All Black coach, headed over seas, appointed head coach of Wales. At the time he was considered the highest paid rugby coach in the world, earning a reputed £250,000. Henry was very successful coaching Wales, helping the team to eleven consecutive victories. He was then appointed the head coach of the British lions rugby team for their tour to Australia. The tour was unsuccessful.

All Blacks Coach

Henry’s career as an All black coach has been colorful to say the least. Highlights include several Tri Nations victories. A Grand Slam tour of Britain victory. But most notably his failure at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, where the All Blacks were knocked out in the Quarter Finals, their worst performance in the history of the tournament.

Just for a minute or two, I want you to step away from what you feel about the game of Rugby. I love the game, but I am more and more regularly finding myself frustrated with the state of the game. How often have you found yourself frustrated at a refereeing decision, or wondering what would been if a ref hadn’t run the game the way they did.

The truth of the matter is that Rugby is a game strongly influenced by specifics and interpretations of the rules, and the rules of the game keep changing. Will we even like this new game they are trying to create?

Lets compare Rugby with a pure game like Football (soccer). The rules of football are simple, you must kick the ball into the opposition goal. You need to stay onside, and you shouldn’t foul opposing players. That’s about it. The game is simple, yet it is easy to follow and understand, and because of this it is the most popular game in the world today.

Rugby is not simple. Ask someone who has been watching the game for 20 years to explain the technicalities of the tackle ball and break down? Or how a scrum penalty is awarded? Most simply won’t have a straight answer.

There is a real problem with the state of the game we love. The people that pull the stings time and time again show that they are more interested in turning Rugby Union into an elitist game with ridiculous technical rules.

Lets look at some examples. Many people would consider Richie McCaw to be one of the best players in modern rugby. Yet some openly consider him to be a cheat, who plays right on the edge of the rules. What sort of game can create such interpretive and varying opinions.

Refs make mistakes, often. But is it their fault that the game’s rules are so technical and open to interpretation that a game between the two same teams can be so different with a different official running the game. Look at the three instances this year - 2008 where New Zealand have played Australia in the Tri Nations. In the first game South African ref Joubert penalised New Zealand heavily, which removed New Zealand’s dominance around the scrum and tackle ball. Australia won. In the second game South African ref Lawrence didn’t penalise New Zealand so heavily and allowed them to dominate the break down, scrum and line out, and New Zealand won comfortably. In the third game, South African ref Kaplan, over refereed the technicalities of the game for both teams awarding a ridiculous amount of infringements against both teams. The game was close, but New Zealand just won. Same teams, different refs, completely different games.

Rugby rules rule rugby? What are your thoughts?

Key factors are the important individual actions within a skill performance that influence the final outcome. Key factors should always be stated in terms of specific body movements and they must be observable by the coach.

The process of identifying these key factors can be simplified if we divide them into each of the three movement phases. For example, the key factors in the preparatory phase for a softball batter include:

1. The feet being shoulder width apart and parallel to the plate.
2. The knees flexed, and the upper body slightly bent.
3. The shoulders and hips lined up to the pitcher.
4. The hands are held closely together holding the bat at shoulder height so that there is only one pivot point on the bat.

It is important to remember that these key factors are general guidelines only and they may not suit everyone as every player has his/her own unique anatomy and sports history.

Some players can perform to a high level with a technique that is not biomechanically ‘correct’. For example, Michael Johnson (1996 Olympic 200m and 400m champion) performs successfully with a relatively low knee lift and a very upright running stance. It would be a brave, but perhaps foolish coach, who tries to change his running style.

Another consideration in identifying the key factors is the stage of growth and development of the player. In general, younger players cannot be expected to perform a skill the same way an older more experienced player can. Therefore, the key factors of any skill may vary to suit the player’s stage of development.

For example, in the Small Black to All Black player pathway, more complex skills such as kicking and tackling are introduced after players have been playing for two years.

Develop a Plan to Analyse a Skill

To successfully analyse the skill performance the coach needs to plan how he/she will observe the movement. The coach must decide what to look for and how, when, and where to observe the skill performance or movement.

An observation plan consists of:

1. Identifying the purpose of the skill
2. Dividing the skill into the three movement phases
3. Creating a checklist of key factors for each movement phase
4. Choosing observation strategies, for example:
a) What angle(s) to observe from?
b) What to look at?
c) How many observations of the skill?

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Category: Lineout
Objective: To throw the ball in accurately
Gear: 1 ball, 1 Rugby Post.

1. Hooker stands on the goal line facing the side of the goal post.
2. Aim to hit the upright at various heights.
3. The thrower needs to progressively set targets at practice, e.g. three is a row, then five in a row.
4. You can use cones to set out distances from the post to represent the different distances to lineout jumpers i.e. Jumper at number 2, or 4.
5. Once precision is mastered, the hooker should practice with real jumpers to master timing.

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Category: Place Kicking
Objective: Improve Accuracy of a place kick
Gear: 1 ball for every player

Drill Explanation

1. Right in front of the posts (close as you like) takes 5-10 shots at goal.
2. Move to the left of the centre (15m) and take 5-10 shots.
3. Move to the right of the centre (15m) and take 5-10 shots.
4. Move right over near touchline of both sides and have 2-3 shots.
5. Move back from the 22m and have 2-3 shots.
6. Go back to the start if you need to, and begin again.

Place Kicking Tips

1. Expose sweet spot
2. Address ball
3. Move back to a comfortable position
4. Use imagery
5. Approach in arc
6. Turn Shoulder
7. Place non-kicking foot inline with target
8. Swing through strike zone

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