Summer 2026 · Week 1 of 8

Go Forward, Support & Continuity

NON-CONTACTJuly 2026Medium intensityZero contact60 mins
Home/Sessions/Summer 2026/Week 1
0–5 mins
WARM-UP · On arrival
Rugby League Tag — Arrival Game

20m × 15m grid. Two bib sets. Game is live from the 3rd player onwards.

Key coaching cues
Do not referee or coach — observe only
Watch who scans and uses space → Go Forward instinct
Watch who gravitates to the ball → Support habit to develop
Active
Attack vs defence from rep one. HR rising immediately.
Purposeful
Primes Go Forward and Support before the session formally begins.
Enjoyable
Players arrive into action, not into a queue.
Safe
Touch only. Open grid. Coach present.
Organisation
  • 3rd player: 2v1, game live immediately
  • 4th–6th: build to 3v3. 7th+: add players or open second grid.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Touch below waist = tackle. Two steps then pass within 2 seconds.
  • Six touches then turnover.
  • Score by grounding over the far try line.
5–13 mins
ACTIVATE · 8 mins
RFU Activate Kids — U11/U12 Programme

Official three-part RFU Activate Kids U11–U12 sequence. ~90 secs per exercise. All exercises from the published resource.

Key coaching cues
Quality over quantity — controlled movement and correct form throughout
Neck contractions: player controls own resistance — never apply external force
Observe and correct posture — Activate is skill rehearsal as well as physical prep
Active
Progressive load. HR rises systematically.
Purposeful
Official RFU Activate Kids exercises. Each directly relevant to rugby movement demands.
Enjoyable
Competitive and fun exercises throughout.
Safe
Player-controlled neck resistance. No external force applied.
Organisation
  • Part A (Whole Body): Hungry Hippos, Lateral Skip
  • Part B (Upper Body): Walk & Roll, Static Neck Contractions
  • Part C (Lower Body): Zombie Squat Tag
  • Hungry Hippos — pairs, one ball centrally. Race to collect on signal. Explosive acceleration and change of direction.
  • Lateral Skip — skip sideways across 10m channel, arms active, hips square. Progress to direction change on coach’s call.
  • Walk & Roll — walk 5m, controlled sideways roll (chin tucked, head off floor), return to feet. Rehearses safe falling mechanics.
  • Static Neck Contractions — hands to head (front/back/sides), 3-second hold each. Player controls own resistance. Non-negotiable.
  • Zombie Squat Tag — arms outstretched, continuous squats while tagging others. Lower limb strength under mild fatigue.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Activate prepares the body for contact — not a generic warm-up
  • Correct form errors immediately — better to slow down than build bad habits
  • Warm conditions: shorter rests between exercises are fine. Keep the momentum.
13–25 minsINTRODUCE
SKILL ZONE · INTRODUCE · 12 mins
The Numbers Game — Reading Space & the Overlap

25m × 20m grid. Coach calls variable numbers onto the pitch. Attackers read the defence, count numbers, and move the ball to the overlap. No contact — shadow defenders only.

Key coaching cues
“More of us than them — go forward into the space”
Scan before you move — count defenders first, then decide
ASK: “What did you see before the first pass?” — before giving the answer
Active
Continuous reps. Short rotations. Always active.
Purposeful
Trains the cognitive skill underpinning Go Forward and Support.
Enjoyable
Variable numbers. Competitive. Problem-solving.
Safe
Zero contact. Shadow defenders only.
Organisation
  • Coach holds up fingers on each side simultaneously (e.g. 3v1)
  • Both groups enter the grid on GO
  • Attacker must scan and count BEFORE the first pass
  • Coach may call FREEZE — attackers state aloud how many defenders they see
  • Rotate every 3 reps. With 5 players: 3v1 works perfectly.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Eyes up — not fixed on the ball
  • FREEZE: “How many attackers? How many defenders? Where do you go?”
  • Call the overlap out loud before the first pass
STEPS Variations
Space
Narrow the grid — less time to read, faster decisions
Task
Attackers call the count aloud before passing
Equipment
Defenders in different bibs initially — remove later
People
Equal numbers (3v3) — overlap must be created, not found
Speed
Defenders start jogging — overlap closes faster
25–36 minsDEVELOP
SKILL ZONE · DEVELOP · 11 mins
Shadow Passing Channel — Width, Depth & Ball in Hand

30m × 20m channel. 3 players in a diagonal — each 2m deeper and 3m wider than the one inside. All run forward maintaining the shape. Ball: inside → middle → outside → score.

Key coaching cues
“Stay on your cone line — your value is out there, not near the ball”
“Run past, then let it go” — ball travels backward in air, forward in your hand
SELL: “If you stay wider, the defence has to choose. What happens to the gap?”
Active
Continuous movement. Short rotation.
Purposeful
Builds Support positioning habit that delivers Go Forward and Continuity.
Enjoyable
Progressive pace build. SWITCH adds surprise.
Safe
No contact. Clear cone lane markers.
Organisation
  • Cones mark each player’s starting position in a diagonal
  • Walking pace first rep — feel the shape, then build
  • Outside player scores by grounding over the far try line
  • Rotate after every 3 reps — every player takes every role
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Depth: receiver must be behind the passer’s inside shoulder — not level
  • Outside player: run onto the ball at pace — do not slow down
  • Coach calls FLAT if any player drifts level — rep resets
STEPS Variations
Space
Shorten to 15m — quicker decisions
Task
Coach calls FLAT — rep resets if player drifts level
Equipment
Coloured cones per lane — visual reinforcement
People
Add 4th player as trailing inside support
Speed
Coach calls SWITCH mid-rep — ball reverses
36–50 minsINTRODUCE → DEVELOP
GAME ZONE · INTRODUCE → DEVELOP · 14 mins
Wide Player Scores Double + Passing Gate Game

35m × 25m pitch. Touch game. Wide zone (outer third of try line) = 2 points. Centre = 1 point. Passing gate added at 43 mins.

Key coaching cues
Watch end-on first (Go Forward), then side-on (Support width)
Resist coaching every rep — identify the majority issue first
FREEZE: “How many attackers? Where’s the double-point zone?”
Active
Continuous game. Maximum involvement.
Purposeful
Session skills in game context. Principles of Play visible in action.
Enjoyable
Scoring system creates natural competition.
Safe
Touch only throughout.
Organisation
  • INTRODUCE (first 7 mins): 4v4 or 3v3 touch. Wide zone = 2 pts, centre = 1 pt. Let the scoring do the coaching.
  • DEVELOP (second 7 mins): Add gate (2 cones, 2m apart) on each sideline at halfway.
  • Ball must pass through a gate before scoring.
  • 5 players: 3v2, coach as floater.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Let the scoring rule coach for the first full set — observe only
  • After second freeze: DELEGATE — players problem-solve.
  • Praise wide ball loudly: “Two points — that’s the space we worked on.”
50–57 minsSTRETCH
MATCH PLAY · STRETCH · 7 mins
Free Touch Game — Player-Led, Coach Observes

Full-pitch touch game. No conditions. Players self-organise. Coach in full DELEGATE mode.

Key coaching cues
Do not intervene unless safety is a concern
Are Go Forward, Support and Continuity appearing without prompting?
Note what to build on in Week 2 — this is your session assessment
Active
Maximum intensity. Full game.
Purposeful
Consolidation. Do Principles appear without prompting?
Enjoyable
Player-led. Most motivating format for this age group.
Safe
Touch only.
Organisation
  • Players self-organise teams
  • Normal RL tag rules — no extra conditions
  • Coach steps back — intervene only for safety
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Watch for: spontaneous wide positioning, early calling, ball to the overlap unprompted
  • If honeypot habit returns: one “HONEYPOT” call with a grin resets it
57–60 mins
COOL-DOWN · Review · 3 mins
Cool-Down & Player Reflection

Light jog (1 lap). Players gather in a circle. ASK-style questions. Team huddle to finish on energy.

Key coaching cues
“What were we trying to do today? What were the big ideas?”
“When did you find the Go Forward opportunity? What did Support do?”
“What was the hardest decision you had to make?”
Active
Physical cool-down.
Purposeful
Reflection embeds learning. Links to Principles of Play.
Enjoyable
Players have a voice. Positive energetic finish.
Safe
Summer: hydration check here.
Organisation
  • Light jog — 1 lap
  • Gather in a circle
  • Team huddle: name one thing done brilliantly
  • Preview: “Next week — ball-carrying and running lines. No contact yet.”
Additional Coaching Cues
  • “What will you think about next time you have the ball?”
  • TREDS: Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship
  • Summer: enjoyment and turning up are the wins — celebrate both
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Week 2
Ball Carrying, Evasion & Ball Security
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