Summer 2026 · Week 4 of 8

Contest Possession & Continuity

LIGHT CONTACTJuly 2026Medium intensityLight contact60 mins
Home/Sessions/Summer 2026/Week 4
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): Tag the Tail, Lateral Skip with Direction Change
  • Part B (Upper Body): Walk & Roll, Static Neck Contractions
  • Part C (Lower Body): Lunge & Spell Name, Pogo Jumps (60 secs)
  • Tag the Tail — bib in shorts, two hands to grab (simulates arm wrap). No fending. High tempo. Develops tackle-awareness and reactive movement.
  • Lateral Skip with Direction Change — skip sideways, on whistle change direction immediately. Hip stability and reactive movement for breakdown arrival.
  • Walk & Roll — walk 5m, controlled sideways roll, chin tucked, head off floor. Return to feet. Directly rehearses breakdown body mechanics.
  • Static Neck Contractions — hands to head (front/back/sides), 3-second hold each. Player controls own resistance. Non-negotiable.
  • Lunge & Spell Name — forward lunge with each step, spell your name (one letter per step). Develops leg strength, balance and hip mobility for the low driving position at the breakdown.
  • Pogo Jumps (60 secs) — short, sharp. Reactive leg strength for explosive breakdown arrival.
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
Breakdown Body Position — Static Technique

No movement, no defenders. Focus entirely on correct body position at the breakdown and safe ball placement. Coach demonstrates the full sequence first.

Key coaching cues
Sequence (TELL): low → knees → hips → shoulders → place ball → crawl away
Ball placement: BACK toward own try line, TWO hands, parallel to the touch line
Gate arrival: standing partner demonstrates arriving from behind, hands on ball, low position
Active
Active technique repetitions. Short partner feedback loop.
Purposeful
Foundational Contest Possession and Continuity skill. Clean breakdown = platform for Go Forward.
Enjoyable
Partner coaching element. Immediate feedback.
Safe
No movement. No contact. Coach-controlled.
Organisation
  • Players in pairs. Carrier goes to ground in a controlled manner from a static standing position.
  • Coach demonstrates: 1) Low body 2) Parachute fall 3) Ball placement 4) Body over ball 5) Crawl away.
  • Rotate: one player goes to ground, partner observes and gives one piece of feedback. 4 reps each.
  • Coach circulates and corrects individually.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • No hands to the floor on the way down (reinforcement from parachute fall)
  • Body over ball: before crawling away, be between the ball and the opposition
  • No jackling at U12 — keep the focus on safe, clean body position
STEPS Variations
Space
Carrier approaches from 3m walk then 5m jog — movement added
Task
3-second hold after placement — check position before crawling away
Equipment
Cone where ball must be placed — accuracy target
People
Add third player as next ball carrier — must pick up correctly from the gate
Speed
Progress from walk-to-ground to controlled jog-to-ground
25–36 minsDEVELOP
SKILL ZONE · DEVELOP · 11 mins
Recycling Drill — Continuous Breakdown & Ball Presentation

Groups of 3–4. Carrier runs 5m, goes to ground (parachute fall), presents ball. First support picks up through the gate and carries 5m, goes to ground. Continuous recycling down the pitch.

Key coaching cues
Gate arrival: support must approach from behind the carrier — penalise any side approach
Ball must be on the floor before the next carrier picks it up — no snatching mid-fall
Pace of recycling: controlled, not rushed. Fast rubbish is useless. Slow quality is the foundation.
Active
Continuous movement down the channel. All players active throughout.
Purposeful
Directly rehearses Continuity and Contest Possession in a game-realistic sequence.
Enjoyable
Progressive, flowing drill. Satisfying when executed well.
Safe
No defending. Controlled pace. Body position checked before increasing speed.
Organisation
  • 30m channel. Ball starts at one end.
  • Carrier runs 5m, goes to ground, presents. Next carrier picks up through gate, runs 5m, goes to ground. Continue.
  • When ball reaches the end, group turns and works back. No stopping.
  • Coach positions at the side to watch gate arrival and body position at each breakdown.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Carrier on the floor: crawl away parallel to the try line to clear the gate
  • OBSERVE: which player arrives first at each breakdown? Note and praise.
  • Speed increases only when gate discipline is clean at lower pace
STEPS Variations
Space
Shorten to 15m — more reps in same time
Task
Time challenge: how many clean recycling phases in 30 seconds?
Equipment
Cone gate between carrier and support — support steps through it physically
People
Add passive defender beside the breakdown who creates the offside line
Speed
Increase running pace between breakdowns — presentations must hold
36–50 minsINTRODUCE → DEVELOP
GAME ZONE · INTRODUCE → DEVELOP · 14 mins
4v3 Touch Game with Ground-and-Present Rule

40m × 25m pitch. 4 attackers vs 3 defenders. All touches result in the carrier going to ground and presenting. Defenders must retreat behind the back foot of the last support.

Key coaching cues
Observe: is gate discipline holding under game pressure?
FREEZE: “Where did he come from? Show me where he should have been.”
Look for: support runners arriving quickly and low through the gate — praise loudly.
Active
Continuous game. Maximum involvement.
Purposeful
Breakdown skills in game context. Contest Possession and Continuity visible as Principles of Play.
Enjoyable
Competitive game. Structured rules create clarity.
Safe
Semi-active contact only. Gate discipline reduces collision risk.
Organisation
  • INTRODUCE (7 mins): 4v3 touch. Ground-and-present rule. Turnover after 5 phases.
  • DEVELOP (7 mins): Defenders semi-active — one-arm pressure on ball carrier. Rule remains. Gate discipline enforced — side approach = turnover.
  • Defenders must retreat to offside line.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • DELEGATE from minute 43: step back. Watch for safety only.
  • Offside line: point it out to the defending group. Introduce gradually at U12.
50–57 minsSTRETCH
GAME ZONE · STRETCH · 7 mins
Full Conditioned Game — Breakdown Consolidation

35m × 30m. Equal numbers. Full light contact. Ground-and-present rule applies. Gate discipline enforced by players. DELEGATE mode.

Key coaching cues
Watch for: gate discipline under full game pressure. Is it holding?
Watch for: speed of recycling — support arriving before defender resets?
“That’s four clean recycling phases — brilliant continuity.”
Active
Full intensity. Full game.
Purposeful
Consolidation of Contest Possession and Continuity under match conditions.
Enjoyable
Player-led. Fully competitive.
Safe
Light contact. Ground-and-present monitored. Gate discipline managed by players.
Organisation
  • Equal numbers. Light contact. All rules from the session applied.
  • Players enforce gate discipline on each other.
  • Coach observes and notes.
Additional Coaching Cues
  • Are Go Forward principles visible? Is attack gaining ground each phase?
  • Note which players are managing both attack and breakdown roles effectively.
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 is the most important thing to do when you arrive at a breakdown?”
“Did we maintain Go Forward across multiple phases? When did it work best?”
“What is the gate? Why does it matter?”
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 session is in August — attacking structure, set plays, and game-specific skills.”
Additional Coaching Cues
  • TREDS: Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship
  • Summer: enjoyment and turning up are the wins — celebrate both
←
Week 3
Support Play & Offloading
Week 5
Attacking Structure
→