In preparation for the coming Tag Rugby Tournament at the Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club Year 5 and 6 children from Broadwater Down participated in a 6 week block of rugby training run by their School Sports Co-ordinator.

Both girls and boys took part in these sessions and learned a variety of skills, from basic handling skills to complicated attacking plays.

The children helped to set up the training sessions by pumping up the rugby balls to setting out a series of training grids. The grids were for small groups to practice their skills in a combine area to make them think about looking for and using space. Children practiced move the ball around their body, scoring tries and passing. The final activity in the grids was Piggy in the Middle, the passing team getting a point each if they successfully made ten successive passes and the tackler scoring a point if they intercepted the ball. Needless to say, these games became very competitive and a feature of future sessions.

The children then practicing passing the ball while moving on a full sized pitch, ensuring that every team member made at least two passes. This proved to be quite a challenge to begin with as they forgot that the must be behind the ball to receive a pass and the teams continually ran out of space before completing the required amount of passes. To add an element of competition the SSCo introduced a scoring system which saw the teams trying a lot harder to complete the task. Once the players got the hang of passing and moving, a defensive element was introduced. At first the SSCo attempted to intercept the ball on his own and unsurprisingly he conceded a lot of tries. Then additional defenders were added making the task increasingly difficult until eventually there was the full complement of defenders. At this stage the children began playing full games, with lineouts, uncontested scrums and kick offs introduced as and when needed.

Over the course of the six weeks the children’s skills improved and they all had a good time participating in training sessions feeling prepared for the upcoming challenge.