Partner mirror
An evasion and footwork warm-up for U9 and up, with where the cones go, how it runs and what to say when it is not working.
Free to read with no account. It works at a pitch with no signal too.
- Age grades
- U9, U10, U11, U12
- Time
- 5 minutes
- Players
- 6 or more
- Space
- 10 x 10 m
- Kit
- 4 cones
- Pitch
- Fine on hard ground
- Indoors
- Fits a small space
Setting it up
Pairs facing each other, two metres apart, in a small grid.
How it runs
One leads, side stepping and shuffling within their two metres. The other stays square in front of them the whole time. Thirty seconds then swap. Three each. This is what defending actually looks like before anybody touches anybody.
What to watch for
- Stay square. Do not cross your feet over
- Short steps, weight on the balls of your feet
- Watch their belly button, not their shoulders
Make it easier
- Walk it
- One metre apart so there is less to cover
Make it harder
- Leader holds a ball and can step past on your call
What it looks like when it is going wrong
What you can see from the touchline, then the one thing to say about it.
- Feet crossing over and the balance going
- Shuffle. Never cross them
- Watching the shoulders and getting sold every time
- Watch their belly button. It cannot lie
More like this
The grades that can do it
What U9 rugby allows is the rule this sits under. Regulation 15 is reissued every summer, so the RFU's own rules of play are the ones to read for this season rather than a copy on somebody else's website. Ours included. Read against the RFU's 2026/27 appendices in August 2026.