Shadow and step
An evasion and footwork drill for U8 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
- U8, U9, U10, U11, U12
- Time
- 8 minutes
- Players
- 6 to 18
- Space
- 15 x 15 m
- Kit
- 4 cones, 1 ball per pair
- Pitch
- Fine on hard ground
- Indoors
- Fits a small space
Setting it up
Pairs in a small grid. One carrier, one defender two metres in front.
How it runs
Carrier walks forward, defender mirrors them staying square. On your whistle the carrier steps and goes. Defender tries to stay in front. Thirty seconds then swap. Four each. Both of them get better at the same time, which is the nice thing about this one.
What to watch for
- Carriers, sell it with your shoulders before you move your feet
- Defenders stay square. Crossing your feet loses you the contest
- Both of you stay on the balls of your feet
Make it easier
- Walk the whole thing
- Bigger gap between them
Make it harder
- Add a second carrier so the defender has a choice to make
What it looks like when it is going wrong
What you can see from the touchline, then the one thing to say about it.
- The step made with the feet only, so nobody is fooled
- Drop your shoulder first. Sell it
- Defenders crossing their feet and losing their balance
- Shuffle, do not cross. Stay square
More like this
The grades that can do it
What U8 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.