Wrestle for the ball
A ruck and maul warm-up for U10 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
- U10, U11, U12
- Time
- 6 minutes
- Players
- 6 to 20
- Space
- 10 x 10 m
- Kit
- 1 ball per pair
- Pitch
- Wants a forgiving surface
- Indoors
- Fits a small space
Setting it up
Pairs of similar size, both kneeling, one ball held between them.
How it runs
On go, both try to win the ball. Knees stay on the floor. Five seconds then stop, whoever has it wins the point. Best of six. They learn grip strength, a low body position and that letting go early loses you the ball, which is the whole lesson of the breakdown.
What to watch for
- Elbows in tight, ball pulled into your chest
- Get your weight over the ball, not leaning back
- Strong hands. Grip it like you mean it
Make it easier
- One player attacks and one defends rather than both competing
Make it harder
- Start on your feet in a crouch instead of kneeling
What it looks like when it is going wrong
What you can see from the touchline, then the one thing to say about it.
- Elbows out wide where they can be pulled
- Elbows in. Squeeze it into your ribs
- Leaning back to pull it away
- Get your weight over it, not behind it
Safety. Knees down, heads up and to the side. No swinging anybody around. Stop it instantly if a head goes near the floor or anyone gets wound up.
The RFU's Headcase is where to go for what to do after a bang on the head. It is theirs rather than ours.
More like this
The grades that can do it
What U10 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.