U9 rugby evasion drills
22 evasion and footwork drills a U9 squad is allowed to do, each with the set up, the coaching points and what it looks like from the touchline when it is going wrong.
Free to read with no account. They work at a pitch with no signal too.
What U9 is allowed here
Evasion and footwork arrives at U7, so a U9 squad has had it for a while. Nothing below that grade sees any of these, in the app or on this site. What U9 rugby allows is the rest of it.
The drills
Under each one is what it looks like when that drill is going wrong.
- Tail snatch 6 min · 6 to 24 players · 20 x 20 m Long strides right up to the person they are chasing
- Traffic lights 5 min · 6+ players · 20 x 20 m Freezing with a bit of a wobble and a shuffle
- Shark in the pond 6 min · 8 to 24 players · 20 x 15 m Standing on the line waiting for a perfect gap
- Follow the leader 5 min · 6+ players · 20 x 20 m Leaders running long slow curves that are easy to follow
- Move and brace 8 min · 6+ players · 20 m channel Straight legs and a rounded back on the brace
- Ankles and knees 6 min · 4+ players · 10 x 10 m Knees falling inwards on the squat
- Partner mirror 5 min · 6+ players · 10 x 10 m Feet crossing over and the balance going
- Three corner sprint 6 min · 6+ players · 15 x 15 m Running wide round the cone rather than turning at it
- Stuck in the mud 6 min · 8 to 24 players · 20 x 20 m Runners going nowhere near anybody who is stuck
- Animal moves 6 min · 6 to 24 players · 15 x 10 m Knees dragging on the grass in the bear crawl
- Land on one 6 min · 6 to 24 players · 10 x 10 m The knee falling inwards towards the other leg as they land
- Switch 9 min · 6 to 18 players · 20 x 15 m The two runners crossing too far apart for the handover
- Pick your gate 8 min · 6 to 20 players · 20 x 15 m Head down, running at whichever gate is straight ahead
- Side step slalom 7 min · 4+ players · 20 m channel Leaning over at the cone with the feet carrying straight on
- Bulldog with a ball 9 min · 8 to 24 players · 25 x 20 m Waiting at the line for a gap that never comes
- Hit the hole 9 min · 8 to 20 players · 25 x 20 m All three running at the same gap
- Shadow and step 8 min · 6 to 18 players · 15 x 15 m The step made with the feet only, so nobody is fooled
- Out the back door 9 min · 6 to 18 players · 20 x 15 m Passing before the defender has committed to either side
- One on one channel 8 min · 6 to 20 players · 10 x 20 m Running at one speed the whole way
- Support the break 10 min · 8 to 21 players · 40 x 20 m Support setting off once the carrier has already gone twenty metres
- Narrow to wide 10 min · 10 to 21 players · 40 x 25 m Carrying the ball out towards the touchline instead of passing it
- Drop off touch 10 min · 8 to 20 players · 30 x 20 m The attack running at the same defenders with a gap out wide
What else U9 can work on
The same at other grades
- U7 rugby evasion drills
- U8 rugby evasion drills
- U10 rugby evasion drills
- U11 rugby evasion drills
- U12 rugby evasion drills
Every U9 drill is the whole grade rather than one theme. Rugby drills by age group is all six grades.