Contact Skills drill
Preparation for Contact Wrestle
Build the shoulder position, connection and rolling strength that contact demands.
- Time
- 15 minutes
- Players
- 2 to 12 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- None
- Space
- 5m x 5m
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
Soft grass, no equipment, with a partner of matched size. Agree a stop word first.
How to run it
- Work through four contests of 20-30 seconds each, alternating who starts on top.
- Shoulder Battle is a shoulder-to-shoulder contest for position from a low braced stance; Roll-Re-Roll is being rolled and re-establishing a strong position; Connection Roll is maintaining your clamp through a roll to the ground; Win The Corner is a contest to reach the dominant shoulder position.
- Nothing above the shoulder line ever - no neck cranks and no head locks, because this is rugby grappling for position and not submission wrestling.
- Do 5-6 rounds at controlled intensity with 60 seconds rest.
Coaching cues
- Tighten the clamp - no space between you
- Nothing above the shoulder line, ever
- Controlled intensity, not a competition
Common mistakes
- Anything around the head or neck, which has no place in rugby wrestling
- Going too hard too early and turning a preparation drill into a competitive scrap
Related drills
- Get Up Off The FloorFight to your feet under a body, which is what every phase of contact demands.
- Contact Security One-on-OneTake the carrier down and immediately win the ball on your feet.
- Latch and DriveBind onto a carrier just before contact and drive as a unit without conceding obstruction.
- Falling and Ball PresentationLearn to hit the ground safely and present the ball long, entirely alone.
- Ball Carry into ContactArrive into contact low, shoulder-first and legally, with the ball protected.
- Ball Placement Under LoadMake a long, clean placement with a body on top of you.