Session plan
Rugby pre-season fitness session plan
A rugby pre-season fitness session should look like rugby: repeat sprints with short rest, a small-sided conditioning game, and repeated efforts that combine running with getting up and making contact. Build the volume over several weeks rather than trying to get fit in one night.
- Length
- 75 minutes
- Players
- 12 to 30 players
- For
- Senior and under 18 squads in pre-season
- Focus
- Repeat sprint ability, game fitness and repeated efforts
- Equipment
- Balls, Cones, Bibs, Tackle bags or hit shields, A stopwatch or interval timer
The session, block by block
| Time | Block | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 12 min12 min | Warm-up with A-skips | Jog, dynamic mobility, A-skips and four build-up runs that finish near full pace. The repeat sprints that follow need a proper warm-up.A-Skip drill |
| 12 to 20 min8 min | Pressure pass channel | Catch and pass in one motion while running down a channel between two feeding lines. Gets the ball in hands before the hard running starts.Pressure Pass Channel drill |
| 20 to 35 min15 min | Repeat sprint set | Sprint 35m on a 20 second cycle, jog back and go again: six reps, then 3 to 5 minutes rest, for two sets. The first rep must be flat out.Repeat Sprint Set drill |
| 35 to 55 min20 min | Four on four conditioning game | Touch rugby, four a side on a 30m by 40m grid, four periods of 3 minutes with short rests. Quick tap restarts, defence must retreat onside, no stopping play to coach.Four v Four Conditioning Game drill |
| 55 to 67 min12 min | Tackle bag repeated efforts | On a 30 second cycle: sprint 20m, slow to the 30m mark, then accelerate into a held bag and jog back. Twelve reps. Time the sprints to track progress.Tackle Bag RHIE Protocol drill |
| 67 to 75 min8 min | Cool-down | Easy jog or walk, then mobility for hips, hamstrings and calves. Tell players what the next session is. |
| Total | 75 minutes | |
Coaching notes
- Start pre-season with less volume than this and build up over the first few weeks, especially for players coming back from a long break.
- Test early with a fitness test such as the Bronco or a Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) time trial, so you can set running distances and see progress.
- Keep a ball involved where you can. Players work harder in a game than on a straight run, and they learn at the same time.
- Plan the week so hard running days are not back to back.
Safety
- Players returning from a break or an injury should build into full sessions, not start at full volume.
- Hot weather: train early or late, add water breaks and cut volume when it is very hot.
- Stop any player who is dizzy, unwell or in pain, and have a first aid kit and someone with current first aid training on hand.
- For under 18 squads, follow your union's age-grade guidance and keep the contact efforts controlled.
Questions coaches ask
- What should a rugby pre-season training session include?
- A warm-up, some handling, repeat sprints, a small-sided conditioning game and repeated efforts that mix running with contact. Most of it should look and feel like rugby.
- How long is a typical rugby pre-season?
- It depends on your competition and level, but most clubs have several weeks between returning to training and the first game. Use the early weeks to build volume gradually.
- What fitness test should rugby teams use in pre-season?
- The Bronco and the MAS time trial are common choices because they need little equipment. Test early, then retest after a few weeks to check progress.
- Should pre-season sessions include contact?
- Yes, but build it gradually. Repeated efforts into a held bag condition players for contact without the load of full live tackling.