Session plan
Senior club rugby training session plan
A senior club rugby session usually runs 75 to 90 minutes: a sharp warm-up, handling under pressure, a breakdown block, forwards and backs units, and a high-tempo game to finish. Keep it game-like, keep players moving and save the long talks for the clubhouse.
- Length
- 90 minutes
- Players
- 18 to 40 players
- For
- Senior club teams, men's and women's
- Focus
- Quick ruck ball, set piece and attacking tempo
- Equipment
- Balls, Cones, Bibs, Hit shields
The session, block by block
| Time | Block | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 10 min10 min | Warm-up with A-skips | Jog, mobility, A-skips and build-up runs. Two or three runs should reach near full pace before any contact.A-Skip drill |
| 10 to 20 min10 min | Pressure pass channel | A worker runs down a channel between two feeding lines, catching and passing in one motion. Feeders pass in front so the worker runs onto the ball.Pressure Pass Channel drill |
| 20 to 26 min6 min | Get up off the floor | Contact warm-up in pairs: fight to your feet against a team-mate lying across your back. Never grab the head or neck.Get Up Off The Floor drill |
| 26 to 41 min15 min | Ruck clean-out channel | Groups of five go down a channel past pairs holding shields: carry, clear out, secure and pass to the next runner. Approach with depth so there is room to drive.Ruck Clean-Out Channel drill |
| 41 to 61 min20 min | Units: line-out pods, backs shape | Forwards run calls with two pods where the decoy looks as live as the real jump. Backs run their set-piece plays and first-phase shape, then the two groups join for a few live line-out plays.Lineout Pod Movement drill |
| 61 to 76 min15 min | Seven on four continuous | Seven attackers against four defenders. Score, turn and go again with minimal rest so decisions are made tired.Seven v Four Continuous drill |
| 76 to 86 min10 min | Team run or opposed game | Even numbers, full width. Start from set piece and play three or four phases, coaching ruck speed and the line-out calls from the units block. |
| 86 to 90 min4 min | Cool-down | Walk, stretch and a short message for the week. Captains add one thing. |
| Total | 90 minutes | |
Coaching notes
- Run this as the main session of the week, two or more days out from the game. Keep the session closest to match day lighter.
- Plan for patchy attendance: every block here works with uneven numbers if you adjust the defenders.
- Give feedback in the rest intervals of the games, not by stopping play every few seconds.
- Use the units block for what cost you last weekend, whether that was line-out accuracy or slow ruck ball.
Safety
- Warm up fully before contact and build contact intensity across the session, not from the first rep.
- Know the signs of concussion and remove any player you are worried about. If in doubt, sit them out, and follow your union's return-to-play guidance.
- Check with players before the session for niggles, and adjust their contact load.
- Have a first aid kit, water and someone with current first aid training at every session.
Questions coaches ask
- How long should a senior rugby training session be?
- Most club sessions run 75 to 90 minutes. Beyond that, quality and intensity drop off.
- What should a Tuesday rugby session include?
- The main session of the week usually covers handling, breakdown, set piece units and a game-like block. A later session in the week is shorter and lighter, closer to a captain's run.
- How do I plan a session when I don't know how many players will turn up?
- Choose drills that work in small groups and adjust the number of defenders on the day. Overload games like seven on four can become five on three without changing the point of the drill.
- How much fitness should be in a club rugby session?
- In season, most conditioning can come from games with little rest, like the seven on four in this plan. Keep separate running for pre-season or for players who missed the weekend.