Ready for the Pack

• Mark the main playing area (roughly 20m × 25m) with try lines at both ends.
• Set out six to eight cone gates around the area for Gate Escape.
• Pre-size the tag belts and check every belt has two tags.
• Mark five short 1v1 channels, each with a waiting spot.
• Place 10–12 rugby balls at pitch-side, ready for Pup Traffic and Gate Escape.
• Have two colours of bibs ready for the Big Pup Tag Game.

1. 1Welcome & Pack Rules0–4 min · 4 minMeet the Pack and learn the rules

   How it works

   1. Introduce yourself and the mission: move, tag and play like a team.
   2. Teach “PAWS… READY!” for go and “Freeze Paws!” for stop and listen.
   3. Cover the boundaries and safe tagging.
   4. Keep it short — no lectures.

   Coaching focus · “Eyes on the coach when stopped”

   Setup & equipment

   1. Gather the children in a designated coaching area.

   Coaching detail

   “Look after your teammates” · “Stay inside the boundaries”

   Commands

   1. “PAWS… READY!” — Go
   2. “Freeze Paws!” — Stop, freeze and listen

   Safety

   • Keep this introduction short.
   • Check the children can all see and hear you.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. Introduce yourself and today's mission: move, tag and play like a team.
   2. Cover the boundaries, the commands and safe tagging.
   3. Emphasise listening, kindness and looking after teammates.
   4. Keep it short — do not turn this into a lecture.
2. 2Pup Traffic Challenge4–11 min · 7 minTraffic lights, space and legal passing

   How it works

   1. Start ball-free: GREEN — move; AMBER — slow/control; RED — freeze.
   2. Add TURBO — accelerate; SIDE-STEP — evade; U-TURN — turn; FIND SPACE — clear space.
   3. Give balls to about half the group. On PASS!, find a nearby teammate without a ball.
   4. Pass short, sideways/backwards — never forwards. Receiver carries; keep moving immediately.
   5. PAWS… READY! starts; Freeze Paws! stops the whole group.

   Coaching focus · “Look up”

   Pitch setup

   Tap to enlarge

   • Coach
   • Child / attacker
   • Rugby ball
   • Cone
   • Dashed = short sideways/backwards pass
   • Solid = movement; passing pair travels up the page

   Player icons are representative — use the group numbers in the instructions.

   Setup & equipment

   1. Use the main playing area.
   2. Children spread out with room to move safely.

   Coaching detail

   “Find space” · “Sideways or backwards” · “Keep moving after the pass”

   Safety

   • Keep children inside the marked area.
   • Slow the group down if anyone looks out of control.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. Begin without balls: GREEN means run or move, AMBER means slow down and stay controlled, RED means freeze.
   2. Add TURBO, SIDE-STEP, U-TURN and FIND SPACE once the basic traffic lights are familiar.
   3. Introduce rugby balls to approximately half the group once the children understand the calls.
   4. On PASS!, ball carriers find a nearby teammate without a ball and make a short sideways or backwards pass — never forwards. The receiver becomes the new ball carrier.
   5. Movement resumes immediately; keep the activity moving rather than forming stationary pairs or long lines.
   6. PAWS… READY! starts the activity; Freeze Paws! stops the whole group for safety or coaching.

   Traffic calls

   • GREEN — Run / move
   • AMBER — Slow down and stay controlled
   • RED — Freeze
   • TURBO — Accelerate into space
   • SIDE-STEP — Quick change of direction
   • U-TURN — Turn and move the opposite way
   • FIND SPACE — Move into a clear part of the area
   • PASS! — Short sideways/backwards pass to a nearby teammate without a ball
3. 3Tails Reloaded11–19 min · 8 minTag safely — nobody is out

   How it works

   1. Everyone wears two tags; 3–4 taggers remove one at a time.
   2. Return and reattach the tag immediately — nobody is out.
   3. Give half the group balls: scan, change speed and carry in two hands; never cover tags.
   4. Rotate taggers every 60–90 seconds and swap balls each round.

   Coaching focus · “Eyes up”

   Pitch setup

   Tap to enlarge

   • Child / attacker
   • Tag belt
   • Tagger (4)
   • Coach
   • Arrow = movement

   Player icons are representative — use the group numbers in the instructions.

   Setup & equipment

   1. Every child wears a tag belt with two tags, one on each hip.
   2. Start with 3–4 taggers.

   Coaching detail

   “Side-step” · “Find space” · “Tag safely” · “Return the tag”

   Ideas & variations

   Make it easier: Start with two taggers.

   Level it up: Add a fourth tagger, or ask ball carriers to protect their tags while carrying.

   Safety

   • No grabbing clothing, pulling belts, pushing or tackling.
   • Hand tags back directly — no throwing tags or leaving them on the ground.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. Taggers remove one tag at a time.
   2. The child immediately gets the tag back, replaces it and continues.
   3. Nobody is eliminated — everyone keeps playing.
   4. Rotate taggers every 60–90 seconds.
   5. Introduce balls to about half the group. Ball carriers scan for a gap, change speed and keep two hands on the ball without covering their tags. Swap balls each round.
4. 4Gate Escape19–27 min · 8 minFind space and escape through gates

   How it works

   1. Give balls to about half the group (10–12 available); everyone moves and finds space.
   2. Carriers score by carrying through different gates; others avoid blocking them.
   3. Every 30–45 seconds call SWAP! Hand over or pass short sideways/backwards to someone without a ball; keep moving.
   4. Heads up — find a free gate, don't follow the crowd. No pass through the gate is required.
   5. Progression: add 3–4 roaming defenders; tagged players reset and continue.

   Coaching focus · “Heads up”

   Pitch setup

   Tap to enlarge

   • Child / attacker
   • About half carry balls (10–12 available)
   • Cone
   • Arrow = movement
   • 3–4 roaming defenders — progression only
   • Coach

   Player icons are representative — use the group numbers in the instructions.

   Setup & equipment

   1. Set out six to eight cone gates around the main area.
   2. Give rugby balls to approximately half the group — the activity works with approximately 10–12 rugby balls, not one per child.

   Coaching detail

   “Find a free gate.” · “Don’t follow the crowd.” · “Swap with someone without a ball.”

   Ideas & variations

   Make it easier: No defenders — just find the gates.

   Level it up: Add 3–4 roaming defenders who may safely tag ball carriers; tagged players reset and continue.

   Safety

   • Spread the gates out to avoid collisions.
   • Defenders tag safely — no grabbing or pushing.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. Give rugby balls to approximately half the group; everyone moves freely around the area.
   2. Ball carriers score by travelling through different cone gates. Children without balls also move, find space and avoid blocking gates.
   3. Every 30–45 seconds call SWAP! Ball carriers safely give or make a short sideways/backwards pass to a nearby child without a ball; the new carrier continues immediately.
   4. Encourage children to use different gates rather than following the crowd.
   5. Progression: add 3–4 roaming defenders who may safely tag ball carriers. Tagged players reset and continue.

   SWAP! only rotates possession — carry through the gate; do not require a pass through it. Passing through gates with a partner belongs to Week 3 Gate Passing Adventure.

   More balls may be used if available, but the activity never depends on one ball per child.

5. 5Pickle's 1v1 Showdown27–36 min · 9 minBeat the defender 1v1

   How it works

   1. Set out five short, wide channels.
   2. One attacker versus one defender per channel.
   3. Attacker beats the defender to score; defender removes a tag.
   4. Rotate after every attempt.
   5. Progression: let the defender move freely.

   Coaching focus · “Attack the space”

   Pitch setup

   Tap to enlarge

   • Try line / end zone
   • Attacker with ball / 2 waiting
   • Defender
   • Cone

   Setup & equipment

   1. Create approximately five short channels.
   2. Small groups rotate quickly — one attacker versus one defender per channel.
   3. Use wide lanes and short distances.

   Coaching detail

   “Change speed” · “Side-step” · “Defend safely”

   Ideas & variations

   Make it easier: Keep the defender in the small central zone; the attacker uses the full lane.

   Level it up: Let the defender move freely from the start.

   Safety

   • Keep channels clearly separated.
   • Stop children running into neighbouring channels.
   • All channels must stay visible to the coach.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. The attacker attempts to beat the defender and score beyond the line.
   2. The defender attempts to remove a tag.
   3. Rotate after each attempt so everyone attacks and defends.
   4. Progression: allow the defender to move freely rather than starting from the restricted central area.
6. 6Pass Before You Score36–44 min · 8 minPass before you score

   How it works

   1. Four simultaneous 3v2 games, one ball each. Supervise centrally; rotate roles frequently.
   2. Attackers complete one pass before scoring beyond the try line; defenders tag the carrier.
   3. Round 1 (short introduction only): a pass in any direction counts — learn to share before scoring.
   4. Round 2: rugby rules — only sideways/backwards passes count. Level up defender pressure, not the number of passes.
   5. Restart quickly after scores, tags or obvious errors. Pass, then move; Freeze Paws! stops all four games.

   Coaching focus · “Pass, then move”

   Pitch setup

   Tap to enlarge

   • Try line / end zone
   • 3 attackers in each of 4 simultaneous games
   • 2 defenders per game
   • 1 ball per game
   • Dashed = Round 2 backwards pass; attack travels up
   • Arrow = movement
   • Coach

   Setup & equipment

   1. Four groups of five in four clearly marked small areas: three attackers and two defenders per game, with one ball per game.
   2. Run all four games simultaneously. The single coach stands centrally enough to supervise all four areas; rotate attackers and defenders frequently.

   Coaching detail

   “Give them somewhere to pass.” · “Move after your pass.” · “Find the space.” · “Sideways or backwards now.”

   Ideas & variations

   Make it easier: Let defenders shadow at walking pace while children learn to pass before scoring. Once Round 2 begins, only sideways/backwards passes count.

   Level it up: Increase defender pressure slightly while keeping one pass before scoring; do not add an extra scoring rule.

   Safety

   • Keep games in their own areas and avoid collisions.
   • All four areas must remain visible to the single coach. Use Freeze Paws! to stop all four games together.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. Play four simultaneous 3v2 games. Attackers try to score beyond the try line after completing one pass; defenders try to tag the ball carrier.
   2. Round 1 — Understand the game: a pass in any direction counts. Keep this round short so children learn to find a teammate, share the ball and pass before scoring; this is an introductory learning adaptation, not the standard rugby rule.
   3. Round 2 — Rugby rule: now only sideways or backwards passes count before scoring. From this point onwards, forward passes do not count.
   4. Restart quickly after a score, tag or obvious error. Rotate attackers and defenders frequently; avoid long stoppages and technical lectures.
   5. Coach emphasis: pass, then move. Use Freeze Paws! to stop all four games together when needed.

   Round coaching language

   • Round 1: “Find a teammate and make a pass before you score.”
   • Round 2: “Now we’re playing rugby rules — sideways or backwards only.”

   Any-direction passing is permitted only during the short introductory Round 1, not as the standard rugby rule. Round 2 and subsequent play require sideways/backwards passing.

   Keep the progression simple: understand passing → learn legal rugby passing direction → apply it under pressure. One pass before scoring is enough; never require two passes.

7. 7Big Pup Tag Game44–56 min · 12 minPlay your first Years 3–4 tag game

   How it works

   1. Choose one 10v10 game, or two 5v5 games only if both can be supervised safely.
   2. Play normal Years 3–4 tag rules — no bonus scoring.
   3. Keep the game moving with quick restarts.

   Coaching focus · “Find space”

   Pitch setup

   Tap to enlarge

   Option A — One game · 10 v 10

   Option B — Two games · 5 v 5 on each pitch

   Use only when both games can be supervised safely.

   Player icons are representative — use the team numbers shown above.

   • Attacking team
   • Defending team
   • Try line / end zone
   • Coach
   • Arrow = movement

   Setup & equipment

   1. Use the main pitch and try lines already in place.
   2. Two colours of bibs.

   Coaching detail

   “Pass sideways or backwards” · “Support the ball carrier” · “Defend safely” · “Work together”

   Years 3–4 tag rules

   1. Score a try by grounding the ball over the try line.
   2. Passes travel sideways or backwards — never forwards.
   3. A defender removes one tag and calls “TAG!”.
   4. The ball carrier stops as quickly and safely as possible and passes to a teammate.
   5. The defender immediately returns the tag.
   6. The player replaces the tag before fully rejoining play.
   7. No tackling, pushing, grabbing clothing, blocking defenders or ripping the ball.

   Ideas & variations

   Option A — One 10v10 match(default)

   • Years 3–4 tag rugby on the main pitch.
   • All 20 children play.
   • Default option.

   Option B — Two 5v5 matches

   • Two adjacent mini-pitches played at the same time.
   • Stand where you can see both games.
   • Use two simultaneous games only when both can be supervised safely.
   • Both games stop together on “Freeze Paws!”

   Make it easier: Pause briefly after each tag so children can reset.

   Level it up: Encourage support runners to stay close to the ball carrier.

   Safety

   • No tackling, pushing, grabbing or blocking.
   • Keep every playing area in your view.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. The main game — choose the most appropriate match format below on the day.
   2. Normal Years 3–4 tag rules apply.
   3. No bonus scoring.
   4. The coach primarily keeps the game moving.
8. 8Huddle & Collection56–60 min · 4 minCelebrate and tidy up together

   How it works

   1. Collect the balls and tag belts.
   2. Ask: “What helped you escape a defender today?”
   3. Praise effort, courage and safe play.
   4. Finish with the chant.

   Coaching focus · “Well done, Pack!”

   Setup & equipment

   1. Gather the children together.

   Coaching detail

   “Heads up, tails up…”

   Safety

   • Follow the school's authorised parent/guardian collection and handover arrangements.
   • Do not allow children to leave unsupervised.

   More detail

   Full activity instructions

   1. Collect rugby balls and tag belts.
   2. Ask: “What helped you escape a defender today?”
   3. Praise effort, courage and safe play.
   4. Finish with the closing chant.

   Closing chant

   • Coach: “Heads up, tails up…”
   • Children: “RUGGER PUPS!”

Total60 min

• Move confidently and find space.
• Tag safely and return tags straight away.
• Carry the ball while moving.
• Pass sideways or backwards.
• Play a proper Years 3–4 tag game.

• 20 tag belts
• 40 tags plus a few spares
• 10–12 rugby balls
• 35–40 cones or flat markers
• 2 colours of bibs
• Whistle
• First-aid kit
• Access to drinking water

Main area · One main rectangular coaching area of roughly 20m × 25m (a guide only — adapt to the space and group), with clear outside boundaries and runoff space.

• Try lines at both ends stay in place all session — the same area runs the movement games, gates, 1v1 channels and the Big Pup Tag Game.
• Keep the main boundaries in place and move only a handful of cones between activities.
• Every active area must be visible and manageable by the single coach.
• Before starting, check the surface, boundaries, equipment and the school's safeguarding, first-aid, emergency and collection arrangements.