Back to Week 1

Detailed print — a concise two-page A4 edition (print double-sided). The full digital plan stays on the Week page.

RUGGER PUPSPlaybook

Week 1: Welcome to the Pack!

Programme
Years 1–2 — Six-Week Programme
Age group
Years 1–2 · ages 5–7
Duration
60 min
Coaching
1 coach · Up to 20 children
Mission
Become a Rugger Pup!
PAWS
Always Be Kind · Work Together

Learning objectives

  • Build confidence and feel part of the group.
  • Move safely while finding space.
  • Carry a rugby ball.
  • Dodge and evade defenders.
  • Wear and use tag belts correctly.
  • Remove, return and reattach tags safely.
  • Pass to teammates.
  • Score tries.
  • Experience introductory tag rugby games.

Equipment checklist

20 tag belts • 40 tags plus a few spares • 10–12 rugby balls • 30 cones or flat markers • 2 colours of bibs • Whistle • First-aid kit • Access to drinking water

Pitch setup

  • 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.
  • Two end zones / safe islands at opposite ends, plus a central coaching and waiting area where useful.
  • Keep the main boundaries and end zones in place all session — the same area runs movement games, Shark Attack, Tails, five 1v1 lanes, team passing and the final game.
  • Avoid unnecessary cone resets. Mark a clear waiting position for activities with turns.
  • 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.

Before the Pups Arrive

  • Mark the main playing area (roughly 20m × 25m) with clear boundaries and runoff space.
  • Set out two safe islands at opposite ends for Shark Attack.
  • Pre-size tag belts and check the tags are present — Tails needs about five minutes for fitting belts and the safety demonstration.
  • Set out five short 1v1 lanes, each with a marked central zone and a waiting spot.
  • Mark four team areas for the Team Passing Game and put one ball per team at pitch-side.
  • Have two colours of bibs ready for the Big Pup Tag Game, plus spare cones within reach.

Session — 8 activities

1. PAWS Welcome · 0–4 min (4 min)

Setup

Gather the children in a designated coaching area.

How to play

  1. Introduce yourself, Pickle and today's mission: becoming part of the Rugger Pups pack.
  2. Introduce the commands (below).
  3. Briefly explain the playing boundaries and safety expectations.
  4. Emphasise listening, kindness and looking after teammates.

Commands: “PAWS… READY!” — Go · “Freeze Paws!” — Stop and listen

Coaching cues: “Eyes on the coach when stopped” · “Look after your teammates” · “Stay inside the boundaries” · “Have fun”

Safety: Keep this introduction short. Do not introduce tag belts yet.

2. Adventure Journey · 4–11 min (7 min)

NO BALLS OR TAG BELTS

Child-led adventure — choose a destination, act out the journey, then move like the animals you find there.
  • Coach
  • Child / attacker
  • Cone
  • Arrow = movement

Setup

Use the main playing area. No rugby balls or tag belts are required. Children spread out with enough room to move safely.

How to play

  1. Ask: “Where should the Rugger Pups go today?” Encourage somewhere with lots of animals — let the children choose.
  2. Ask: “How are we going to get there?” Let the children suggest the transport.
  3. Everyone acts out the journey together.
  4. Announce that the group has arrived, then ask: “What animals live here?”
  5. Everyone moves like the animals the children suggest.
  6. Use “Freeze Paws!” to stop, gather attention and choose the next part of the adventure; restart with “PAWS… READY!”

Purpose: A fun, imaginative, child-led warm-up that gets children moving, talking and laughing while building confidence, coordination and listening. · It should feel like a Rugger Pups adventure, not a rugby drill.

Destination ideas: Jungle · Zoo · Farm · Beach · Under the sea · Australia · Safari · Or another child-led destination

Transport ideas: Plane · Boat · Train · Jeep · Helicopter · Rocket · Walking · Swimming

Journey movement ideas: Running like a plane · Steering a jeep · Bouncing over bumps · Rowing a boat · Ducking under branches · Climbing · Swimming · Jumping over puddles

Animal movement ideas: Stomp like an elephant · Leap like a monkey · Crawl like a crocodile · Prowl like a tiger · Slither like a snake · Hop like a kangaroo · Waddle like a penguin

Commands: “PAWS… READY!” — Go · “Freeze Paws!” — Stop and listen

Coaching cues: “Show me how we travel!” · “What animal are we now?” · “Find your own space!” · “Freeze Paws!”

Safety: Keep children inside the marked area. Maintain safe spacing. Avoid high-risk animal movements or collisions. Adapt movements to the available surface and space. Keep the activity flowing rather than stopping for long explanations.

No formal progression is needed — the changing destination, transport and animals naturally vary the movement. The ideas above are examples only; let the children choose.

3. Shark Attack · 11–19 min (8 min)

NO TAG BELTS

No tag belts — cross from one safe island to the other.
  • Safe island at each end
  • Child / attacker
  • Shark (2)
  • Coach

Setup

Use the two safe islands at opposite ends of the pitch. Choose two sharks to start in the middle.

How to play

  1. Children start on one safe island.
  2. On “Shark Attack!”, they run to the opposite island.
  3. Sharks catch runners with a gentle touch on the shoulder or upper arm.
  4. When caught: the runner continues safely to the opposite island and joins the next round. They do not stop in the middle and are not eliminated.
  5. Rotate sharks frequently.
  6. Avoid using more than about four sharks at one time, unless the area is large enough to stay safe and uncrowded.

Coaching cues: “Look for gaps” · “Dodge defenders” · “Change speed” · “Change direction” · “Stay in control”

Progression: Give some runners rugby balls to carry while escaping the sharks.

Safety: No pushing, grabbing or rough contact. Spread children along the starting line to reduce crowding. Caught runners keep moving to the opposite island — nobody stops in the middle.

4. Tails · 19–30 min (11 min)

FIRST INTRODUCTION TO TAG BELTS

First introduction to tag belts — 3 taggers, nobody is out.
  • Child / attacker
  • Tag belt
  • Tagger (3)
  • Coach
  • Arrow = movement

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

Setup

Allow about five minutes to fit belts, demonstrate safe tagging and practise the technique. Each child wears two tags, one on each hip. Where possible, pre-size/check the tag belts before the children arrive to reduce fitting time.

How to play

  1. Choose three taggers.
  2. Everyone else moves around the area trying to keep their tags.
  3. When a tag is removed, the tagger hands it directly back to its owner. Tags are never thrown or deliberately left on the ground.
  4. When tagged, a child stops, gets their tag back, reattaches it and rejoins.
  5. Rotate taggers every 60–90 seconds.

Short demonstration: How to wear a tag belt correctly. · How to remove a tag safely. · How to stop when tagged. · How to return the tag. · How to reattach it before continuing.

Coaching cues: “Eyes up” · “Side-step” · “Find space” · “Tag safely” · “Return tags”

Safety: No grabbing clothing, pulling belts, pushing or tackling. Hand tags back directly — no throwing tags or leaving them on the ground. If fitting belts takes longer, shorten the game — never rush the safety demonstration.

5. Spike's Escape Challenge · 30–40 min (10 min)

5 lanes × 4 children — defender starts in the central zone.
  • Try line / end zone
  • Attacker with ball / 2 waiting
  • Defender
  • Cone

Setup

Create five short 1v1 lanes. Five groups of four — one group per lane. Each lane: one attacker with a ball, one defender, two children waiting in a marked safe starting position.

How to play

  1. The attacker tries to run past the defender and score a try.
  2. The defender tries to remove one of the attacker's tags.
  3. Rotate after each attempt so everyone attacks and defends.

Coaching cues: “Attack space” · “Change speed” · “Side-step” · “Carry the ball securely” · “Defend safely”

Progression: Easier starting version: restrict the defender to a small central zone within the lane. The attacker can use the full lane — more chances to succeed and practise changing direction. Progression: when children are confident, allow the defender to move freely throughout the lane. Further level-up: make the lane slightly narrower and/or let the defender begin closer to the attacker.

Safety: Keep lanes clearly separated. Stop children running into neighbouring lanes. All five lanes must stay visible to the coach.

6. Team Passing Game · 40–48 min (8 min)

4 teams × 5 children — one ball per team.
  • Team of 5
  • Rugby ball
  • Dashed arrow = pass
  • Try line / end zone

Setup

Four teams of five. Each team has one rugby ball and a clearly marked working area.

How to play

  1. Teams complete three passes before scoring a try.
  2. Encourage every child to touch the ball.
  3. Modified rule for this intro: passes may go in any direction.

Coaching cues: “Call for the ball” · “Show your hands” · “Look for teammates” · “Work together” · “Support the ball carrier”

Progression: Introduce sideways and backwards passing. Encourage children to move into space after passing.

Safety: Keep teams in their own areas and avoid collisions.

Standard rugby passing rule: Rugby passes normally travel sideways or backwards, not forwards. The Week 1 any-direction rule is a temporary learning modification. Introduce sideways/backwards passing progressively as the children become confident.

7. Big Pup Tag Game · 48–56 min (8 min)

Option A — One game · 10 v 10

+5+5

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

+2+2+2+2

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

Use the main pitch and end zones already in place. Two colours of bibs.

How to play

  1. A proper game-based finish. Choose the most appropriate match format below on the day.
  2. Keep the game flowing with quick restarts.
  3. Encourage passing, support play and teamwork.

Option A — One 10v10 match (default): Simplified 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. Only use when children understand the rules and you can safely supervise both. Both games stop together on “Freeze Paws!”

Simplified Week 1 rules: Score a try by grounding the ball over the try line. · A defender removes one tag to stop the ball carrier. · The tagged player stops and passes to a teammate. · The defender returns the tag. · The player reattaches the tag before continuing. · No tackling, pushing, grabbing or blocking. · Quick restarts. · Involve your teammates.

Coaching cues: “Find space” · “Run forward” · “Pass to teammates” · “Support the ball carrier” · “Defend safely” · “Work together”

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

These are introductory modified rules, not a complete formal tag rugby ruleset.

8. PAWS Huddle & Collection · 56–60 min (4 min)

Setup

Gather the children together.

How to play

  1. Collect rugby balls and tag belts.
  2. Praise examples of effort, kindness and teamwork.
  3. Ask one short question, e.g. “What did you enjoy most today?”
  4. Finish with the closing chant.

Closing chant: Coach: “Once a Pup…” · Children: “ALWAYS A PUP!”

Coaching cues: “Well done, Pack!” · “Who was kind today?” · “Once a Pup…”

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

Closing chant

Coach: “Once a Pup…” — Children: “ALWAYS A PUP!”

PAWS / READY — Play with Purpose · Always Be Kind · Work Together · Stay Safe & Strong