Back to Week 3

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RUGGER PUPSPlaybook

Week 3: Pass to a Pal

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
Pass, move and help your teammates.
PAWS
Work Together · Always Be Kind

Learning objectives

  • Show their hands for the ball.
  • Look towards their teammate.
  • Pass sideways or backwards.
  • Catch safely.
  • Move after passing.
  • Find space.
  • Work together.
  • Encourage teammates.
  • Use passing during a simple tag rugby game.
  • Main message: Pass → move → help your pal.

Equipment checklist

20 tag belts • 40 tags plus a few spares • 10–12 rugby balls • 35–40 cones or flat markers • Approximately 20 safe treasure items (cones, beanbags or soft markers) • 2 colours of bibs • Whistle • First-aid kit • Access to drinking water

Pitch setup

  • Continue using one main rectangular area of roughly 20m × 25m (a flexible guide) with two end zones.
  • Keep the external boundaries and end zones in place wherever practical — minimise full-pitch resets.
  • Use internal cones for pair areas, small passing zones, passing gates, Pack Relay team lanes, treasure team bases, the central treasure area and the final game layout.
  • Treasure is made from normal safe coaching equipment — no specialist kit needed.
  • The whole session must stay manageable for one coach and up to 20 children.

Before the Pups Arrive

  • Keep the main boundary and end zones in place and add internal cones only.
  • Put about ten rugby balls out at pitch-side — one per pair, one per group, one per team.
  • Set out several cone gates spread well apart for Gate to a Pal.
  • Mark four relay lanes with a start line and a finish line on the opposite side.
  • Set out four home bases around the outside and gather about 20 safe treasure items in the middle.
  • Pre-size tag belts and have two colours of bibs ready for the final game.

Session — 8 activities

1. PAWS Welcome & Recap · 0–4 min (4 min)

Setup

Gather the children in the normal coaching area.

How to play

  1. Welcome the group back.
  2. Recap: “Last week we learned how to run into space and escape defenders.”
  3. Introduce today's mission: “Today we're learning how to pass, move and help our teammates.”
  4. Ask: “Which way should a rugby pass normally go?” — Sideways or backwards. Keep it brief.

Commands: Coach: “PAWS!” — Children: “READY!” · “Freeze Paws!” — Stop and listen

Coaching cues: “PAWS!” · “READY!” · “Today we pass to a pal!”

Safety: Keep this recap short — not a technical explanation.

2. Partner Pups · 4–11 min (7 min)

Pairs well spaced — one ball per pair. Start close, step back after a few good passes.
  • Pair of children
  • Rugby ball
  • Dashed arrow = pass
  • Cone
  • Coach

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

Setup

Put children into pairs. One rugby ball per pair where possible. Spread pairs around the main playing area with plenty of space.

How to play

  1. Partners pass the ball backwards and forwards to each other.
  2. Start close together.
  3. After a few successful passes, take a small step further apart.
  4. If the ball is dropped, simply move closer and carry on — nobody is out.

Coaching cues: “Show your hands” · “Look at your pal” · “Aim for their hands” · “Soft hands”

Progression: After passing, the child takes a couple of sideways steps into a new space before receiving the return pass.

Safety: Keep pairs well spaced. Children look before passing.

3. Pass & Move · 11–19 min (8 min)

Pass it — then move to a new space.
  • Group of 4–5 in own area
  • Rugby ball
  • Dashed arrow = pass
  • Solid arrow = passer moves to new space

Setup

Split children into groups of four or five. One rugby ball per group. Each group works inside its own small area.

How to play

  1. One child passes to a teammate.
  2. Straight after passing, they move to a new empty space.
  3. The receiver passes to someone else and also moves.
  4. One message only: “Pass it — then move.”

Coaching cues: “Call their name” · “Show your hands” · “Pass and move” · “Find new space”

Progression: Add a try line: after three successful passes, one player can carry the ball over the try line to score. No defenders.

Safety: Keep groups clearly separated.

4. Gate to a Pal · 19–28 min (9 min)

Partners either side of a gate — pass through it, then find another open gate.
  • Gate (two cones)
  • Pair either side of a gate
  • Dashed arrow = pass
  • Solid arrow = move to another open gate
  • Coach

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

Setup

Create several cone gates around the playing area, spread well apart. Children work in pairs with one ball.

How to play

  1. Pairs move around the area together.
  2. To score a point: one child moves to one side of a gate, their partner to the opposite side.
  3. The ball is passed through the gate and the teammate catches it.
  4. They move together to find another gate. This is not a race — find space and complete a good pass.

Coaching cues: “Find an empty gate” · “Look at your teammate” · “Show your hands” · “Pass, then move”

Progression: Temporarily close one or two gates — children must look for another available gate. No defenders.

Safety: Keep gates spread out enough to reduce collisions.

5. Pickle's Pack Relay · 28–38 min (10 min)

FUN TEAM RACE

Pass backwards → back player runs to front → repeat.
  • Finish line
  • Team of 4–5 in own lane, behind start line
  • Dashed arrow = pass backwards down the line
  • Solid arrow = back player runs to front

Setup

Split children into groups of four or five. Each team stands in a straight line behind a start line, in its own clearly separated lane. Mark a finish line on the opposite side of the playing area. One rugby ball per team, starting with the child at the front.

How to play

  1. The front child passes the ball backwards to the next child; it travels back through every pair of hands.
  2. When the ball reaches the back, that child runs to the front of the line and becomes the new front player.
  3. The passing starts again — each time, the team moves forward across the pitch.
  4. The challenge finishes when the whole team has crossed the finish line. Children stay mostly still while passing; only the back child runs.

Coaching cues: “Pass it back” · “Ready hands” · “Move to the front” · “Help your pack”

Progression: None needed at first. If very easy, slightly increase the distance between children in each line. No defenders.

Safety: Keep team lanes clearly separated so runners moving to the front do not collide with another team.

Can be a friendly race — praise teamwork and good passing, not just finishing first.

Dropped ball? Pick it up and carry on from that position.

6. Spike's Treasure Pass · 38–47 min (9 min)

NO DEFENDERS

3 passes → collect 1 treasure → return home. No defenders.
  • Team of 5 in home base
  • Rugby ball
  • Treasure area (safe items)
  • Dashed arrow = pass
  • Solid arrow = runner out · dotted = back home
  • Coach

Setup

Four team home bases around the outside of the main area; about five children per team. Safe treasure in the middle — flat cones, beanbags or soft markers. No hard or small loose objects. One rugby ball per team.

How to play

  1. The team completes three passes — no fixed formation, just pass safely between teammates.
  2. The child receiving the third pass becomes the treasure runner.
  3. They run to the middle, collect one piece of treasure and bring it back to their home base.
  4. The team starts again with the ball. Play for a set time, then count the treasure.

Coaching cues: “Three passes!” · “Show your hands!” · “Help your team!” · “Bring home the treasure!”

Safety: Teams stay in their own home areas while passing. Only the treasure runner enters the middle. Collect one item and return directly. Space running routes safely.

Keep the treasure area free from defenders for Years 1–2.

7. Big Pup Tag Game · 47–56 min (9 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
Pass and move — at least one pass before a try counts.

Setup

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

How to play

  1. Same game format as Weeks 1 and 2. Choose the match format below on the day.
  2. Week 3 challenge: a try only counts after the attacking team has completed at least one pass during that possession.
  3. Week 3 focus: passing to teammates, moving after passing, calling for the ball, helping the ball carrier, sideways/backwards passing.

Option A — One 10v10 match: Use when one closely supervised game is more appropriate.

Option B — Two 5v5 matches: Use only when the coach can safely see and supervise both games.

Simplified rules: Ground the ball over the try line to score. · A defender removes one tag to stop the ball carrier. · The tagged player stops. · The defender returns the tag. · The player reattaches it. · The ball is passed to a teammate. · No tackling, pushing, grabbing or blocking.

Coaching cues: “Help your teammate” · “Call for the ball” · “Pass and move” · “Find space”

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

The one-pass rule is the only extra Week 3 rule — no bonus points or tactics.

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

Setup

Gather the children. Collect rugby balls, tag belts, cones and treasure equipment.

How to play

  1. Ask one short question: “How can you help your teammate when they have the ball?” (e.g. call for the ball, show your hands, move into space, pass to them, encourage them).
  2. Praise teamwork and kindness.
  3. Finish with the closing chant.

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

Coaching cues: “How can you help your teammate?” · “Well done, Pack!” · “Once a Pup…”

Safety: Follow the school's authorised collection and handover procedure.

Closing chant

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

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