Kids First Tag Rugby Manual

KIDS FIRST
TAG RUGBY



CONTENTS

Section 1 Section 9 74 - 83

Introduction 4 - 5 Developing Basic Tactics

Section 2 Section 10 84 - 89

What Children Want 6 - 7 Coaching Games

Section 3 8 - 13 Activity 90 - 91
92 - 93
Role of the Coach 14 - 19 End Ball and Rugby Netball 94 - 95
Any Direction Tag 96 - 97
Section 4 20 - 23 Tag Rugby 98 - 99
Bonus Point Tag 100 - 101
Coaching Tips 24 - 29 Numbers Tag 102 - 103
Broken Field Tag 104 - 105
Section 5 30 - 31 Mismatch Tag
Breakout Tag 106 - 109
How to coach 32 - 33
Section 11
Section 6 34 - 37
38 - 41 Rules of Play
Session Preparation 42 - 45
46 - 49 Section 12 110 - 111
Section 7 50 - 53
54 - 57 Kids First Manifesto
Principles of Play 58 - 61
62 - 65 Section 13
Section 8 66 - 69
70 - 73 England Rugby Codes of Conduct 112 - 117
Warm up
Section 14 118 - 119
Activity
Safeguarding
Tag
Ruckley Tag Notes 120 - 121
Ball Manipulation
Stuck in the Mud Acknowledgements 122
Team Tag
Keep Ball
Mice and Monsters
Ruckley and Rabbits
Piggy in the Middle
Eggs in the Nest

3

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Kids First Tag, which is part Coaching provides a rich and rewarding
of the Kids First development programme; experience for you and the children you
putting the needs of the child at the coach. Tag rugby offers an ideal medium to
forefront of coaching and playing. It is introduce you to coaching sport and, more
supported by a range of Kids First resources specifically, to coaching children’s rugby in
and courses for teachers, coaches and an enjoyable, simple and safe way.
children. The children’s resources have
Ruckley as the brand image with a focus Tag rugby is a fast-moving, non-contact
of developing social and personal skills in invasion game suitable for boys and girls
tandem with physical and movement, game to play together. The key to the game is
understanding and skill. enjoyment, with scoring, running, and
handling skills to the fore.

4

The interchangeable nature of possession, The resource
leading to rapid switching from attack
to defence, means that a range of skills This resource has been developed as a
are developed. Team work skills such support to your coaching. It has been written
as co-operation, integration, collective in a way that will enable you to explore and
responsibility and communication are discover skills, tactics and rules with the
developed, in addition to opportunities for children. There are no drills and no apologies
individuals to demonstrate a range of skills for this. The majority of the core skills and
and attributes: handling, evasion, defence, techniques involved in tag rugby can be
determination and individual responsibility, developed in fun, game related activities,
which are all key elements of the game. and through small sided and conditioned
games. They can also be developed through
Tag rugby is the RFU’s officially an experiential approach.
recommended version of rugby for Under
7s and Under 8s; however, it is also used It is recommended that you attend the
in primary and secondary schools as RFU Level 1 Course in Coaching Children
either an activity in its own right, or as an as soon as possible. This will provide
introduction to rugby. In addition to this, more detailed information, guidance and
tag is used at many recreational rugby opportunity for practical delivery and
events by adults and children, including feedback. Your Club Coaching Coordinator
beach rugby. will be able to provide you with information
about these courses or you can find out
more on line at:

www.rfu.com/coaches-and-referees.

5

SECTION 2: WHAT CHILDREN WANT

When children are left to their own devices, This was further supported when 30 Under
without the interventions of adults, they 7 and Under 8 children were asked at a
will often organise their own games rugby festival what they had most enjoyed
and pick their own teams. Although the about the day. The answers were as follows
method of first pick/last pick is not to be (rank order).
recommended as it is likely to undermine
the confidence of the last child, the rationale • Hot dogs
behind the picking is easy to see: all
inclusive and fair teams. • Receiving a medal (all the children got
medals)

As the children play and one team may • S coring tries
become dominant the children will swap
players around. Any new child arriving will • Running with the ball
be put into the losing team.
• Tagging
Winning is less important than having a
competitive game in which everyone is It is interesting to note that, despite many
included. adult assumptions to the contrary, children
rarely mentioned winning as a reason for
The following is taken from research participating in sport.
undertaken by Exeter University on behalf
of the England Rugby. Under 7 and Under The reasons given above enable you, as a
8 children were asked what they wanted coach, real scope to engage and challenge
from rugby. Here is a list of the most children and to achieve success against
popular answers. the objectives set by the children. Winning
may indeed be a bi-product, but is not a
• F un, fun, fun prime indicator of success or a motivator
for children.

• Being with friends This course and supporting resource will
• Playing time give you many ideas for devising and
• Lots of action developing games and activities in which the
children and the coach will be challenged to
find solutions, will improve skills and gain a
greater understanding of games in general,
and tag rugby specifically.

6

7

SECTION 3: ROLE OF THE COACH

Coaching young children can be a rich The age, ability and confidence of the
and satisfying experience. It is also a children may determine the order in which
tremendous responsibility. The young you prioritise these aspects but personal
people in your care are the next generation and social development should be at the
of referees and volunteers and the attitudes centre and surround all other aspects. Each
they learn from you can affect every aspect aspect should be included in your coaching
of their lives. Your work can help give plans as important in the development of
them confidence or undermine the little young children.
confidence they have.

The coach should aim to improve the
following in all children.

Personal and social development:

• Establishing and reinforcing confidence
and self-esteem, improving decision
making and using team games, co-
operative skills and fair play to help you
do this.

Physical and movement:

• Fundamental movement skills of stability,
object control and locomotion (including
balance, coordination, agility, evasion).

Game understanding:

• Spatial awareness, anticipation, timing,
decision making.

Skill development:

• Helping children improve performance
levels, catching, passing and creativity.

8

The following framework has been • Most children will achieve most of the
included to provide guidance on the criteria
priority areas for development for the
children. It is important to remember • Some children will achieve all of the
that this provides a framework and some criteria
children will need to be challenged a little
more, while some will find this challenging • A few children will require challenge from
enough. The general principle is that: the next stage up.

In support of this framework, coaching
cards and sticker books are available and
your course deliverer will provide more
detail of this.

9

STAGE 1 (Under 7)

Personal and social Physical and movement

Enjoy activity Move with agility and balance

• The child can explain what he or she • The child can:
enjoys and why. • Change direction, dodge, jump.

Follow simple instructions Perform a single skill with control

The child: The child can:
• Listens carefully and follows instructions • Pass the ball accurately to a partner
• Can work on simple instructions for a • Receive a pass.

period of time Skill focus
• Can work independently for a period of

time.

Game understanding

Demonstrate basic spatial Passing
awareness
The child can:
The child can: • Pass the ball to enable a partner to
• Identify where space is
• Run into space catch it
• Identify a player in space • Pass to a moving partner
• Take actions to get the ball into space • Pass the ball when moving.

(run or pass). Attack

Solve basic problems using The child can:
Principles of Play • Move forward with purpose
• Avoid a defender using a variety of
The child understands and
demonstrates: strategies.
• Go forward and support

Rules Competition framework

• 4 v 4 • Inter-club
• 12m x 20m • Triangular
• Knock-on not penalised • Festival: round robin, rock up and play.
• No coaches on the pitch
• Rules as a framework No leagues or knock-out.
• Size 3 ball

10

STAGE 1 (Under 8)

Personal and social Physical and movement

Play fairly Link two skills

The child can: The child can:
• Understand and respect simple rules • Catch and pass the ball.
• Play by the rules
• Accept decisions. Perform skills with some
control and consistency
Be confident
The child can:
The child is: • Catch and pass in one movement
• Keen to have a go and try new things • Can catch and pass the ball in one
• Willing to demonstrate to others
• Able to accept constructive feedback. movement while running.

Game understanding Skill focus

Understand performance (how to Passing
improve)
The child can:
The child can: • Pass the ball while moving.
• Describe what has been performed
• Explain why something or someone is good Catching
• Describe what leads to team /individual
The child can:
improvement. • Make a target
• Call for the ball
Use basic tactics and strategies • Get into a good position to catch the

The child can: ball (in space/not too far away)
• Suggest solutions or basic tactics • K eep the ball away from the body
• Understand differences in simple tactics • Catch the ball while moving.

(attack and defence) Competition framework
• Choose and put tactics into practice in
• Inter-club
different situations • Triangular
• Change tactics/rules to make the game • Festival: round robin, rock up and play.

successful. No leagues or knock-out.

Rules

• 6 v 6
• 25m x 45m
• No coaches on the pitch
• Permitted to go to ground to score
• Size 3 ball

11

SECTION 3: ROLE OF THE COACH

Good coaching requires that you get the best out of all the children by continually
striving to improve them all. There will, of course, be children who will appear to be
naturally talented, while others may have difficulty in grasping techniques, skills or game
understanding. Patience is a virtue and improvement is relative. The skill for you as a
coach is to set the challenges for each child at different levels: within a practice it might
be that the challenge for the less confident child is to be in support, go forward, tag, pass,
catch and for the more confident child it might be to get into a position to get another
touch, to vary the range of passes, to run different lines to confuse the defence.
Setting challenges at which children have to work, but in which they can be successful,
will get the best out of all children and will improve them and make the sessions
rewarding and successful for all.
The core of this resource concentrates on developing children’s confidence and skills
through an understanding of the game. It is recognised that children may require
less pressure to master a new technique. This can be achieved through small sided,
conditioned game (e.g. 3v3, the defenders must retreat five metres after each tag, which
gives the receiver more time to catch the ball).

The good coach:

• sees what is right and praises it;
• sees what is wrong;
• recognises why it is wrong; and
• knows how to correct it.

It is not anticipated that through the attendance of this course or by reading this resource
you will have all the answers – or will be able to always accurately execute the above
points – however, by coaching through games and by using a questioning approach it is
expected that you and the children will explore the challenges and discover the answers
together. For further development of your coaching skills, an RFU Level 1 Course in
Coaching Children is recommended.

12

The nature of tag is that you are likely to ...you have served them well in their start in
have children for a maximum of two years rugby. If they:
before they move on to a different type of
game (contact), or perhaps a different coach. • have experienced success;
If by the end of that time the children can: • play by the rules;

• catch and pass the ball; • respect decisions;
• support the ball carrier; • listen to instruction;
• get into space; • have confidence and high self-esteem;
• see try scoring opportunities; • can co-operate within a team; and
• create try scoring and stopping • have had a lot of fun...
...you have served them well in their start
opportunities; and in life.
• execute try scoring and stopping

opportunities...

13

SECTION 4: COACHING TIPS

There is no quick fix to becoming a good coach but by taking the time to read this and by
making the effort to attend a course you are already displaying some of the attributes that
will help towards achieving that goal.
It is important that you challenge yourself as much as the children. How will you know
if a practice, conditioned game or different approach will work unless you try it out?
Be prepared to make mistakes: the important thing is to recognise those mistakes,
acknowledge them, learn from them and avoid repeating them.
The following provides some further advice to assist you.

Plan your session

This should include a warm up and a conclusion. Have a contingency plan for more,
less, or odd numbers. Be confident enough to change your plan as you work, to reinforce
something that is going better than expected, or to change direction if it is going less well.
Keep the following in mind when planning your sessions.

A Active
Keep all the players involved at all times; don’t let them get bored

P Purposeful
Ensure that there is a clear objective in each coaching session

E Enjoyable
Make the sessions varied and fun

S Safe
You are responsible for the safety of young players in your care

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Look like a coach Voice

How you look is the first impression the Vary the tone, volume and pace of your
children have of you. If you look like a voice. Inject energy and enthusiasm, make
coach and act like a coach the children see it sound interesting. Stay positive with the
you as a coach, and it will take far less time children and encourage them. Do not shout
to establish yourself. at the children: mistakes will happen and
are a natural and necessary part of learning,
Arrive early so expect them to occur.

This will help you to prepare the area and Interventions
be ready to receive the children. It sets
an excellent climate and reflects your Intervene in the session sparingly (unless
enthusiasm, interest and professionalism. there are safety issues). Allow the children
to work for two or three minutes before
Prepare for the session making coaching points. When you stop
the session only make one or two points at
This will enable you to engage and focus the a time (research has shown that children
children in activity immediately, rather than are unlikely to retain more) and only stop
having to wait for you to set up. Ensure that for a very short period of time. Allow
you have more than the appropriate number the children to focus on the points made
of balls (inflated) tag belts and bibs (in case through the activity before moving on to
numbers are higher than expected). If you the next point. If there is a safety issue stop
plan for and prepare the transition activities the session immediately (use a whistle). Top
this will avoid children having to wait. tips for how to coach and maximise activity
can be found in section five.
Activity

It is very important to have the activities
planned and well organised, and the
children involved as much as possible. Poor
organisation and lack of activity equals
poor behaviour and lack of attention.

15

SECTION 4: COACHING TIPS

Questions Feedback

Use questions to heighten the children’s At times you will be required to provide
self-awareness and your awareness of feedback to the children on their
them. Rather than telling them what they performance in the coaching session. How
need to improve, ask them what they many times have you heard coaches say
think they will need to do to improve. This “good”, “concentrate”, “bad luck”, “well
will increase their understanding and done”? Although it is good for the children
willingness to practise. By asking them to receive praise or be encouraged to work
“What did you see? What did you do? What hard, it is important to qualify praise.
options were available to you?” you will be
able to understand why children made the
decisions they made, which will then assist
you in helping them to improve.

Scenario 1 Sam: “I could have called for the ball.”

Coach: “Jo that was great: you had your Coach: “Yes, good answer; so there are two
hands out ready to receive the ball. I want things for you to work on.”
all of you to work on this.”
In both cases, the coach has recognised
Scenario 2 good practice (Jo for hands out and Sam
for running forward), reinforced it and
Coach: “Sam, I liked the way you ran remedied a mistake while remaining
forward onto the ball: what might have positive (Sam’s distance from the pass, and
helped you to catch the ball?” a lack of a call). Try and give substance
to your feedback: what made it good, how
Sam: “I could have come in close.” might it have been improved? Further
advice on providing feedback can be found
Coach: “Yes, good, and what else might you in section five.
have done to help the ball carrier to pass
slightly earlier?”

16

Movement Use a whistle

Move around and keep all the children Use a whistle to make your children
within your field of vision, allow them all stop, look and listen. The whistle is an
to see you; this reinforces your interest aid to help you to get the attention of the
in them and what they are doing. If you children. If you use the whistle to stop
are using grids and channels stay on the children in the practice sessions, this will
outside so that you can see all the children. reinforce the use of the whistle in a game.
Avoid having your back to them.

17

SECTION 4: COACHING TIPS

Role model

“Competition is great if children see it to be successful. Success does not mean winning,
instead it means enjoying the experience and learning… because young children do not
really understand competition, they will listen and act the way adults do.” (Kidman 2005)

If you have an opportunity, go to a children’s sports festival or game (it doesn’t need to
be rugby) and observe the coaches. Watch carefully. Are they enthusiastic, positive and
constructive or solemn and critical (of children and officials)? Then have a look at the
children they are coaching. Very often the children reflect the attitude of the coach. When
the coach is positive and constructive the children are also positive and openly appear
to enjoy the experience whatever the result. Disappointment at a loss is secondary to the
enjoyment of participation.
When coaches are results driven, negative and critical, observe how the children react.
They often look at the coach after every refereeing decision, and are upset at a defeat and
ungracious in victory. The fun of participation is a poor second to the outcome of the game.
The coach is in a position to influence children and be a role model to them. Amongst the
many reasons that children give for stepping out of sport, the coach being mean, the sport
being no longer fun and a lack of participation (e.g. not being picked) are among the most
popular. Children play to win but participating is the greatest motivator.

Kids first, winning second!

18

Tag Dealing with disruptive behaviour

The rules of tag will be explained By implementing the points in this section,
throughout the resource and in section poor behaviour can be avoided as it is
10. However, there is one rule that is normally indicative of a poorly planned
fundamental to, and which has a major or prepared session and lack of activity.
impact on, tag rugby. It is important that Occasionally children may react negatively
when the ball carrier is tagged neither the when challenges are set too high or too
ball carrier nor the tagger can re-join the low, hence the importance of a contingency
game until the ball has been passed, and plan and a willingness to change from
the tag returned and re-attached. This takes the original plan. However, it should be
both the attacker and defender momentarily recognised that despite your best efforts
out of the game at the same time, which one or two children may behave in a way
then creates space for others and allows that disrupts the enjoyment and learning
for a flowing and attacking game. This of others. Physical activity should never
replicates the contact game with the tackler be used as a sanction (e.g. running round
and tackled child out of the game for a short the pitch). Have a quiet word with the child
period while the ball is played. (away from, but in sight of, the group) and
explain that their behaviour is disrupting
If the tagger is allowed to continue, either others. If s/he does not respond favourably,
by keeping the tag, or discarding it, the ask the child to stand or sit to the side of the
situation arises where there are more activity, explaining that s/he may return
defenders than attackers and the game will when they feel able to behave responsibly.
not flow. If that fails, sit the child to the side of the
session until you can speak to him/her
This also has some important tactical again, and decide when/whether to include
implications that will be dealt with in them. Most children attend the session
section eight. because they want to be there and really
want to be involved. If poor behaviour
persists you may need to arrange a meeting
with the parents to discuss that child’s
continued involvement.

19

SECTION 5: HOW TO COACH

Section four provided some tips for Providing a demonstration
coaching. This section will outline in more
detail the how to coach skills that support • Position so all can see and hear you.
those coaching tips and will enable you to • Focus attention on one or two key points.
be more effective and time efficient in the • Repeat the demonstration more than once.
introduction of the coaching session and the • Use questions to check for understanding.
interventions to develop the players. This is
covered in more detail in the RFU Level 1 A picture can paint a thousand words and
Course in Coaching Children. providing a good demonstration can save
protracted explanation and instruction and
Providing instruction and leave more time for activity. It will also help
explanation the child to have a clearer picture in their
head of what the activity looks like.
• Plan what to say before you speak.

• Gain their attention before you start. Only demonstrate yourself if you are
totally confident you are demonstrating
• Keep the message simple. the correct technique. It is usually better to
use other coaches or children so that you
• Use questions to check for understanding. can ensure a correct demonstration. It is
important to remember that some children
These steps are important to follow when are less confident demonstrating to their
setting out the task in hand. If the task or peers. If you are using grids or small games
game is quite complicated it is far better to it is possible to have a group introduced
introduce it in small phases with simple, to the new skill or rules earlier than other
short instructions and then build on the groups and then use them to demonstrate
activity as the session progresses. If the to the others.
coach talks for too long the children will
stop listening, will have forgotten what was
said and will be bored.

A good way to improve and develop is to
get another coach or parent to time how
much talking takes place compared to
activity. It may surprise you!

20

21

SECTION 5: HOW TO COACH

Observation and analysis Providing feedback

• Focus on one key factor at a time. • Ask questions to generate self-feedback.

• Observe action several times from • Limit information to one or two key points.
different positions.
• Give specific and simple information.
• Compare observations with correct
template to find matches and mismatches. • Keep it positive.

• Build on strengths, correct faults and If observation and analysis provide the
praise effort. content for the development of the child,
feedback provides the delivery method.
Observation and analysis are among Drawing answers from the children by
the key components of good coaching, using open ended questions will assist in
providing the content for fault correction, generating self-feedback and aid learning.
skill and game development and goal Ensure the feedback is specific, precise and
setting. The coach should have a clear positive. Children should view mistakes as
vision of what the skill or aspect should a necessary part of learning and should not
look like and be able to compare that with be frightened to make them.
the reality. However, it is very important
when coaching young children that the
coach’s vision is aligned with the capability
and physical, emotional and cognitive
development of the child.

22

Listening

• Give 100% attention to the speaker, do not
think about what you’ll do next.

• Give and maintain eye contact.
• Reinforce your interest through your body

language.
• Never interrupt or finish someone’s

sentence for them.
Listening to what children have to tell
you, especially about their own and
others’ performance and how to improve
enables the coach to understand what
learning has taken place and how the child
sees themselves and others. This can be
compared with the coach’s own vision of
the child’s performance and will aid further
learning and development.

23

SECTION 6: SESSION PREPARATION

Grids and channels are a quick, easy and flexible way to manage your session.
This can be set out as below.

Grids

The size of the grids should be
determined by the age and ability of the
children, and the type of activity being
performed. These are good for small
sided games and activities.

Channels

Channels are particularly good for
practising passing and 1 v 1, 2 v 1 and
3 v 2 activities.

24

Pitch

By removing the central cones a larger
area is created for bigger group games.

25

SECTION 6: SESSION PREPARATION

Play area and development area
Pitch for playing games

Dimensions of the pitch will be determined by the challenge.
Try to make the game numbers no more than 7 v 7 (thus maximising the number of
touches of the ball per player during the games).
Pitches should be marked out using flexible cones.

26

Development area

The coach can work with the full group on a specific skill or with a smaller group of
players drawn from the main group while the game continues.
The ideal situation is for one coach to work in the development area while another
manages the game.
The development area can be marked out into grids and channels depending on the skill
being developed.

27

SECTION 6: SESSION PREPARATION

Equipment

Ensure that you have the following
equipment.

• A tag belt and tags for each participant. A tag belt with tags

• One ball each (ideally, although one ball
between two or three is adequate and
remember for many of the activities they
don’t have to be rugby balls: footballs,
netballs or volleyballs can be used).

• Cones to mark out playing and practice
areas.

• Bibs.

• A fully stocked first aid kit.

• Water bottles (ideally children should
bring their own).

Tag belts

See the accompanying series of pictures on
use of tag belts, showing tucking loose ends
away and tags to the side.

Don’t allow shirt or bib to obstruct access to
the tags

28

Don’t allow loose excess belt to hang down Wrap any excess around belt

Tag belt should always be over the top of Belt and tags fitted correctly
shirt or bib

29

SECTION 7: PRINCIPLES OF PLAY

The Principles of Play are ever present foundations of the game that never change. These
principles apply to attack and defence and to all versions of the game: from tag rugby, to
contact, from 7-a-side to 15-a-side, from children’s to adults’ rugby and from community
rugby to international rugby.

Principles of Play

Contest
Possession

Pressure Go Forward

Continuity Support

30

Principles of Play applied to tag Defence

Attack • Contest possession: by tagging the
opposition and making them pass.
• Contest possession: retain the ball (good
passing and handling). • Go forward: defend going forward to prevent
the opposition from gaining ground.
• Go forward: through running, in order
to score. • Support: defenders support each other by
not leaving any spaces for attackers to
• Support: when tagged have support to run through.
pass to.
• Continuity: maintain the tagging of the
• Continuity: keep the attack flowing by attackers, which will lead to the following.
having that support to pass quickly so that
the defence cannot reorganise. • Pressure: by applying the above, pressure
is created, which cuts down the attacking
• Pressure: by applying the above, pressure thinking time and puts pressure on
will be created, which should result in their skills. This may lead to mistakes
a score that will lead to the opposition and prevent a score, which may lead to
having the ball. possession.

This is all underpinned and maintained through good COMMUNICATION.

As you devise and develop your games and practices these Principles should be reinforced.
This will be explored and explained throughout the course and through the resource.

31

SECTION 8: WARM UP

The warm up is an important part of the Both mental and physical preparation can
session by preparing children to take be achieved through small-sided game
part in activity. However, those who have activities. This will engage the children
children or who have taught, will be aware immediately in an enjoyable, relevant and
that children will often sit for a good length challenging way.
of time and then get up and indulge in
very rigorous activity, without incurring Included in this resource are several warm
any muscle injury. Primary school children up activities that can be used at the start
will play chase, tag, skipping and even of the session. This is by no means an
children at secondary school will sit in a exhaustive list and coaches are encouraged
lesson and then play a full football game to invent their own games or activities
with their mates, and will possibly do this or add different rules or conditions to the
three or four times a day. There are very games listed.
few incidents of pulled or strained muscles.
So why warm up? The table on the following page briefly
describes warm up activities and also
The warm up will prepare the children (and the full TAG RULES that apply to these
coach) mentally for the session or game, activities – so that you might familiarise
establish ground rules for the session and yourself and the children with them.
introduce the session objectives. Children
will get into the habit of warm up and For each activity, the potential skills and
expect it as they mature and develop. game understanding are highlighted, with
The warm up will also: suggested initial questions that might be
asked by the coach to further enhance
• help to prevent injury; understanding, and possible answers.
These are only example questions and
• raise the heart rate; it is recognised that as the coach and
the children gain greater understanding
• increase the flow of blood to the muscles; and confidence, the range and quality of
and questioning will change.

• prepare the muscles for the demands of
exercise.

32

The most relevant can do statements from the Development Framework on page 34 - 73
are also included against the activity. This by no means offers an exhaustive list of the
aspects developed in each activity for each child, but provides a framework of potential
development opportunities that each activity offers.

33

ACTIVITY: TAG

Equipment Pitch size

Tag belt each, ball each (optional). Dependent on numbers; it can be for a
whole group or split into smaller games
Task (see grid and channel diagrams in
section six).

One person is allocated as the chaser. Children use the set area. When they are tagged
by the chaser they join the chase. Chasers are identified by either removing their tag
belt OR are not in possession of a ball. Children also join chasers if they go outside the
defined area.

Rules Questions

• Tagger must return the tag to the • How did you avoid being caught?
tagged child before resuming play. • Once the number of chasers increased

• The ball carrier can run and dodge did they work together or on their own?
potential taggers but cannot fend them • What is the possible advantage of
off using their hands or the ball and
cannot guard or shield their tags in carrying the ball in two hands? Hint:
any way. prevents fend off, balance, increases
options, this is explored further in
• Similarly, the ball carrier or a potential later activities.
tagger must not deliberately make • How did the children carry the ball (if
contact with an opponent, if such appropriate)? What is the advantage
contact is made the game must be of carrying the ball under one arm?
stopped, the offender spoken to, Hint: speed.
reminded of the non-contact rules of
tag and a free pass awarded to the non
offending team.

• The ball must not be pulled from the
ball carrier’s grasp.

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35

ACTIVITY: TAG

Social and personal Physical and movement

Under 7 Move with agility and balance

Enjoy the activity The child can:
• Run with the ball
The child can: • Change direction
• Explain what they like and why. • Jump.

Follow simple instruction Perform a single skill with control

The child can: The child can tag.
• Listen carefully
• Work on simple instructions for a period of Additional

time • Running with the ball
• Work independently for a period of time. • Evasion:

Under 8 • Change of direction
• Change of pace
Play Fairly • Side step
• Swerve (moving hips away from tagger).
The child can: • Tagging:
• Understand and respect simple rules • Focus on the ball carrier
• Play by the rules • Removing tag.
• Accept decisions.

Be Confident

The child is:
• Keen to have a go and try new things
• Willing to demonstrate to others
• Able to accept constructive feedback.

Additional

Team work versus individual work(chasers).

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Game understanding Skill focus

Under 7 Attack

Demonstrate basic spatial The child can:
awareness • Move forward with purpose
• Avoid a defender using a variety of strategies.
The child can:
• Identify where space is Additional
• Run into space.
• Tagging:
Under 8 • Focus on the ball carrier
• Removing tag.
Understand performance (how to
improve)

The child can:
• Describe what has been performed
• Explain why something or someone is

good
• Can describe what leads to improvement.

Use basic tactics or strategies

The child can:
• Suggest solutions or basic tactics
• Choose and put tactics into practice.

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ACTIVITY: RUCKLEY TAG

Equipment Pitch size

Tag belt each, ball each (optional). Either one pitch or two depending on
numbers. Pitch area of 30 x 40 metres.
Task
Progression
Start with one defender in the middle of
the designated area. All other children Start with three or four defenders and
start from one end of the pitch and on several balls. Attackers have one ball
the command “go” they must try to get to between two, three or four. Same rules
the other end of the pitch without being as before but only if the ball carrier
tagged. Once they have been tagged they is tagged do they have to join the
must stay in the middle and assist to catch defenders (and their teammates), or if
the others until all have been caught. the ball touches the ground. Pass in any
Defenders are identified by not having a direction. A further progression would
ball OR by removing their tag belt. be to only pass backwards.

Rules

• Defender must return the tag to the tagged child before resuming play.
• Children are not allowed to fend the tagger off by using their hands or the ball.

Questions

• How did the children avoid being caught?
• What were they looking for before they started running? Hint: where the defender

was or went, where the space was, who was in front of them: slow defender or
quick defender.
• How did they defend once the numbers of defenders grew? Hint: flat line, like a curtain.
• How did that affect where the attackers ran, what did they have to be aware of? Hint:
where the space was, who was defending the space, if the curtain was broken, if the
defender was tagging someone, which then took them out of the game.

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Questions

Progression
• What is more accurate a long or short pass?

• Where are support children trying to get?
• How was the defence affected (is a curtain defence still relevant when they pass

in any direction)?
• What is the best way to carry the ball and why? Hint: two hands gives more options.

39

ACTIVITY: RUCKLEY TAG

Social and personal Physical and movement

Under 7 Move with agility and balance

Enjoy the activity The child can:
• Run with the ball
The child can: • Change direction
• Explain what they like and why. • Jump.

Follow simple instruction Perform a single skill with control

The child can: The child can tag.
• Listen carefully
• Work on simple instructions for a period of time Additional
• Work independently for a period of time.
• Running with the ball.
Under 8 • Evasion:

Play fairly • Change of direction
• Change of pace
The child can: • Side step
• Understand and respect simple rules • Swerve (moving hips away from tagger).
• Play by the rules • Tagging:
• Accept decisions. • Focus on the ball carrier
• Removing tag.
Be confident

The child is:
• Keen to have a go and try new things
• Willing to demonstrate to others
• Able to accept constructive feedback.

Additional

Team work versus individual work(chasers).

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Game understanding Skill focus

Under 7 Attack

Demonstrate basic spatial The child can:
awareness • Move forward with purpose
• Avoid a defender using a variety of strategies.
The child can:
• Identify where space is Additional
• Run into space.
• Defence – establishing a line of defence.
Under 8 • Tagging:

Understand performance • Focus on the ball carrier
(how to improve) • Removing tag.

The child can:
• Describe what has been performed
• Explain why something or someone is good
• Can describe what leads to improvement.

Use basic tactics or strategies

The child can:
• Suggest solutions or basic tactics
• Choose and put tactics into practice.

Tactic of running when defender is occupied
with someone else.

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ACTIVITY: BALL MANIPULATION

Equipment Pitch size

Ball each or one between two or three. Either in small grids or one area
depending on numbers, age and ability
of the children (younger less able may
require more space).

Task

Children have a ball each (doesn’t have to be a rugby ball). Run around the set area and
get used to the ball. As they run children perform the following exercises with the ball:

1. Pass ball from hand to hand Progression

2. Throw ball in the air and catch it 7. One ball for every second or third child.

3. Throw ball in air, clap three times and 8. Pass ball to any child who doesn’t
catch it have a ball. Children who have a
ball look to pass as soon as possible,
4. Child swaps ball with any child s/he children who haven’t a ball want one
passes as soon as possible.

5. On coach’s instruction place the 9. Pass high and pass low.
ball on the ground and continue
running. On second instruction pick 10. Children touch the ground with the
up nearest ball as quickly as possible: ball when they catch it.
who will be last?
11. Child touch ground and then pass from
6. Combination of the above. high, arms stretched above head.

Rules

No diving on the ball on the ground, children must remain on their feet.

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Questions

• Why are we doing these activities? Hint: Progression
stretching, getting used to the ball, fun,
warm up. • Which is an easier pass to make, short
pass or long pass?
• What are the benefits of carrying the ball
in two hands? Hint: more control, in a • What sort of pass should it be and why?
game it gives more options, for example For example, lobbed in the air (takes
you can pass, run and dummy pass. too long), very hard (too hard to catch),
sympathetic (gets there quickly, but
• What can you do if you carry the ball in easy to catch).
one hand? Hint: run.
• Who should you pass to? Hint: someone
• What is the easiest to defend? Hint: in in space, ready to receive the ball and
one hand as the defender knows they calling for it.
are running and not passing.
• How do you make the ball carrier aware
• When is the ball placed down? Hint: that you want the ball? Hint: hands out
when scoring a try. to make a target, look at the ball carrier
or call for the ball.
• When is the ball picked up? Hint: when
it has been dropped. • Why else would you have your hands
out? Hint: to make a target, helps to get
• What are you not allowed to do? Hint: the ball early.
dive on the ball.

• What is the best way to pick up the
ball? Hint: step over the ball to claim it,
look up through eyebrows to be aware
of others, bend at knees, both hands on
ball, and move away quickly.

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ACTIVITY: BALL MANIPULATION

Social and personal Physical and movement

Under 7 Under 7

Enjoy the activity Move with agility and balance

The child can: The child can:
• Explain what they like and why. • Run with the ball
• Change direction
Follow simple instruction • Jump
• Bend and pick and maintain balance
The child can: • Bend and place and maintain balance
• Listen carefully • Touch the ground in control of the ball
• Work on simple instructions for a period of time
• Work independently for a period of time. and maintain balance.

Under 8 Perform a single skill with control

Be confident The child can:
• Catch, pass and throw the ball.
The child is:
• Keen to have a go and try new things Under 8
• Willing to demonstrate to others Link two skills
• Able to accept constructive feedback.
The child can:
• Throw and catch
• Throw and clap
• Clap and catch
• Pass to another player and catch the ball

passed to them.

Perform skills with some control
and consistency

The child can:
• Throw and catch/clap smoothly and

without hesitation.

Additional

• Running with the ball
• Evasion; change of direction and pace.

44

Game understanding Skill focus

Under 7 Attack

Demonstrate basic spatial The child can:
awareness • Move forward with purpose
• Avoid a defender using a variety of strategies.
The child can:
• Identify where space is Additional
• Run into space.
• Tagging:
Under 8 • Focus on the ball carrier
• Removing tag.
Understand performance
(how to improve)

The child can:
• Describe what has been performed
• Explain why something or someone is good
• Can describe what leads to improvement.

Use basic tactics or strategies

The child can:
• Suggest solutions or basic tactics
• Choose and put tactics into practice.

45

ACTIVITY: STUCK IN THE MUD

Equipment Pitch size

Ball each, cones and bibs. An area of 30 x 40 or smaller depending
on age, ability and numbers of children.

Task

Teams of three, four and five without ball and with bibs; the other children have a ball
and run around avoiding being touched. When they are tagged, the tagger returns tag
but they must stand still with their arms straight above their head. They are released
when they are touched with the ball by another ball carrier.

Variation

They are released when their teammate crawls through their legs.

Rules

Defender must return the tag to the tagged child before resuming play.

Questions

• When you are carrying the ball what are you looking for? Hint: defenders and own
teammates who have been caught.

• What are you looking for as a defender? Hint: ball carriers who haven’t been caught.
• What else might you look for? How can you try and catch them all? Hint: where

are the children who have been caught? You could assign two or three children as
catchers and the others as guards of the ones who have been caught.

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47

ACTIVITY: STUCK IN THE MUD

Social and personal Physical and movement

Under 7 Move with agility and balance

Enjoy the activity The child can:
• Run with the ball
The child can: • Change direction
• Explain what they like and why. • Crawl and get up quickly.

Follow simple instruction

The child can:
• Listen carefully
• Work on simple instructions for a period of time
• Work independently for a period of time.

Under 8

Play fairly

The child can:
• Understand and respect simple rules
• Play by the rules
• Accept decisions.

Be confident

The child is:
• Keen to have a go and try new things
• Willing to demonstrate to others
• Able to accept constructive feedback.

Additional

Team work.

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Game understanding Skill focus

Under 7 Attack

Demonstrate basic spatial The child can:
awareness • Move forward with purpose
• Avoid a defender using a variety of strategies.
The child can:
• Identify where space is Additional
• Run into space.
• Carry ball in two hands
Under 8 • Tagging:

Understand performance • Focus on the ball carrier
(how to improve) • Removing tag.

The child can:
• Describe what has been performed
• Explain why something or someone is good
• Can describe what leads to improvement.

Use basic tactics or strategies

The child can:
• Suggest solutions or basic tactics
• Choose and put tactics into practice.

Work together, not just defending the ball
carrier but anticipating what might happen
next.

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ACTIVITY: TEAM TAG

Equipment Pitch size

A ball each, bibs, cones and tag belts. An area of 30 x 40 or smaller depending
on age, ability and numbers of children.

Task

Group split into teams of three, four or five. One team selected as chasers and all the
other children have a ball each. On the command “Go” from the coach the chasers
try and tag the ball carriers. When the ball carriers are tagged they step outside of the
playing area and take no further part until all children are caught OR when two minutes
has elapsed (then count the numbers of children still remaining). The next team has
their turn until all teams have had a go. Each team is given a time or numbers of
children remaining to establish the winning team.

Rules

• The defender must return the tag to the tagged child before resuming play.
• Children are not allowed to fend the tagger off by using their hands or the ball.

Questions

• What skills are you using in this game?
• What are the ways to catch the ball carriers? And what are the plus and minus

points of each? Hint: individually is OK early on as there are so many ball carriers,
but may be limited later as a faster attacker is likely to beat a slow defender. As a
group maybe limited early on concentrating on one child as it may slow down the
time; however, when there are fewer children it might be better to work together. By
splitting into two teams may again be disadvantageous early on, but will help slower
children to trap faster children.
• Where is the best place for the defenders to get the ball carriers? Hint: on the corners
as this limits the direction in which they can go.

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