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Pre-season - Who's fit and the new 2010 laws

Another week, another two great pre-season sessions for you and your players to enjoy covering two very different areas of the game

Session 1: Test your players - Pre-Season Fitness test

In the first of this week's Sportplan sessions we really put your players through their paces, working their cardiovascular systems, in this high intensity, boot camp style fitness session which includes your warm-up, multi-stage fitness test and a plyometric and strength work out for your players as well as a player scores and times sheet where you can make notes on your players' performance.

Later on in your season you can revisit this fitness test again (to the dismay of your players) and review your players' score and times, hoping to see an improvement in all your players' results as they improve in fitness.

Use this session with your player today to create awareness amongst your players about how fit (or unfit) they really are and make them take responsibility for their own fitness this season!

Find out who's fighting fit! - full members can download it now, or you can upgrade today.

Session 2: The updated tackling law - Roll away!

To make sure your players have a good understanding of the recent modifications to the laws of the game, namely when tackling, we bring you this tactical session.

Referees have indicated that this season they will be more stringently enforcing law 15.6c, requiring players to leave daylight immediately after a tackle between the ball carrier and the tackler as they get back to their feet. To get your players used to rolling away we bring you another complete session, starting with some fresh warm-up ideas before then getting the ball rolling.

The crux of this session will be spent in a touch game of rugby, enforcing the new law to make sure it becomes second nature to your players. With more experienced players you can work on the tackle and roll in a full contact version of this drill.

Don't get caught out - play by the book this season! - full members can download it now, or you can upgrade today.

Your Pre-Season programme: Fitness, handling and team organisation!

Sportplan continues to offer you Pre-Season goodness with yet another two welcome back sessions, one fitness focussed and the other is a more fun learning through games. Designed for all ages and abilities, this week's Sessions are medium-high intensity, pushing your players a little harder each week to get them back into the realm of rugby.

Session 1: Fitness conditioning, skills and discipline

In the first of our two preparatory sessions we look at ball handling and multi-directional running in a series of large group exercises. Getting your players to work together in teams is a great way to re-instil understanding and communication amongst your players.

After a vigorous warm-up we then split the final hour in three with off-load pop passing, ruck touch, and then a modified version of off-loading. In these learning games players must immediately pop or present the ball as soon as they are tackled - this means players need to be aware of who's close to them in order play the best possible ball to their supporting players.

Harder, faster, stronger players! - full members can download it now, or you can upgrade today.

Session 2: Conditioned games session

After working hard for the past few weeks on fitness and basic skills your players might be starting to lag, mentally and physically. Well don't worry, the second of this week's fantastic pre-season sessions is sure to give your players an injection of energy as they get stuck into these fun and challenging conditioned games.

Playing without purpose is no pointless though which is why all the games in this week's session have been designed to get your players thinking - about their organisation on the field, how to realign and communicate. Space Invaders in particular is an excellent drill for getting players to think about taking risks when sending players forwards into the attack!

Learn through play in this conditioned games session! - full members can download it now, or you can upgrade today.

Get your team ready for this season!

This week's Sportplan session has been designed to help you get your season off to the best possible start with 3 hours worth of Pre-Season training!

If you haven't already started now is the time to prepare for the new season! Do your players know what you expect from them this year in terms of discipline and performance? Have you refreshed the basics yet? Well if not this week's Sportplan double Pre-Season session is exactly what you need!

Session 1: Introduction to Handling and Unit Plays

In part one of this week's session we have a look at your expectations for the season, have you been clear with your players and do they know what you're expecting from them this season? Communication is key for building a solid foundation with your players - younger players will be looking for guidance whereas more experienced players will probably be happier to engage in a forum, discussing what worked well last season and how to build on it this year.

After this introduction we then look at get your players' hands warm again, starting with some key positional skills and handling practice to ease your players back into the game. After these simple starting exercises we start on the serious stuff, Option Plays. Option Plays are moves that can be used by all players in your squad to understand how they can start play from any position on the field - they help your players to be green by getting them to recycle the ball!

Start your season on the right foot - full members can download it now, or you can upgrade today.

Session 2: Continuity Play - Passing your way out of the tackle

Did you know that on average a professional rugby player on average will run 12km in a game? Your players probably aren't at professional standard yet but nonetheless they will need to fit if they want to challenge this season.

To work your players hard and see what the summer break has done to their fitness levels we test their tackling and passing technique. Tackling is tremendously energy sapping and where possible it is preferable to pass the ball out of trouble in order to avoid the breakdown and preserve their energy with continuity skills.

To promote these positive playing values in your players we continue from where session 1 left off by looking at option plays before then progressing into some ball handling pressure drills. In these exercises your players will practice playing with contact where the objective is to try and avoid going to ground with the ball - instead successfully offloading the ball with use of continuity skills. However it's not always possible to get the ball out in time which is why we then look at speed mauling to support the first player.

This session will have a direct impact on your players' outlook for the season and will build confidence in dominating the play in games - full members can download it now, or you can upgrade today.