Set up two 5-6 man pods lying on the floor on the touch line facing across the field with a scrum half and fly half in between. Set 2 shield holders opposite them no more that 3 metres away. Stand in between the shield with a ball and
x x x [
x x x [
9 coach
10
x x x [
x x x [
The coach starts the exercise by rolling the ball to one of the pods lying on the floor. A player within the pod takes control, calls for the ball and drive the ball into contact. The other players clean the ruck and ensure controlled ball presentation. The scrum hald checks the fly half position and the fly half call for the ball and at the same time calls the 2nd pod into action.
As soon as the ball is moved away from the 1st pod the scrum half calls "down" the rucking players hit the deck and remain there until called into play by the fly half after the next ruck.
Meanwhile the 10 has recevied the ball from the 9 and passed to the next ruck pod who set a controlled ruck. The 9 runs across to manage the ruck and the 10 switches outside ready to receive the pass and active the other ruck pod. This continues across the pitch with each rick pod alternating the hits.
You are looking for
- good body position on contact
- support on both sides of the ruck
- a controlled ruck
- good ball presentation
- communiation from the 9 to the rucking player
- communication between the 9 and 10
- communication between the 10 and the other ruck pod
- players to take control of the ball and ask for the pass
