Why I Love Intra-Team Matches
And why I think they help a team's development
Last weekend, the women’s team I coach at Huddersfield RUFC played an intra-team match. I like to think of it as a halfway point between training and a match with another team.
I split the day into smaller games. I start by organising the players into two teams. I try to think about everyone’s mental and physical superpowers so there’s a balance across both teams.
Let me be clear, this isn’t about splitting the group into an A and B team. It’s about ensuring there’s an even balance to get players challenging each other.
We played a series of games that were focused around some of the topics we had been working on, including kick chase, lineouts and scrums. I also wanted to practice half times and transition between different matches during festivals.
What Happened
Here’s the running order from the day:
Game 1 (warm up game): Rugby Netball - Teams score on opposing lines, players can’t move with the ball but can pass in any direction.
Activations
Game 2: Touch and Pass - backwards passes, if the ball carrier is touch tackled, they pass to a teammate. The team that conceeds a try chooses to restart either with a kick chase or a 1v1 scrum.
Game 3: Bib Tag Rugby - backwards passes, every player tugs a bib into the back of their shorts. If the ball carrier’s bib is removed, they stop and pass the ball.
The team that conceeds a try chooses to restart either with a kick chase or a 1v1 scrum.
Game 4: Walking Hugby - played at a walking pace, backwards passes, the defenders aim to perform a low grab and wrap around the ball carrier. (See my earlier post on why Hugby helps players with contact)
The team that conceeds a try chooses to restart either with a kick chase or with a non-lifted lineout. (2 people, one from each team, stood contesting the lineout)
Game 5: 2 Touch with Chicken Scratch - If the ball carrier gets touch tackled once, they may keep running but cannot score. If the same ball carrier is touch tackled a second time, they play the ball through their legs. Another team member acts as scrumhalf and plays the ball.
The team that conceeds a try chooses to restart either with a kick chase or with a non-lifted lineout. (2 people, one from each team, stood contesting the lineout)
The Aims of The Session
Let’s look at the contact element first. The session has some low level entry points for contact.
This includes tracking within the touch tackle games and getting low for bib grab as well as hugby.
Lower level contact has benefits for everyone, not just players that are newer to contact. Firstly, the ground is very firm at the moment so part of my thinking is around working on contact whilst taking away from risk.
I also want players to work on the first few phases of the tackle, including tracking and connection, and we can develop those skills without going to ground. Breaking the tackle apart, helps players focus on the different aspects.
Next up let’s examine the set piece. Including scaled down (level 1) versions of scrums and lineouts was also due to wanting to work on basics before scaling them up.
It allows less confident players to give them a try in a space that is a step up from standard training.
Including them also gives the team a chance to work on attacking or defending these set pieces.
Lastly, the ‘softer’ skills. Replicating matches helps the team develop their ‘softer’ skills. These include speaking to referees, half time talks, full times and game management.
Intra-team events help bridge a gap between standard training and matchdays. I love them, and the plan is to do more of them this season.