Tips and tricks – Saturday's a Rugby Day

80 Minute Challenge

One of the exercises that my team does to get ready for competitive fall season is the 80 minute challenge. It simulates the intensity of a full length game of running and tackling. Within this challenge, different core strengthening exercises are performed to mimic the effort needed in tackling, rucking, and scrumming.

This is the order I like to do the challenge in, but it can be switched up if need be.

15 minutes running
15 push ups
15 sit ups
10 minutes running
5 up downs (also called burpees, where you jump up, jump down to push up position, then jump up again)
30 second plank
15 minutes running
5 minute break
15 minutes running
15 push ups
15 sit ups
10 minutes running
5 up downs
30 second plank
15 minutes running

This is called the 80 minute challenge because it includes 80 minutes of running. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to do this. It took me about two hours to finish it.

This is both a physically and mentally challenging challenge, and is best done with up beat music and an encouraging running buddy. Being an endurance exercise, don’t worry about speed. Many rugby players have difficulty completing this challenge, so feel free to take breaks when necessary. Just make sure to stop the time when you do.

Playing on Defense Simplified

The three main things to remember when playing on defense is to get big hits in tackles, a strong ruck, and to “build the wall”.

Be aggressive when you tackle. When the other team sees a strong tackler, their hesitation can lead to your team getting the ball.

When a ruck goes down, getting low and having a strong body position will help in gaining possession of the ball.

In a defense ruck, there are two people, one on either side of the ruck, called the guards. These two players aren’t always the same people. They are the ones who are closest to where the ruck formed that weren’t part of the ruck themselves. In order to let their teammates know that the positions are filled, they raise their outside the ruck side hand and yell “guard! guard! guard!”. Their job is to stay right on the outsides of a ruck and watch for the ball to be out. Once the ball is out, they yell “ball’s out!” and run forward to tackle the ball carrier. Their unofficial position is similar to that of the flankers in a scrum.

If it looks like the other team is winning possession of the ball, the team will get into a flat line behind the last foot of the farthest back person in a ruck. Stay spread out across the field and avoid having big gaps in the line.

Strengthening rucks, tackles, and scrums

Having good leg muscles and a strong core will improve your rucks, scrums, and tackles.

I’m not sure if other teams use this term exactly, but one of the exercises my team does to strengthen the core is the constipated puppy.

It is a good way to practice getting low for tackles and avoiding being too high, which can lead to a penalty. It also reinforces strong body positions in rucks and scrums, thereby making them safer and less likely to collapse or bridge.

A constipated puppy, as shown doing by the woman in the photo above, is where your legs and knees are at 90 degree angles, your hands are about shoulder width apart, and your back is flat. If another person were to go up and shove you and you have a strong body position, you will not move. Imagine that you are sucking your belly button into your back and puff your chest out to help remember to keep your head up.

Doing a plank (propped up on elbows, forearms and toes with a flat back and straight legs) or a superman (balancing on your stomach with arms and legs extended in front and behind you) can also help improve core strength.

Doing these during commercials while watching TV is a great way to exercise without altering your schedule.

Game day good to haves

When game day arrives, it’s easy to forget something in the excitement. Here are some things to double check you have before you leave.

Cleats- you can’t play without them. At all. Bring extras if you have them just in case. Break in new cleats before game day for better movement. Rugby or soccer cleats are best. But if you have softball or baseball cleats, removing the toe spikes can work in a pinch.

Water- while there are usually a set of team water bottles, you will be exerting a lot of energy and having water for after the game is better than not. Sports drinks help with electrolytes, but water is best.

Mouth guard- keep your teeth in your mouth. There are special mouth guards for braces as well.

A snack- nice to have for between or after games. Fruit and protein bars work best.

Cash- sometimes they will have snacks and tournament tee shirts for sale.

Cellphone- not only are they good for emergencies, road trip music and post game selfies are fun as well.

Blanket- to sit on if it’s warm and to huddle inside if it’s not.

Plastic shopping bag- keep the field that sticks to your cleats from getting to everything else in your bag.

Extra set of clothes- spandex is only comfortable for so long

Hand sanitizer- if the port a potty runs out

Bandaids- for turf burns

Pads or tampons- just in case

Pain killers- this is a contact sport

Deodorant

Feel free to add what you like to bring with you to games in the comments section below!