Rugby Games to Play
Plenty of ruggers found themselves face down in the pitch at the bottom of a ruck on their first day playing rugby--actually playing rugby is the best introduction and practice for a real match. Practice games and scrimmages are the ultimate tool for refining techniques, building connections between teammates and conditioning players for the rigors of 80 minutes of full-on rugby. Ruggers know they're also the most fun way to learn.
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Purpose of Practice Games
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Each rugby practice should give a sense of accomplishment and progress, so any games should fit into the total design of a practice session. Coaches should communicate to players skills and drills developed during regular training that are to be the focus of practice play. Whenever possible, coaches or squad captains should set up plays and situations that use the skills learned that day and present those situations repeatedly until the team has a firm command of the execution of a drill or play.
Unopposed
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Playing unopposed is a standard practice routine that develops team dynamics through execution of plays introduced in the day's drills. The coach must carefully organize and direct the team through an unopposed practice game. The purpose is to develop error-free ball handling, fluid upfield movement, coordinated defensive responses and communication between players. The coach's hands-on involvement in the game's progression is absolutely necessary, and squad captains should also give direction to new players.
Note that, in the build-up to a match, most coaches will stop playing unopposed and move to semi-opposed or full-contact scrimmages in order to prepare players for true game conditions. An overabundance of unopposed practice can also have the adverse effects of weakening players' ability to read the opposition or adapt to quickly changing circumstances and setbacks.
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Sevens
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Sevens are short matches that can be played at nearly any occasion: during practice with players rotating out, on short weekend practices and even when holidays or other circumstances reduce numbers. Now played in international tournaments, sevens was originally just a way to get a game going with less than a whole side.
The key benefits of sevens--fitness, speed and technique--are consequences of the openness of the field. With fewer people clogging the pitch, the organization of set pieces becomes transparent to new players. Smaller numbers also mean a few vets on the pitch can observe and correct rookie mistakes, so sevens can be successfully played without a coach. A less-crowded field also means fewer technical offenses, so there's less chance that an unrefereed game gets reduced to bickering over a disputed foul.
Touch
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Touch is a fully opposed but essentially no-contact version of the sport that provides opportunity to experience game play while reducing chances for injuries and allowing rookie players to pick up the game on a stress-free field. Touch games are typically warm-up rounds held early in the season or during a midseason break. As the game lacks true tackling, rucking, and mauling, touch focuses more on passing and allows the offense and defense more time to assemble.
But the focus on passing and running leaves many forwards feeling underutilized, and indeed their traditional roles are diminished. Touch games should therefore have the express purpose of developing set-building technique and team communication so backs and forwards can learn to work together to move up the field and defend their half of the pitch.
Potential
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As casual play rugby leagues develop around the world to coordinate official, refereed games of touch and other forms of rugby, any team's unique practice scrimmages have the potential to receive widespread attention as an alternative form of the game. Active players and coaches are encouraged to promote their practice games to other squads and to the larger sports communities as a means to introduce more people to rugby.
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