Season Plan 2026/27
First game: 21 September. Click any Game Zone name to watch the video.
| Wk | Date | Phase | Forwards | Backs | Full Team Game Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 Aug | Pre-season | Body position, lineout intro | Passing fundamentals | Lineout Touch ▶ |
| 2 | 1 Sep | Pre-season | CBS, 3-man lineout | Running lines, depth & width | Two Touch ▶ |
| 3 | 8 Sep | Pre-season | Full scrum unit, maul intro | 9-10 combination | Turnover Touch ▶ |
| 4 | 15 Sep | Pre-season | Set piece confidence | Decision making | Scrum Touch w/ No.8 ▶ |
| 5 | 22 Sep | Early season | Post-game review | Post-game review | Lineout Touch ▶ |
| 6 | 29 Sep | Early season | Set piece accuracy | Attacking patterns | Wizard Touch ▶ |
| 7 | 6 Oct | Early season | Breakdown dominance | Kicking intro | Turnover Touch ▶ |
| 8 | 13 Oct | Early season | Defensive forwards | Defensive alignment | Mind the Gap ▶ |
| 9 | 20 Oct | Mid season | Patterns from set piece | Backline shape | American Football Touch ▶ |
| 10 | 27 Oct | Half-term | Fun scrum games | Fun passing games | Beat the Square ▶ |
| 11 | 3 Nov | Mid season | Under fatigue | Decision making under pressure | Minute Maul ▶ |
| 12 | 10 Nov | Peak | Peak performance | Full backline patterns | Scrum Touch w/ No.8 ▶ |
| 13 | 17 Nov | Late season | Individual focus | Individual focus | Wizard Touch ▶ |
| 14 | 24 Nov | Sharpen | Sharpen for fixtures | Sharpen for fixtures | Turnover Touch ▶ |
| 15 | 1 Dec | Tune-up | Confidence only | Confidence only | Tackles Make Friends ▶ |
| 16 | 8 Dec | End of season | Let them play | Let them play | Beat the Square ▶ |
Our Values
Better people make better rugby players.
Back Each Other
When it's hard, when it's cold, when you're losing — your teammate is never alone.
No Sulking
Control what you can control. Your reaction is always your choice. Attitude is contagious — make it positive. You come off, you become the best training partner on the sideline.
No One is Bigger Than the Team
The jersey was worn before you and it'll be worn after you. Sweep the sheds. Pack cones. Help someone up. Nobody here is above the team.
Do Your Job
Whatever role you've been given — own it completely. Every rep, every drill, every game. No one's too good for the basics.
Grow Together
Our success is not how many tries the best player scores. It's how much better the whole squad is in April than it was in August.
Tell the Truth
Say what needs saying. Hear what needs hearing. "My fault" when it's yours. Honest feedback beats comfortable silence.
Hard But Fair
Go hard. Compete. Don't back down. But no cheap-shots, no bullying. The no dickheads rule — on the pitch and off it.
Get Better Every Week
You don't have to be perfect. You have to be better. Physical advantages disappear. Skill, intelligence and character last.
How you can help
Ask "Did you back your teammates tonight?" — not just "did you score?" Notice and praise effort and attitude, not just results. The goal isn't a trophy. It's a team that's proud of how they played and who they became.
Drill Library
All sourced from RFU, NZ Rugby Toolbox & World Rugby Passport.
Player Safety Bear Crawl Tig
Body position warm-up — low athletic stance, spatial awareness
Hungry Hippos
Body position, support play — competitive and high energy (39K views)
Crab Football
Low body posture, movement in contact position (21K views)
Build into Scrum 1v1
Individual scrum body position and engagement — the starting point (35K views)
Building the 5 Person Scrum
Front 5 scrum — adding locks to front row (55K views)
Neil Hatley — Scrum Engagement (CBS)
Crouch-Bind-Set sequence from England's scrum coach
Managing Contact
Ball carry position, body position at contact, ball presentation (27K views)
NZR Scrum Factory — Crouch Bind Set
Complete CBS sequence from NZ Rugby Toolbox — Grant Henson
NZR Lineout Activities — Greg Feek
All Blacks lineout coach — unit skills and throwing technique
Principles of Play — Go Forward
Carry, gain line, forward momentum — for backs and forwards
Principles of Play — Support
Support runners, timing runs, depth and width in attack
Principles of Play — Continuity
Ball recycling, keeping possession through contact
NZR Basic Pass
Core hand-to-hand passing technique — run straight, pass in front, follow through
NZR Receiving a Pass
Presenting a target and watching the ball fully into the hands
NZR Catching a High Ball
Regaining possession safely under a high ball — timing and calling
NZR Off-Ground Pass
Clearing the ball fast and legally from a congested area
NZR Dive Pass
Scrum-half technique for clearing ball fast from a ruck
NZR Falling on the Ball
Securing a loose ball on the ground and protecting it
NZR Evading the Player
Beating a defender in space using change of pace
NZR Front-On Tackle
Fundamentals of a safe, effective front-on tackle
NZR Basic Tackle Rotation
Rotating station drill for safe tackle technique
NZR Grubber Kick
Kicking the ball along the ground into space behind the line
NZR Rotational Kicking Circle
Circle drill rotating through all major kick types
NZR Lineout — The Thrower
Throwing-in technique — overhead and underarm
NZR Lineout — The Jumper
Take-off timing, body shape and a clean catch
NZR Lineout — Support Players
Lifting/binding players react, go forward, close gaps
NZR Lineout Distance Progression
Throwing progression at 7m, 9m and 11m
NZR The Scrum — Building the Unit
Full pre-engagement and engagement sequence
NZR Continuity — Ruck Support
Arriving support players engage and drive for quick ball
NZR Continuity — Maul Support
Second and third arriving players bind and drive
NZR Attack Principles
Awareness, alignment, running angles, depth and penetration
NZR Defence Principles
Communication, alignment, shutting down space
Lineout Touch
Lineout as a restart in touch rugby — key for introducing lineouts (6.6K views)
Two Touch
Running, passing, support lines — two touches before pass required
Wizard Touch
Support, evasion, spatial awareness — high energy (36K views)
Turnover Touch
Ruck, breakdown and turnover in a game — attack and defence combined (19K views)
Mind the Gap
Defensive patterns, gap recognition, defensive line (17K views)
Scrum Touch with No.8
Scrum awareness with No.8 pick-and-go in game context (29K views)
Minute Maul
Maul technique in game context — binding, driving, continuity (16K views)
American Football Touch
Contact awareness, spatial play, decision making under pressure
Beat the Square
Running, kicking, catching, passing — Game Zone/Skill Zone intro (RFU)
Tackles Make Friends
Contact + values — trust and connection between players (17K views)
Interceptors
Defensive communication, body position, line speed
Lineout Lift
Lifting technique and timing — jumper support (RFU Skill Zone)
Lineout Jump
Take-off timing, body shape, clean catch (RFU Skill Zone)
Lineout Throw
Throwing accuracy to different lineout positions (RFU Skill Zone)
Lineout — Putting it all Together
Full combination: throw, jump, lift (RFU Skill Zone)
Scrum Preparation: Scrum Touch
Game-based intro to scrum body position and binds (RFU Skill Zone)
Skill Zone — Beat the Defender
1v1 evasion — footwork and pace to beat a defender
Scan Touch
Scanning and calling space before receiving the ball
1v1 Contest for Possession
Legal jackle technique to win a loose ball on the ground
Adaptive Game: Gauntlet
Run a gauntlet of defenders, adapting decisions on the move
Adaptive Game: Overload Attack
Attacking team always has an extra player — find the overload
Adaptive Game: Two-wave Attack
Second wave joins the attack to overwhelm the defence
Adaptive Game: Tag Team Touch
Rotating pairs touch game keeps intensity high
Adaptive Game: Attack and Defence Rotation
Rapid rotation between attacking and defending roles
Managing Contact: Pressure Possession
Retain possession under sustained defensive pressure
Adaptive Game: Beat the Square
Beat defenders out of a marked square to advance and score
Magic Circle
Small-sided possession game — quick support and awareness
Game Zone — Breakdown Support
Fast, well-supported arrivals rewarded at the breakdown
Drop Off Touch
Organised defensive drop-off and reset on a trigger
Attack v Defence Ball
Structured attack/defence game — line breaks and resets
🏆 Weekly Challenge
Post your score every day or you're out. Winner announced Sunday.
Zombie Squats
- 1Chest up, arms straight out — reach through your fingertips, don't let your elbows drop. If your arms fall, your chest caves in.
- 2Sit DOWN not back — knees drive forward over your toes. Think about sitting straight down into a chair, not pushing your hips back.
- 3Knees track your toes — don't let your knees cave inward. Push them out so they stay in line with your feet throughout the movement.
How it works
Post your score every day — miss a day and you're eliminated from that week's competition. The winner is whoever has the most total squats across the week. A new challenge starts every Monday.
Do them properly. Sloppy reps don't count — and your teammates will know.