Under 12's Junior Development Pathway

Consolidate & Develop Individual skills / Intro to new skills / cont. Develop tackling (Key element / safety)
Evasion

• HAND OFF (below armpits)
• Swerve and dodge / avoid contact
•  Side step off both feet
• Always go forward at space

• Lateral Pass – BOTH hands 8-10 meters
• Decision making – creating & Preserving space, switch pass, loop pass.
• Catching (two hands) off the chest

• Fine tune tackling skills (Front, side & behind) looking at body position and timing.
• Falling and placing the ball – long and jack knife presentations
• Pop up pass from ground.
• Offload out of the tackle. (push ball beyond the defender)
• Getting back to your feet – re-join game – Bounce
• Build overall confidence in contact.

• Full Maul.
• Ball carrier – Stability & Ball presentation low and in two hands.
• Link Player – Body position (Tower of power), set height equal to a scrum. secure and deliver ball.
• Additional players – join correctly (gate), understand ball transfer
• Defender – join correctly (gate), secure ball & player by wrapping ball carrier’s arms and ball. Leg drive.

• Full ruck.
• Ball carrier – leg drive then to ground, secure with good presentation or pass ball.
• Support players – join correctly (gate), scrum body position, secure ball or ruck over.
• Tackler – release, regain feet & contest. join correctly (gate),

• 5 nearest players (all should participate, subject to safety)
• Player in the Hooker position may strike / NO PUSH
• Channelling (Ch.1 & 2)

• Identify and attack space.  Using patterns like switch pass, loop pass and miss pass
• Re-alignment (attack and defence)
• Recognise and be able to realign on turnover or loss of possession
• Develop further 2nd phase of attack, especially from set plays (Scrum, free pass, KOs) have players create a plan.

• Punt, Grubber, Chip.  Catching of ball (Adjust body position) – No fly-hack

Laws / Ethics

• The tackle situation / Ruck & Maul / KO etc.
• Concept of sporting conduct and Perspective on sport.

• Play full tackle games (all abilities)

• Possession – work as unit to source possession
• Continuity – maintain possession / Support / Communication (encourage verbal skills)
• Decision making – allow them to explore various scenarios / let them get it wrong / review
• Vision – Create/be aware of space and how to use it
• Formation – Different types of attack / defence formations based on what player sees.

Agility

Awareness of body space

Balance – Static & dynamic

Co-ordination and manipulation

Speed, Power & Endurance (Intro – Triple extension)

Warm-up and cool down

Enthusiasm & Commitment / Self Control

Social confidence – Response to positive reinforcement

COMMUNICATION SKILLS & creative thinking

WORK AS PART OF A TEAM……..but look to identify positive role models

Concentrate on Skills development, although now more unit skills and linking areas of play.

CREATIVE Team work. Players play what is in front of them.   Create time & Space!