Tag Rugby - Lesson 4

In the fourth lesson of a Year 5 tag rugby series, students aim to hone their attacking and defending skills with a clear set of learning objectives. The success of the lesson is measured by the pupils' ability to make appropriate decisions and demonstrate tactical awareness during gameplay. The session requires a class set of belts and tags, rugby balls, and cones to set up the playing field. The warm-up activity, 'Travelling With the Ball 2', involves pupils navigating through cone gates with rugby balls, passing to peers on the perimeter, and alternating between sprinting and jogging as instructed. This exercise not only gets the students moving but also encourages quick thinking and coordination. To add complexity, pupils can be challenged to pass with their weaker side, navigate smaller gates, or incorporate side steps.

The main part of the lesson is a full game of tag rugby, with an emphasis on strategic play and seizing opportunities. New rules are introduced to focus on maintaining possession and capitalising on scoring chances, such as a turnover occurring if a try is not scored after a set number of passes. The instructor pauses the game intermittently to highlight potential opportunities and discuss tactics with the pupils. To further challenge the teams, adjustments to the number of players can be made. The session wraps up with a 'Random Walk 2' cool down, where groups of four pupils follow commands like jumping, turning, and hopping, interspersed with passing and receiving the rugby ball. This cool down encourages reflection on decision-making during the game and provides an opportunity for pupils to consider alternative strategies they could have employed.