Pre Season Contact: How, When & Why to Reintroduce it the Right Way
Join Sale Sharks Women's Defence Coach and Women's Rugby Roadmap Rugby Lead, Charlie Beckett, for the third webinar in our four-part pre season coaching series designed to help rugby coaches safely and effectively prepare players for the physical demands of the season.
Date & Time: Wednesday 15th July, 7:00pm–8:00pm
What You'll Learn
Following on from the planning principles discussed in Webinar 1, this session focuses on one of the most important aspects of pre-season: reintroducing players to contact.
A safe and progressive return to contact is essential in preparing players for the physical demands of rugby. This session explores how coaches can effectively plan and deliver that process throughout pre season, ensuring players are game ready while reducing unnecessary risk.
In this session, Charlie will cover:
How reintroducing contact should be planned within your overall pre season programme.
Why a prolonged and progressive reintroduction to contact is essential for player welfare and safety.
Why contact doesn't have to mean full live rugby or tackling from day one.
How groundwork, bag work, wrestling and position-specific activities can be used to gradually prepare players for contact.
How tackle technique, carry technique and power-based drills can be used as part of your contact progression.
Practical examples of how coaches can develop technical skills and reintroduce contact at the same time.
When and how to expose players to short periods of full live rugby before the season begins.
The role of short live blocks (for example, 2–3 x 2-minute periods) in preparing players for match demands.
Key takeaways for implementing a safe and effective contact progression within your own environment.
Live Q&A
The final 15 minutes will be a dedicated Q&A session, giving you the opportunity to discuss your own coaching challenges and ask questions about contact preparation and pre season planning.
Bonus Resources
All attendees will receive:
✅ A downloadable Reintroduction to Contact Plan
✅ Example drills to use with your team