Boys Blueprint Curriculum

Boys Youth Skills Curriculum (November 2023)

1

BLUEPRINT

Leadership • Engagement • Achievement • Enjoyment • Respect

Introduction The Blueprint is the playing and coaching philosophy for Scottish Rugby, aiming to improve the standard of rugby at all levels of the game.

Developed by Scottish Rugby in conjunction with coaches from the club and school game, the Blueprint’s overriding message is ‘Change Our Game’. In order for Scottish Rugby to compete and win on the international stage, the game in Scotland needs to further develop and think differently. Our intention is to create amazing learning environments with the appropriate level of stretch and support to enable players to be more tactically adaptable.

The SCOTS principles (Selfless, Creative, Optimistic, Tenacious, Self-Organised) underpin the Blueprint, and are key behaviours, enabling players to thrive in their playing pathway.

The aim of this Blueprint Curriculum resource is to help players, coaches, referees and parents in the youth game understand the focus areas at each age and stage. The curriculum information provides clarity on what should be focussed on during training and matches.

For updates please visit the Game Development twitter account @scotrugbycoach here https://twitter.com/scotrugbycoach Please click this link (https://bit.ly/blueprintrugby) to view more Blueprint resources or use the QR code below.

2

BLUEPRINT

Blueprint Change Our Game (COGs) The interconnected Blueprint cogs represent all aspects of the game and need to be considered as one when developing players. The cogs impact each other and should be coached collectively.

Within this document the Rugby Skills cog is emphasised, with further resources to follow on the Physical, Brain and Life cogs.

Learning Environment

Learning Environment

SCOTS

Physical Skills

Learning Environment

Rugby Skills

The Player

Life Skills

Learning Environment

3

BLUEPRINT

Brain Skills

Learning Environment

Blueprint Rugby Skills

Creative Attack

Rugby Skills

Dictating Defence

4

BLUEPRINT

Relentless Contact

Boys U15 Rugby Skills Curriculum

Run, Kick, or Pass into the best space

Offload and lifts

Creative Attack

OPTIMISTIC CREATIVE

problem solve in different ways

Scanning skills

hopeful and confident about the future

TENACIOUS persistent in pursuit of excellence

SELFORGANISE

SELFLESS help the team

use information to effectively coordinate as a team

U15

Explore the impossible Assess threats that include numbers up or down BOLT Beat Offload Lift Thrash

Relentless Contact

Decision making Jackal, Blast, Leave, Time in tackle

5

BLUEPRINT

Smart speed to support

Focus on the finish

Individual tackle technique to dominate in the tackle

Cut down options

Dictating Defence

Footwork and height into tackle

Appropriate defensive spacing Get the ball back in different ways

Boys U16 Rugby Skills Curriculum

Option from fast and slow ball

Movements to disrupt the defence

Creative Attack

OPTIMISTIC CREATIVE

problem solve in different ways

Beat the backfield

hopeful and confident about the future

TENACIOUS persistent in pursuit of excellence

SELFORGANISE

SELFLESS help the team

use information to effectively coordinate as a team

U16

Explore the impossible Reconnect after linebreaks and turnovers Pace on the ball

Relentless Contact

Deception at the ruck

Positional roles and principals from set piece

Dictating Defence

Backfield essentials

Stretching space Metres in contact

6

BLUEPRINT

On fire Kick chase essentials

Awareness of Guide, Shield, Lead (GSL)

Boys U17 Rugby Skills Curriculum

OPTIMISTIC

Explore attacking kicks

CREATIVE

problem solve in different ways

Support options

Creative Attack

hopeful and confident about the future

persistent in pursuit of excellence

SELFORGANISE

SELFLESS

Strike, launch and bust plays

TENACIOUS

help the team

use information to effectively coordinate as a team

U17

Beat the Game Head on a swivel - scanning

Wide contacts (both sides of ball)

Relentless Contact

Physicality

7

BLUEPRINT

Airstrike and ground strike

Backfield options based on field position

Connect in 3’s Jackal focus

Dictating Defence

Ball in hand v ball in air

Set traps

Goal Line defence principals

Boys U18 Rugby Skills Curriculum

Playing against different defences

Creative Attack

OPTIMISTIC

Edge and middle options

CREATIVE

problem solve in different ways

hopeful and confident about the future

TENACIOUS persistent in pursuit of excellence

SELFORGANISE

SELFLESS help the team

use information to effectively coordinate as a team

Organised support to create momentum & instability

U18

Beat the Game

Breakdown options to develop my way

Double Defending

Relentless Contact

Dictating Defence

Backfield clarity

Deception ‘Tackle’ the threat to create space

8

BLUEPRINT

Goal Line defence

Blueprint Physical Skills Curriculum

Speed & Agility

Strength

Physical Skills

Power

9

BLUEPRINT

Conditioning

Learn to Train Stage Physical Skills Curriculum (12+) SELFLESS

OPTIMISTIC

CREATIVE

TENACIOUS

SELFORGANISE

lower body technique

Upper Body Pulling

Judo/Wrestling Through Rugby

Upper Body Pressing

Strength

Conditioning

12+

Learn To Train

Bracing activities

Gymnastics skills

Throwing skills

Fun

Speed & Agility

Power

Landing skills

10

Game activity

Jumping skills

BLUEPRINT

Mobility

GO Coordination Acceleration drills

Deceleration drills

Learn to Train Stage Physical Skill Curriculum (14+) SELFLESS

Lower body strength development

OPTIMISTIC

CREATIVE

Game activity

SELFORGANISE

TENACIOUS

Session design

Posterior chain development

Increase exposure

Strength

Conditioning

Upper Body Pressing

14+

Upper Body Pulling

Learn To Train

Bracing activities

Power

Positional skills

Speed & Agility

Throwing

Bounding & Skipping

11

Jumping & Hopping (Repeat/Single leg)

BLUEPRINT

Change of direction mechanics

Contact drills

Acceleration drills

Running mechanics

Train to Develop Stage Physical Skills Curriculum (15+) SELFLESS

Lower body strength development

OPTIMISTIC

CREATIVE

TENACIOUS

SELFORGANISE

Increase training exposure

Pulls

Lifting from the floor

Exposure to match demand training

Strength

Contact conditioning

Conditioning

Upper Body Pressing

15+

Train To Develop

Bracing activities

Upper Body Pulling

Positional demands

Speed & Agility

Power

Repeat effort drills

Acceleration drills

Game skills

Plyometric skills

12

Throwing skills

BLUEPRINT

Pulling skills

Evasion skills Change of direction mechanics

Running mechanics

Train to Develop Stage Physical Skills Curriculum (16+) SELFLESS

OPTIMISTIC

CREATIVE

Exposure to match demand training

SELFORGANISE

TENACIOUS

Lower body strength development

Increase training exposure

Lifting from floor

Contact conditioning

Strength

Conditioning

U16

Upper Body Pressing

Train To Develop

Bracing activities

Upper Body Pulling

Positional demands

Speed & Agility

Power Olympic lifting

Throws & Pulls Plyometric development

13

Leg drive

BLUEPRINT

Game speed

Repeat effort drills

Acceleration drills

Running mechanics Evasion skills

Blueprint GASPS - Player Identification and Development The GASPS principles will be used to guide selection decisions within Scottish Rugby male and female pathway programmes (e.g. player development hub, FOSROC Academy and national age grade). Players will also be developed in alignment with these principles through on and off field coaching.

Further information on the GASPS principles will be made available in due course.

G GAME SENSE

game awareness, spatial awareness, problem solving, beat the game

A

ATTITUDE

competitiveness, curious, self-motivation, resilience

S

SKILL SET

ball movement, tackle, evade, positional skills - all under pressure

P PHYSICAL POTENTIAL

speed, agilty, power, endurance and stature

S SCOTS SKILLS

14

BLUEPRINT

selfless, creative, optimistic, tenacious, self-organised

15

BLUEPRINT

SCOTTISH RUGBY SCOTTISH GAS MURRAYFIELD EDINBURGH EH12 5PJ 0131 346 5000 | scottishrugby.org 16 BLUEPRINT