Rugby drills for 13 year olds
What a 13 year old can practice at home: drills the app opens at this age, what changes in rugby this year, how long and how often, what to have at home, and a free week to start.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
SSTracker keeps rugby to touch and tag until 14: passing, catching, footwork and evasion. Tackling and rucking wait for 14 and a coach.
At 13
The age at a glance
- This year
- The last year of touch and tag skills only. No contact drills are shown before 14; from 14, they start with a coach.
- Drills this year
- Beginner and developing drills. Advanced drills start at 14, next year.
- Contact
- The last year of touch and tag skills only. No contact drills are shown before 14; from 14, they start with a coach.
- After a knock
- After a concussion, children wait at least 21 days and have a doctor's OK before they play again (World Rugby).
- At 13
- Organized sport in all: no more hours a week than the child's age (NATA), so at most 13 hours for a 13 year old, with two rest days a week.
- At home
- SSTracker keeps one home session for a 13 year old within 60 minutes and plans at most 5 home days a week, with rest days between.
23 drills
Drills for 13 year olds
Every drill here is one the app opens for 13 year olds, at the level for the age. Each page has the steps, a diagram where the setup can be drawn, three ways to make it a game and a practice log to print.
Catch & Pass
Evasion
Kicking
Speed & Agility
Defending
What you need at home
What you need at home at 13
31 of the 37 rugby drills for 13 year olds work at home, in a room, garage or yard. Most used: cones (18 of the 31 drills), rugby ball (17), tag belts (2), agility ladder or chalk lines (1), goal posts or cones (1), mat (1), mat or grass (1), mat or soft ground (1). 1 drill needs nothing but space. 11 are for two, and a parent can be the partner.
- Hop and Step FootworkAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Ladder Quick FeetAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Neck and Core HoldsAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Quick Feet in PlaceAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Safe Falling and RollingAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Box Kick BasicsAges 11 and up · 12 min
- Catching a High KickAges 11 and up · 12 min
- Drop Kick BounceAges 11 and up · 12 min
A week to start with
A free week of rugby at home
- 1Tag defence and core at home20 min
- 2Down and up at home20 min
- 3Kicking: Catching a High Kick15 min
Questions parents ask
Rugby for 13 year olds: questions and answers
What rugby drills can a 13 year old do at home?
31 of the 37 rugby drills for 13 year olds work at home, in a room, garage or yard. Most used: cones (18 of the 31 drills), rugby ball (17), tag belts (2), agility ladder or chalk lines (1), goal posts or cones (1), mat (1), mat or grass (1), mat or soft ground (1). 1 drill needs nothing but space. 11 are for two, and a parent can be the partner.
How long should a 13 year old practice rugby?
Organized sport in all: no more hours a week than the child's age (NATA), so at most 13 hours for a 13 year old, with two rest days a week. SSTracker keeps one home session for a 13 year old within 60 minutes and plans at most 5 home days a week, with rest days between.
Is rugby for 13 year olds tag or tackle?
The last year of touch and tag skills only. No contact drills are shown before 14; from 14, they start with a coach.
What changes in rugby at 13?
The last year of touch and tag skills only. No contact drills are shown before 14; from 14, they start with a coach. Beginner and developing drills. Advanced drills start at 14, next year.
Free for families and teams
Save this plan to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free rugby week for 13 year olds opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits for the age, with progress your child sees against their own start. Coaches can send the same drills to the whole team as homework.
14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.