Agility is one of the most underrated weapons in rugby.

Sure, big hits and blistering pace get the headlines—but it’s the ability to change direction, react under pressure, and make defenders miss (or shut attackers down) that separates good players from game-changers.

The good news? Agility is a skill, and just like speed or strength, it can be trained and improved.

In this article, we’ll break down how to build elite-level agility step-by-step (pun intended!)—from foundational gym work all the way to high-speed, reactive game scenarios.

What is Agility (Really)?

Agility in rugby is more than just zig-zag cone drills. It’s the combination of:

• Change of direction ability (COD): Your physical capacity to decelerate, plant, and reaccelerate efficiently.

• Perceptual and decision-making skills: Your ability to read a situation and react quickly to moving targets (like an oncoming defender or a ball carrier).

You need both to be truly agile. You need strength and control to execute a movement—but also vision, anticipation, and decision-making to choose the right one.

Step 1: Build a Solid Foundation in the Gym

You can’t be agile if your body isn’t strong enough to control itself.

Strength and power are the engine room of change of direction ability. And that means you need to develop force in three key ways:

1. Concentric Strength and Power
This is your ability to produce force to accelerate out of cuts and changes of direction. Think:

• Squats

• Bulgarian split squats

• Jumps and bounds

• Sled pushes

2. Eccentric Strength
This is your ability to absorb force when decelerating. If you can’t slow down efficiently, you can’t change direction quickly—or safely. Key exercises:

• Eccentric-focused squats or lunges (slow lowering phase)

• Nordic hamstring curls

• Depth drops and deceleration drills

3. Isometric Strength
This is your ability to stabilize and hold positions—especially when you’re planting a foot under load. Think:

• Isometric split squats

• Wall sits

• Overcoming isometrics against immovable resistance

Don’t skip these. They lay the foundation for everything that comes next.

Check out our Article about Triphasic Training for more on hitting all 3 muscle contraction types!

Step 2: Start with Controlled Change of Direction Drills

Once your strength base is solid, it’s time to introduce closed drills—meaning they’re pre-planned and repeatable. These help groove movement patterns and develop technical efficiency.

Examples:

• 5-10-5 shuttle runs

• L-drills

• Lateral hops with deceleration

• Cone-to-cone sprints with cuts at 45° and 90°

Focus on clean footwork, balance, and sharp transitions. Film yourself if you can and work on being smooth before fast.

Step 3: Progress to Reactive Agility Drills

Once your mechanics are solid, the next level is reactive agility—reacting to unpredictable cues.

This mimics what actually happens in a game: you don’t get to plan your movements—you have to adapt on the fly.

Examples:

• Mirror drills (follow a partner’s movement)

• Live decision-making games (tag, 1v1 evasion)

• Light/sound cue change of direction drills

• Ball drop reactions or coach commands

These build the perceptual side of agility—how quickly you can see, decide, and act.

Step 4: Transfer It to the Game

Finally, the most important step: put it into game-speed, open drills.

This is where the rubber meets the road—where all the strength, footwork, and reactive skills get tested in real scenarios.

Examples:

• Small-sided games (SSGs)

• 2v2 or 3v2 live drills

• Edge defence or attack drills with space constraints

• Broken play simulations

The key here is to keep the decision-making live and competitive, so players learn to execute agility under fatigue, pressure, and chaos—just like in a match.

Everyone Can Improve Agility

Agility isn’t just a gift some players are born with. Yes, some have natural reactions—but EVERY player can improve their ability to change direction, react faster, and move more efficiently.

It just takes the right approach.

Summary: The Agility Blueprint for Rugby

1. Build strength and power (concentric, eccentric, isometric)

2. Develop movement mechanics with closed COD drills

3. Add unpredictability with reactive drills

4. Make it game-ready with competitive, open scenarios

This progression is the blueprint for turning training into performance.

We’ll be dropping a follow-up article with exact drills, sets, and progressions to plug straight into your sessions. Whether you’re a winger trying to jink through traffic or a back-rower closing down a line break, agility will take your game to the next level.

Stay sharp. Stay fast. Stay tuned.

Follow Rugby Renegade for evidence-based rugby performance training that actually works.

🔥 Join Rugby Renegade today and start training like a pro! 🔥

Want to become the machine you were meant to be?