The benefits of playing doubles in Rugby Fives
Rugby Fives condenses the contact, running and tactical choices of rugby union into a faster-moving game. Add doubles, and two-player units become the centre of the action. The format sharpens passing, support lines and communication because there is less space, less time and fewer teammates available to solve a problem.
A doubles drill, possession game or paired match gives players repeated chances to read the next line, release a pass and arrive with support. It creates a bridge between tag and touch work and full-contact Rugby Fives, making it useful for beginners, returners and experienced forwards working on different parts of their game.
For Australian players, this carries particular value in club and school environments where training time is limited and keeping people involved matters. The Rugby Fives Association, the UK national governing body and registered charity, promotes coaching, school programs, community outreach and structured competition. Its work shows how paired play can complement the wider player pathway rather than sit apart from it.
Why doubles changes the game
In a full Rugby Fives side, forwards occupy a specific channel, backs spread across the field and a scrum offers a fresh tactical starting point. In doubles, that structure becomes immediate. One player may carry while the partner checks the next support option; after the pass, both must judge whether to run a support line or hold width. The simple setup exposes positioning errors quickly.
That simplicity makes the format useful for teaching rugby ideas without long explanations. A coach can change one variable, such as the pass target or defensive distance, and players can see the result. It also creates meaningful involvement for athletes who would otherwise spend a session waiting for a touch. Paired play turns limited field space into a source of technical pressure.
Faster decisions and better game awareness
Attack in a pair develops scanning rather than waiting for the ball. Before receiving, players must identify a teammate, a defender and a safe release point, often while carrying into contact. Good pairs shorten their decision cycle: one player draws a defender while the other attacks the space created. That pattern strengthens the ability to make a pass before pressure arrives.
The same awareness applies on defence. Two players cannot cover the whole width, so they must communicate about who takes the carrier and who controls the next runner. Reading an opponent's body position becomes more important than simply following the ball. These choices transfer quickly to Rugby Fives, where fast decisions and clear support can decide a match.
Communication that builds trust
Working in pairs makes communication visible. Calls such as “go”, “stay” or “leave” tell a partner whether to take a line, hold position or move into support. Australian players may naturally use plain club-room language such as “run it in” or “get on the front foot”, but doubles rewards precise timing rather than volume. A glance, hand signal or verbal cue can prevent two players from occupying the same space.
Trust develops as partners learn each other's strengths: who prefers a pass, who carries into contact, and who needs time to set a foot. That familiarity builds confidence, especially for junior players, women returning to the game and community teams with mixed experience. Pairs also create leadership opportunities, since communication can be shared rather than imposed by the loudest voice.
A practical route to fitness and inclusion
Short, repeated actions are the heart of a doubles session. Players sprint into space, change direction after a pass and recover for the next phase with fewer pauses. Because there are fewer participants, each person handles the ball more often, which improves passing accuracy, scanning and footwork. The aerobic benefit comes from the repeated transitions between offence and defence rather than from one long run.
Conditioning can be tailored to the group. Beginners might work in small areas with walking recoveries, while senior players add repeated carries, sprint repetitions and contact finishes. In a doubles game, the need to arrive with support also develops leg strength and the endurance to work through a full shift. Players should still follow a proper warm-up, gradual loading and age-appropriate progressions.
The format can widen participation when it is designed for access rather than treated as a selection contest. Smaller groups help newcomers understand the game, and modified running distance, ball size or contact level can suit schools, older players and participants with differing abilities. The Rugby Fives Association's commitment to inclusive participation through school programs and community outreach reflects the same principle: Rugby Fives grows when more people can find a role that suits them.
Stronger defensive habits and contact control
On defence, a pair must work as a connected unit. If both chase the ball carrier, a support runner can slip through behind them. If both stay too deep, the carrier gains space. Doubles therefore encourages players to judge angles, communicate early and cover the next threat, habits that strengthen a full defensive line.
Contact needs careful management because fewer players can mean faster, more concentrated collisions. Coaches should progress from running and tracking to touch, then to controlled contact, with suitable supervision and equipment. Players should be taught to keep a safe body position, track the target and support the tackler. Clear roles reduce hesitation, and well-drilled technique reduces the chance that an intense small-sided game becomes reckless.
Making doubles work for Australian clubs
Across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and other Australian cities, the game is usually encountered through suburban rugby clubs, schoolboy pathways and state competitions. Saturdays are often busy with local fixtures, juniors and social teams, while volunteer-run programs organise coaches, gear and community events. A doubles night can fit around that calendar as a focused training block, festival format or preseason activity, giving Rugby Fives a place without disrupting established club competitions.
The local market also shapes delivery. Melbourne's wet winters can favour compact sessions and suitable indoor space, while Brisbane's summer heat calls for shorter blocks, water breaks and shaded recovery. Australian club culture tends to value having a crack, building team spirit and keeping formats practical for families and working adults. Phrases such as “run it in” fit the environment, but local Rugby Australia and state-union rules still determine how contact play is registered.
A useful pilot would establish clear age bands, permitted contact levels, coach ratios and a simple fixture list, then track attendance and player feedback. The Rugby Fives Association provides a model through UK championships, school programs, coaching and maintained fixtures, rankings, results and historical records. Australian clubs can borrow that organisational discipline while keeping the format locally flexible, and use it as a pathway into fuller Rugby Fives participation.
Give doubles a run at your next club session. Ask the coach to set up two-player passing and support games, then include a touch or controlled-contact version for players who are ready. Invite a returning teammate, a junior or a community member who has not played for a while.
Register your interest through your club or school, explore the Rugby Fives Association's competition information, and put a date in the calendar. Two teammates, one ball and a well-planned session can create a new entry point for Rugby Fives while giving experienced players another way to sharpen their game.
