Rugby: Ball Presentation and Handling

• The aim of the drill is to develop positive work after the tackle and when would you use a 360’ roll. often a loose tackle or let go.

• 360 roll 

• Set up a 5mx5m grid
• Work in fours - two attacker and two defender
• The ball is fed from a player from the 1st defending player who also holds the tackle pad and will simulate the ‘jackal’ threat player in the 2v2
• The first attacking player receives the ball and engages the pad holder and passes to the second attacking player
• The second attacking player engages the second defender (tackler) and bounces out to a weak shoulder
• The first attacking player (inside clear out) and the 1st defending player (jackler) then try and race to support
• The inside clear looks to support the attacker and clear out the jackler

This drill will develop your players ability to regather difficult balls and make offloads. 

• Working in groups of three, one player is practicing the skill at a time. 

• The practicing player throws the ball to two other players who are holding balls.
• These two players bounce the ball back and the practicing player has to gather the ball without knocking it on.

Progression 

• Now the practicing player holds two balls. He has to offload and then regather the ball with one hand.

• Set up: the cones as shown with a cone 10 meters each side of the posts on the try line. This will mark where the ball will be passed from (feeder) preferably from a scrum half.
• Divide the group into 3 and ask them to stand in single file behind each cone.
• The ball is fed from a position alternately from either side of the post. This will encourage the players to scan, communicate and to be expectant of the ball.
• The players on the cones opposite the posts will either be the 1st receiver or the BANG option runner. The BANG runner is always running an out to in, or up to in line to fix the 2nd defender.
• The players on the middle cone will receive the ball in the BINGO (pull back) option outside the ‘outside’ post or just in behind the BANG player.
• The BINGO players should run and an arced run to receive the ball outside the outer post. The BINGO player should try to straighten up prior to receiving or on receiving the ball.

• Progression:
• Get 2 players or coaches to stand in front of the posts with 2 different coloured cones in their hands on their hips.
• The cones will represent the ‘hips’ of the 2nd defender.
• The aim is to encourage the 1st receiver to scan, look, and make a quick decision (choice of pass) depending on what the defender is doing.
• If the 1st receivers sees the ‘inside’ cone on the 2nd defender then they must assume the defenders hips are turned OUT and make a short pass to the BANG runner.
• If the 1st receivers sees the ‘outside’ cone on the 2nd defender then they must assume the defenders hips are turned IN and make a PULL BACK pass to the BINGO runner.