Rugby | Passing Drills

Move the ball in a figure of 8 round your legs Pass the ball round your back. Who can pass the ball around their back 5 times the fastest ?. Throw the ball in the air and clap before you catch it. Who can make the highest number of claps ?

Four attacking player start behind cones on the try line. Place an object a couple metres in front of each player, this can be a cone, pole, tackle pad etc. Attackers must pass the ball down the line and run on the inside of the object.

1 player in a group of players kicks the ball into the air for the single player to catch the ball all player have to run and support the catcher and run towards the end of the grid passing the ball to each other.

In this game players try to keep possession and carry the ball over their opponent's line to score a try.

The aim of the exercise is to develop ball control and reaction catching skills.

Groups of 10+  Ball  Bibs.  In 5m Channel have 4 defenders stood one behind eachother 5m apart.  Have 4 defenders stood in diamond formation. 1 ball carrier, 2 support runners, 1 trailer runner.  Ball carrier takes on defender, trying to  manoeuvre the defender or get on the outside of the defender using footwork and fend.  Once the player has line of sight of a supporting attacker, the attacker returns to 2 hands on the ball, then offloads to support runner.  The trailer runner then becomes the second support runner.  continue up the grid until the defenders left. 

Split your players into two teams in an approx 20mx15m for 12 players. Change this according to numbers. Give every play a ball, they have to hold this in one hand the entire time whilst moving about the grid Work as a team to complete as many passes as possible without dropping the ball Catch and pass the ball in one hand without using the chest as support

Ball  Groups of 3+    2 attackers line up opposite a defender. The defender makes a low leg tackle on the atttacker.  The attacker being tackled tries to get arms free and perfom an offload to the supporting runner.

Ball  Groups of 3+    2 attackers line up opposite a defender. The defender makes a low leg tackle on the atttacker.  The attacker being tackled tries to get arms free and perfom an offload to the supporting runner.

Players work in groups of three, each starting with a ball. They move the ball around the circle making one handed offloads to eachother  Progression Players stand further apart

One ball between two. Pupils must move around a marked grid - passing the ball in as many different ways as possible :. Overhead. Below the waist. Round the back. Between the legs. Rolling the ball.

Set up a grid of about 10 x 10 Aim to have 12 attackers and 2 defenders 3 attackers spread out on each side of the square. One player starts with the ball and runs towards the first defender, before passing off to a supporting attacker, who runs towards the next defender and passes off to the other attacker in the three The ball is popped off to the end attacking player on the opposite side of the square The same play happens with three new attackers and same two defenders The ball is then popped off to the side, and play continues until all four groups of attackers have run through twice. Then switch defenders.

Groups of 12+  Balls  Cones 4 defenders lineup in a passing grid, that has laid out 2 red cones and 2 blue cones as shown in diagram.  4 attackers line up opposite passing the ball up and down there line of 4. When the coach shouts blue or red, the attackers set off, and the defenders on the coloured cone the coach shouts out.  The Attckers must react fix the defenders, identify the space and score. 

Using just one hand they should pass the ball to each other. The pass should come from on, or behind the hip. They should make 10 passes on one hand, and then 10 passes on the opposite hand. That's it, lets get going - it's a race.  Any dropped balls - and your group has to start again. That's it, get working.

Players stood close and next to each other on a line. On go player drop back to an attacking line, once ready first receiver calls for the ball and starts running. Player use quick hands down the line, end man puts ball down and they realign on the cones around the corner to go through the hands again. All players then realign off the other hand with the width of both previous hands so much wider passing.

Groups of 4  Balls  Tackle bags/sausages  Cones.  3 players line up opposite 3 bags laid on the floor, or sausages stood up.  The 4th attacker will pass the ball to the first receiver, who will then complete passes down the attacking line, before the attacker reaches the bag on the floor. 

1. Square on: one hand  Stand square on, in your partners pass the ball back and forth no more than 5m away from eachother, rember use 1 hand and start with ball on hip.  2. Side on: one hand  Same again but no stand side on.  3. One step: two hands  Same distance apart, introduce the second hand and take a step and pass try to do 10 off each hand.   

Put four cones out to make a rectangle and square 10-15 metres apart. Put two players on each cone along with two players standing in between the cones to make a line of four. On the go the player with the ball runs forward and then its quick hands down the line. When the end player gets the ball they pop to the player on the cone at other end, this player runs forward. The two players in the middle have to turn and go again, working back and forth for ten lengths.

Three, four or five players are stood close and next to each other on a line. Set up a similar line opposite. On feeders go they drop back and wide to give an attacking line, once ready the players pass the ball with quick hands down the line. The first team to realign properly and get the ball to the end player wins.

Three attacker start on their fronts with three defenders lying opposite them. On go the attackers backtrack and realign into an attacking line. Two defenders come up to defender with one handing back. The attackers try and beat the first two defenders and then try to beat the final defender at the back.