Rugby: Drop Off

Work on their speed and stamina in this passing and receiving recap session - designed to get your players spreading their fingers for maximum passing control

1. 4 players stand on the middle cones in the grid, avoiding the corner cones. The 2 players at the top and the bottom of the grid will have a ball. The players on the sides of the grid will have one ball between them.
2. The 5th player will be the ball carrier.
3. The ball carrier starts at the top of the grid facing the bottom. Moving forward they will take a pass off one of the middle players and pass the ball onto the other middle player. They will then collect a pass off the player in front of them, before popping the ball back to them. They will then turn and once again collect a pass off one of the middle players before moving it on to the other middle player. They then take a pass off the top player before popping it back and starting the exercise again.
4. They keep going until told to switch with another player.
5. The player in the middle can turn and flick the ball to the static players at the top and bottom of the grid, as well as popping the ball.

Keep your player briefing short. You may consider having a demonstration group.

• Give two players opposite each other, one ball each.
• On your call they will come forward, towards each other, sidestepping to avoid contact before passing the ball either left or right.
• There should be no forward passes and the players need to communicate to avoid both balls going in the same direction.
• When the receivers collect their pass - they do the same as the first set of ball carriers.
• Players that have completed their run and pass within the grid should join the end of the opposite line.
• Players should seek opportunity to pass off both their left and right hands.

Offensive players (blue), line out in one deep line while the defence (red) line up opposite in a straight line, slightly inside player from the player that they are marking.

The offence will attempt to pass the ball across the line at speed.

Defenders will move up to stop them but do not tackle, simply press. This teachers the attackers to pass under pressure, as they try to pass across the line without making any mistakes.

Tell the players the following:

• Lets just get the ball moving down the line. Give the player at the start of one of the lines a ball, tell the line to advance using lateral passing - with the last player in each line passing the ball to the first player in the opposite line.
• Players should change positions in the line following each attack.
• Focus on the coaching points - the drill is only a means to an end. No spin passing.
• When you feel that the players are executing the short pass to your satisfaction - add in more pressure by have two opposite lines run at once.
• Once the teams have master that - lets get all four units running at one. The firt two groups go, when they each the mid-way point - the second two groups go. This will mean that all four gourps will be working at one.
• The groups keep moving unit you tell them to stop.
• Devlop this by alowing players to attack and be creative in their attack e.g. loop, M1, etc.
• There will be lots of traffic, they need to stay on their toes and work hard to keep the attack and the ball alive.