Rugby: Keep The Ball Game

What a fantastic tool. I've found a few drills that are unfamiliar,...
Wes, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

Tell your players the following:

  1. One group of two players will be defenders, you might want to give them bibs.
  2. The attackers just need to keep the ball moving without getting touched while holding the ball.
  3. The passes can be forward.
  4. Attackers can move around the training area.
  5. If a player gets touched while holding the ball they and their partner become the defenders - the old defenders become attackers.
  6. If the ball is dropped, the pass is bad, or goes outside the training area - the player that made the mistake and their partner become the new defenders, replacing the old defence.
  • This should be fun, but players should strive to control the ball, moving it into space and away from the defence.

COACHING POINTS

Don't feel that you have to focus on all of the following coaching points, you may have your own. Select the points that most closely match your overall training and session goals.

    • Players should aim to keep the ball moving.
    • They should move into space, not being afraid to drift apart.
    • Ball carriers should aim to pass the ball to where the receiver is going to be, not to where they are.
    • Passes do not spin the ball when there is no need to.
    • Passes should be weighted in terms of distance, accuracy, and speed.
    • A pass is only complete when caught.
    • The receivers hands should be out.
    • Both the ball carrier and receiver should communicate to highlight availability, distance, location, and the timing of the pass etc.
    • Communication should be encouraging, effective, and efficient.
    • Players stay up on the ball of their feet inside tight space, changing direction quickly.
    • Attackers use a variety of passes to move the ball away from the defence.
    • It is important that players learn to handle the ball in unfamiliar ways, that way they can react and catch a pass that is: too high, too low etc.
    • Players should not view mistakes as failures, simply part of the learning process.
    • Defenders should work to close attackers down quickly.
    • Defenders should read the body language of attackers to not only react to what they see, but to try respond quickly to what they think will happen next.
    • Differentiate your groups and allocate control tasks appropriate to the groups ability level. Every group should feel stretched but should experience success.
    • Have fun, remember build them up!

PROGRESSION

Put a limit on the amount of time an attacker can hold onto the ball before passing e.g. 3 seconds.

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