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Rugby: Pass and run

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

Wes, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

Tell the players the following....

Player 1 starts with the ball.
Player 1 passes the ball to player 2 and then quickly moves off their cone and runs to the cone where player 2 is and back to their cone.
Player 2 then passes to player 3, follows the pass to the position of player 3 and back to their starting position.
Change your passing hand each time
The aim is to for the players to be back in their starting position before the ball returns back, but main thing is that they provide a good pass to the receiving player.

COACHING POINTS

Don't feel that your need to focus on all of the following coaching points. Choose the points that take into account your players ability, and your own training and session goals.

The receivers hands should be out, ready to receive the ball and presenting a taget for the passer.

The ball carrier should pass the ball before running. The pass should be weighted correctly in terms of distance, speed, and accuracy.

Players should consider if a spin pass is needed or not.

Players should pass off both hands during this exercise.

Passers should execute the pass with the following in mind: the foot opposite to the direction of the pass is forward, the passing hand is further back than the supporting hand, the elbow of the passing hand is up, the passer follows through the pass using the wrists to generate power, the passing hand and supporting hands are spread across the ball pointing down, the point of the ball is raised slightly, the passing hands draws across the ball to create the spin - with the ball rolling off the tips of the fingers, the pass motion is fluid rather than forced.

As players become more comfortable and experience success, increase the passing distance.

Communication should be effective, efficient, and encouraging - highlighting the next receiver, their location, and if the pass is a short or long pass.

Passers should follow their pass at speed.

Accept that, within reason, that player will make mistakes. Give you players to do so without over focusing on mistake. The next pass and the next catch is the most important - and it is your responsibility as a coach to train your players in order to reduce mistakes.

Vary the drill, passing to the left and right.

Have fun with it!

PROGRESSION

Place a ladder down each side of the grid, the returning player must advance through the ladder using different techniques each time.
Using two ball, the passing player chases the second pass - that means each player is making two passes before running.

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OFTEN USED WITH...

Leave No Man Behind:

Players start in the bottom right corner and on the command sprint as a group before doing 5 press ups.
They advance as a defensive line, moving as fast as the slowest player.
They never leave a player behind.
They then side step (push as a defensive line) left to the next set of cones to do 5 sit ups before sprinting to do press ups. The group follow this routine until the end before the next group go.

Warm Up

Agility Slalom - Race:

Start with 2 players on the centre cone, each with a ball, and facing each other.

On the shout "GO", they both run backwards to the first cone
They then side step up the grid to the second cone
Next players run through the slalom cones back to the start where the ball is passed to the next players
Next players can only go when each player has received a ball (to ensure each race is fair).

Agility & Running Skills

Fast Footwork:

Setup as shown.

2 groups with one ball per group.

The first players in each group sprint to the second blue cone then quickly back step to the first. Then they sprint to the third, back step to the second,, then sprint to the fourth where they side step to the next cone. At that cone, they sprint forwards to the next cone then side step to the last cone which they turn around and sprint back to the start and pass the ball to the next player.

Agility & Running Skills

Agility Slalom:

The first player runs around the red cone and back down to the start of the slalom. There the player zig-zags up the slalom, then back down before running around the second red cone and down to the second group of players where the ball is passed to the next player

Important no more then a max of 3 players per slalom to make sure that there is lots of activity.

Agility & Running Skills

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