Rugby: Short Passing

Sportplan rugby has played a large role in my team's love for the...
Heather, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

  • Give each training area one ball to start with and tell the players the following......
  1. 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.
  2. Players should change positions in the line following each attack.
  3. Focus on the coaching points - the drill is only a means to an end. No spin passing.
  4. 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.

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 work to keep the tempo of the session high.
    • Receivers hands should be out, presenting a target.
    • Ball carriers carry the ball in two hands.
    • The pass is weighted in terms of distance, speed, and accuracy.
    • The pass is only complete when caught.
    • Players do not spin the ball over short distances and their pass should be sympathetic to the receiver.
    • Ball carriers pass to where the receiver is going to be, not where they are.
    • Ball carriers provide a flat ball or a ball that the receiver can run onto.
    • The receiver attacks at pace, receiving the ball while moving forward at pace.
    • Players demonstrate good communication . Communication should be efficient, effective, and encouraging. Receivers should identify themselves, their location etc. Ball carriers should verbally seek out support.
    • Mistakes will be made, allow your players the freedom to make mistakes without feeling a failure.
    • Passing should be off both hands. There is no weak or strong hand, just hands that need a little more work. Work is the key, not talent.
    • The attack must maintain width and depth.
    • The ball should be held on either side with both hands and fingers spread, raise the elbow opposite to the direction of the pass, push through the pass moving the point of the ball to face the target passing area - using the wrists to generate more power when needed, pass the ball with the fingers/hands finishing at a point towards the target. You may ask younger player to finish with a thumbs up to the reciever - ensureing their hands finish facing the target.
    • Be careful not to give the players too much to think about e.g. if they are worrying about foot position etc - it may impact on their ability to - just pass the ball. With respect to foot position, the opposite foot to the direction of the pass should be forward (this opens up the hips) - but this won't always be possible in the game.
    • As this point we don't want to spin the ball.

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MORE Passing DRILLS

Bang & Bingo

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.

Passing

Continuous Passing Off The Floor 2

Set up a rectangle of cones (10x5) with two gates of cones of a different colour 2m in front of cones on opposite sides of the rectangle (See diagram). Get the players to line up in equal numbers behind the 4 cones of the rectangle (1, 2, 3, 4). The ball starts on the floor between one of the gates of cones, a player approaches from behind a cone (1) and passes the ball off the floor to a player running onto the ball from behind a cone (2). The player who passed the ball continues his run and joins the back of the queue infront of him (4). The receiver catches the ball and continues his run, putting the ball on the ground between the cones in front of him, before joining the back of the queue (3). The player at the front of the queue (3) runs forward, and passes the ball off the floor to a player running onto the ball from behind a cone (4). The player who passed the ball continues his run and joins the back of the queue infront of him (2). The receiver catches the ball and continues his run, putting the ball on the ground between the cones in front of him, before joining the back of the queue (1). The player at the front of the queue (1) runs forwards, and passes the ball off the floor to a player running onto the ball from behind a cone (2), and the drill continues... Change the direction by moving the gates of cones forward to be in front of the opposite cones (4 and 2, instead of 1 and 3) Progressions: Instead of putting the ball on the ground, have to go to ground, present the ball, then get up and out of the way. As a group must complete 10 successful passes before the session can move on, every time a ball is dropped the whole group does an exercise (e.g. 10 press ups).

Passing

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