Rugby: Switch Drill

Keep your player briefing short and tell your players the following....

1. 3 attackers line up on the first three cones, the rest fall in behind.
2. One attacking line will go at a time.
3. The SH will work from near the top of the grid - off to the left.
4. The first attacking line goes.
5. The SH passes to the first receiver in the attacking line..
6. The ball carrier and the second receiver switch - using the top to cones as targets. They can..... Switch, dummy, pass to the 3rd receiver.
7. That's it - let the players play.

Drill to practice attacking organisational skills

Set up a grid roughly 20m wide and 20m long, with different coloured cones at one end and 5m away from that end (see diagram).

3 defending players line up at one end (blue players between white cones) and 5m infront of them 4 attacking players line up (red players between green cones). One further defender waits at the opposite end of the grid.

On the coaches command the three defending players run to the green cones and turn to defend. Meanwhile the four attacking players run to the white cones and turn to attack, receiveing the ball from the coach (grey). They are trying to score at the far end of the grid (red cones).

Once the attack have beaten the defensive line the final defender may move forward off the try line (red cones) and try and defend.

• Tell your players the following......

1. The first line of attackers move forward, passing the ball down the line.
2. The entire group switches position to the right side of the grid, and attacks as a line.
3. They then attack down the grid through the top of the grid, facing the next line of attack.

• Keep your player briefing, brief! Tell the players the following or have a demonstration group.....

1. We have 8 static passers and one runner.
2. There should be a static passer on each cone, eight in total.
3. The 9th player will be the ball carrier.
4. The ball carrier starts at the top of the grid facing the bottom. Moving forward they will take a pass off the first static passer with a ball, passing that ball to the player opposite to the passer. The attacker moves forward and does the same at the next set of cones, then the next, and then the next.
5. When they get to the end of the grid, completing all 4 passes - they turn and start again.
6. They keep going until told to switch with another player.

• Don't forget to change the runner.