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Rugby: The Next Pass

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

Wes, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

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

We have 8 static passers and one runner.
There should be a static passer on each cone, eight in total.
The 9th player will be the ball carrier.
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.
When they get to the end of the grid, completing all 4 passes - they turn and start again.
They keep going until told to switch with another player.

Don't forget to change the runner.

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.

The tempo of this exercise must be high as a skill is only a skills when it can be preformed under pressure, and this exercise applies pressure.

Ball carriers work a speed they are initially comfortable with, building more in more speed and faster decision making as they go - while retaining passing quality.

Passes from the the static players are weighted correctly in terms of speed, distance, and accuracy. Spin passes are not used when they do not need to be.

The ball carrier uses effective, efficient, and encouraging communication to ensure that they receive the ball when they want it - and to ensure that they have enough time and space to make their pass.

Players on the cones use good communication to encourage the runner - also helping with the timing and origin of the pass. You'll find that players will be working hard to scan the grid, and some may be a little like a rabbit in headlights - confused!

Players should aim to get into a rhythm - they need to loosen up and establish a tempo. This is about playing the game or completing the exercise with freedom. Mistakes happen, if we can help players by not having them over-think or get stressed - then we can cut the number of mistakes. Giving players the freedom to make mistakes can actually reduce the number of mistakes and gives players the freedom to enjoy their game and training - while being creative.

When passing, ball carriers draw the pass, in one motion, across their body.

Receivers present targets and have their hands up, ready to catch.

Relievers can clap their hands to establish a target.

PROGRESSION

Stagger the location of the pass, e.g. the place from the next ball is coming from. This will mean that you can have: all the passes left hand passes, all the passes right hand passes, a mix of the two.

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OFTEN USED WITH...

They Just Keep Coming:

We have 8 static passers and two runners.
There should be a static passer on each cone, eight in total.
The 9th player will be the ball carrier.
Both ball carriers 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 each other before moving the ball onto the the player opposite to the original static passer. The attacker moves forward and does the same at the next set of cones, then the next, and then the next.
When they get to the end of the grid, completing all 4 passes - they turn and start again.
They keep going until told to switch with another player.

Don't forget to change the runners.

Sevens

Tri-Attack:

Tell your players the following......

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

Passing

Split with Trailer:

Tell your players the following......

Player A passes to D and cuts - not getting ball back , but holding up - B cuts and receives the ball off D, then turns it back inside to C, who passes to A to score out wide on Right.
Players change position after each attack, the static player will be a runner in the next attack.

Passing

Traffic Lights Game:

Brief your players one what you would like the to do by telling them the following....

One of the players will stand outside the grid, they are the traffic light.
The rest of the players will be inside the grid passing one ball.
When the traffic light player shouts GREEN, they turn and face away from the grid (they can decide for how long).
The players within the grid and continue to pass the ball, as fast as they can - they don't want to be the player holding the ball when the Traffic Light shouts RED.
On the call of RED the Traffic Light player turns around to see who is holding the ball.
On the RED call the players must stop passing the ball right away.
The player holding the ball becomes the new traffic light, and the old traffic light enters the grid as a passer.

Passing

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