Rugby: Four Player Continuous Passing

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DESCRIPTION

  • A quick drill to focus the players before going into a session or at the start of a match day warm up.
  • The aim of the drill is to develop early hand-catch, quick and accurate transfer of the ball to a support player.
  • Set 4 cones 3-5 meters apart on the 5 meter line. This will mark the starting point for your players.
  • Set up cones opposite on the try line
  • Ask your players to line up behind each cone.
  • The ball carrier runs out to the cone opposite and passes to the next player
  • Once the player on the end receives the ball, the drill changes direction and the ball goes back in the direction it came from




COACHING POINTS

  • All players to focus on running straight
  • Early hand catch by reaching for the ball
  • Keep hands high (chest height) when transferring the ball to its recipient
  • Finish the pass by ensuring hands go towards the target
  • Players receiving the ball should be encouraged to run towards the ball on receiving it.
  • The ball carrier should try to remain as square as possible.
  • For progression - the end player runs towards the try line and ‘pulls out’ (passes) the ball back to a player from their line of players

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OFTEN USED WITH...
Bang & Bingo | Warm Up

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.

Warm Up

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MORE Warm Up DRILLS

Maul Touch

Be brief when telling the players the laws of this game, it's important to get them moving quickly. This is not a contact game, but there will be some light contact. Break your players into two teams, giving each team their own colour of bibs if necessary. One team goes to attack, and one to defence. Nominate a Scrum Half for each team, it will be their job to move the ball from the back of the maul and out to an attacking line. There is no kicking in this game. Normal laws of rugby apply e.g. a forward pass will result in the ball being turned over to the opposition. If an attacking player is touched: they must stop and turn, a maul is then built based on how you have trained your players to Maul. Only four players should be in the maul - but every player should be able to maul - including the backs! When you start playing this game make sure that the defence is employing your defensive pattern around the maul. They will commit 4 players, but will not do anything more than provide light resistance. Once formed the maul can take four steps before moving the ball. If there is a delay in creating the maul, or the quality of the maul is poor - the ball can be turned over. Depending on your goals decide on the number of touches you wish to allow e.g. unlimited is not a bad option as mistakes will be made! If a team has been in possession for a long time, don't forget to turn the ball over to give the opposition a run. Don't hesitate to shape the game to focus on your session goals, and let us and other coaches know what worked for you.

Warm Up

Pressure Ball

Make sure your warm-up area is marked out before the players arrive. Depending on the number of players you have at training, mark out several warm-up grids. The size of your grid is a suggestion, but around 10 meters x 10 meters. The bigger the grid, the easier it is for the attackers - they have more space. The smaller the grid, the easier it is for the defenders. Break your players into two groups, pads and passers. One third of your players will be passers; the rest will be on the pads. Have one team quickly demonstrate the game to the other players. In each grid have four players on pads, and two passers. You could have more passers; I'll leave this to your judgment. The job of the players on the pads is to put pressure on the ball carrier, to surround them and stop them from passing the ball. The players on the pads are also trying to force the passers to make mistakes e.g. drop the ball, throw a bad pass etc. The passers have to move the ball around the grid, avoiding the pads. Passers can pass the ball in any direction. Players on the pads should have a little fun, and within reason push the passers around a little. You can award points for each successful pass, and points to the defending team on the pads for every occasion when a ball carrier is surrounded or the ball carriers make a mistake. Don't forget to change the players around, and to give players on the pads a go at passing the ball under pressure. Law Variations: You could insist that passers have only 3 second to make their pass, or risk losing a point to the defending team.

Warm Up

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