Contact Help center
Rugby Rugby
HOME Rugby SEARCH

Rugby: grid passing

grid passing DRILLS
View All

Kick support and pass

1 player in a group of players kicks the ball into the air for the single player to catch the ball all player have to run and support the catcher and run towards the end of the grid passing the ball to each other.

Handling

Smooth passing - Working in 4s

Four players start to run across the grid passing the ball. On reaching the far side the wide player gives the ball to the player on the other side who then comes back with the 2 middle players and the new wide player.

Passing

Three Player Circuit

The players in their groups of 3 stand between the lines of the inner square with the working group stood inside the other players. The first group of 3 begins by running across the grid passing the ball. When they reach the centre the ball is put down an they then run at the players with the pads (on their left) each pushing their player to the outer square. The players then swap. The pad players run across to the tackle bags and push and tackle the bags to the outer square. Players swap again now the new 3 players (third group) run to the ball pick it up and take the ball turn right to face the 3 players on the 12 o'clock side of the square and run into contact for the ball carrier to present the ball. This ball is then picked up by the 3 players being pushed back and the drill starts again. Keep the tempo of this exercise high. Note: You can change the position of each activity within the training area - but that will impact on the instructions to coaches. Players can basically go in any direction, but they do need to communicate and work as a unit. Don't get to hung up on where players should be going, or in what order.

Contact Skills

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

Passing Grid Passing - Rugby D...

Set up a grid of about 10 x 10Aim to have 12 attackers and 2 defenders3 attackers spread out on each side of the square. One player starts with the ball and runs towards the first defender, before passing off to a supporting attacker, who runs towards the next defender and passes off to the other attacker in the threeThe ball is popped off to the end attacking player on the opposite side of the squareThe same play happens with three new attackers and same two defendersThe ball is then popped off to the side, and play continues until all four groups of attackers have run through twice.Then switch defenders.

General

3 v 1 Grid Passing - Rugby Dri...

6x6m Grid Ball Players line up in 3s opposite sides of the grid. Simply pass the ball along the line. 1 defender is in the middle of the grid putting pressure on all ball carriers.Once hand completed the next line starts immediately. Defender swaps out when there is a mistake or when he touches someone with the ball. Progression: add another defender, make the passes wider.

General

Rugby: Simple Passing Grid - S...

Brief your players one what you would like them to do. Start the activity by having all players pass the ball around the grid in any direction, they should moving around the grid as they do so. The only restriction is that they must pass in order 1 - 2, 2 - 3, 3 - 4, 4 - 5, 5 - 1 and so. Progress this exercise by having player 1 become a defender. The other players move the ball to avoid being touched by the defender. So in this example the ball would move in the following sequence: 2, 3, 4, 5, 2, 3, 4, 5. After some time, change the defender. Player 2 should now be the defender, the passing sequence changes to: 1, 3, 4, 5, 1, 3, 4, 5 etc. Progress this exercise further by choosing random defenders, attackers will quickly need to work out the passing sequence. If attackers get the passing sequence wrong, they do 1, 2, 3 etc. press ups - the defender does not.

General

Rugby League: Pass and follow ...

The first player runs into the grid and then passes square to a player either on their left or right before following their pass. The receiving player then runs into the grid and passes square before following their pass once again.

General

Passing Grid Progressions Pass...

Start out with a grid of 10 x 10Passing progressions are based upon the ability of players to fix defenders - ensure the exercise reflects match situationsStart with three groups of three or four, each on a corner of the square leaving one corner freePlayers need to come around the corner, bending their runs before straightening up before popping the ball off to the next groupThe ball needs to travel through hands of all the players in the group

General

Passing Grid-Under pressure Ha...

Groups of 12+ Balls Cones4 defenders lineup in a passing grid, that has laid out 2 red cones and 2 blue cones as shown in diagram. 4 attackers line up opposite passing the ball up and down there line of 4.When the coach shouts blue or red, the attackers set off, and the defenders on the coloured cone the coach shouts out. The Attckers must react fix the defenders, identify the space and score.

General

Grids part 3 Passing - Rugby L...

4 balls - pass ball to next person on cone to left (clockwise) then right (anticlockwise).

General

Fast Hands Passing - Rugby Dri...

Drill to practice fast, accurate passing.Set up a T shape with 3 cones roughly 5m away from the central cone (see diagram)One player stands on each cone, the player in the middle of the T is the player who works (yellow).The players on the outside (blue) take it in turns to pass to the working player (yellow), who must catch the ball and pass it to the free player on the edge (see video.PROGRESSIONS:Start slowly and increase the pace at which the players pass to the working player, giving them less time to catch and pass the ballIncrease the distance that the working player must pass the ball.

General

1v1 Tackle Grid Tackling - Rug...

Small playing area, for 1 v 1 tackling.Players line up in two lines adjacent to the coned area.Coach shouts go and the front two players run round their end to end up facing each other.The coach passes the ball to the attacker who runs at the defender, and the defender tries to take them down.

General

Three grids - Passing Alignmen...

Set up one small grid (5x5m), one medium grid (10x10m) and one large area (15x15m). Players work in groups of 3 with one ball. Coach shouts out the name of a square (large, medium or small) and players have to realign quickly inside the coloured square. The idea of this practice is that players understand how to use the full width of the pitch and realign quickly.

General

Pressure Cooker Passing - Rugb...

4 players stand on the middle cones in the grid, avoiding the corner cones. The 2 players at the top and the bottom of the grid will have a ball. The players on the sides of the grid will have one ball between them. The 5th 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 one of the middle players and pass the ball onto the other middle player. They will then collect a pass off the player in front of them, before popping the ball back to them. They will then turn and once again collect a pass off one of the middle players before moving it on to the other middle player. They then take a pass off the top player before popping it back and starting the exercise again. They keep going until told to switch with another player. The player in the middle can turn and flick the ball to the static players at the top and bottom of the grid, as well as popping the ball.

General

3 v 2 into 2 v 1 Passing - Rug...

Drill to practice overlap situations.Set up a grid roughly 10m x 10m, with another grid roughly 5m x 5m adjacent to it (see diagram - red cones and green cones).In the bigger grid have two defenders (red) and in the smaller grid have one defender (red).Three attackers (blue) attack the 2 defenders in the first grid. Once they have completed the 3 v 2 situation the player with the ball and one other support player run around the cone and attack the one defender in the smaller grid.Swap the attack and defence after 3-5 repetitions. PROGRESSION:The ball starts on the opposite side to practice passing in both directions.A coach/other player feeds the ball to the three attackers so the drill can start in any position. The coach/other player can kick or roll the ball to the attack to start the drill.

General

3 Man Tackle Grid Tackling - R...

Get all players into teams of 3 One group of 3 with bibs start as defenders  In a 10mx10m grid - the other groups line up either side of the grid as attackers. Split evenly. The defenders work together to stop the attacking side scoring and getting through  After a tackle is made or a try is scored, the attacking team pop the ball off to a team on the other side of the grid who attack straight away Defending side need to react and realign quickly to stop the next team from scoring Start as shoulder on and then can progress to full contact Defence works for 1 minute and then change Competition - Team with the least tries scored against them wins

General

Rugby: Passing Lines of 5 - Sp...

Set up an area of about 15 x 15m. Have 2 teams of 5+ players, with 1 one ball.The players can run anywhere in the area but can't run with the ball. The first team that get 10 passes wins a point. If the ball in intercepted or dropped then turnover. The 1st pass is after the turnover is free.Stop the game every 1 minute to stretch for 30 seconds.PROGRESSIONPlayers can run with the ballPlayers can run with the ball for 2 seconds onlyOverhead passes onlyTouch the ball on the ground before passingCan't pass back to the person you've received it from

General

Catch and pass channel Passing...

8+ players  Ball  Players stand at equal distance away at differnt points along the grid. One working player runs in the middle of the channel.  The players on the outside pass the ball into the running player. The Working player must complete 2 sets of passing - 1 run off each hand. 

General

Tri-Attack Passing - Rugby Dri...

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.

General

Passing Central Passing - Rugb...

Keep your player briefing, brief - and get the players moving as quickly as you can. You may consider having a demo group. On your go: The player acting as the Scrum Half passes a ball to the grid on his right and then another ball to the grid on his left, both passes will be from the ground. Upon receiving the pass - each grid begins their 2 v 1 attack and the player with the tackle pad presses up in defence. When the player acting as the scrum half has completed their two passes, they join the attackers on either the left or right grid. The first receiver of each attack becomes a Scrum Half - or simply returns to the start of the grid to join a new attack as the first receiver. Players rotate positions e.g. Scrum Half, First Receiver, Second Receiver. Defenders can move forward and back, and side to side. Change the defenders often to give them a chance in attack.

General

Fixing Defender Progression Pa...

Groups 10+ Balls Cones Sausages.1. Chanel Fix Groups of 5. Attack sausages lined up one behind eachother. They must use footwork to step to a side of the sausage and then give a pass before running into/past it.2. Passing Grid - Static Defenders Normal 3 man passing grid, however with sausages placed in the middle.Players run forward use footwork to beat the bag and give the pass back inside. (pass before the sausage).3. Passing Grid - Moving defenders. Same as above but instead of sausages, use moving defenders with bags.4. Passing Grid - Starting on corners.Groups of 4 start on each corner with 2 defenders in the middle. The attacking line must get around the corner and square up to beat the 2 defenders. At other end give to next group and start again. Continuous. 5. Final Game Groups of 3 on all sides of the grid, with 2 defenders in the middle.Continuous drill to score as many tries as possibel in 1 min. Focus on all skills above.

General

Drop Off Passing - Rugby Drill...

4 cones with 2 balls.Players start running at the same time and when the meet in the middle, the blue players give a drop off pass to the red player before both continuing their run to the opposite end to which they started.

General

Pop and Pass Passing - Rugby D...

Tell the players the following.... The player on the cone passes the ball forward to the player just in front of the cone, the passer then become the runner. The reciever pops the ball for the runner to run onto. Runner takes the ball and makes a bawards pass to the player on the cone opposite them.  The runner can drift to increase the distance of the pass. Players should side step to avoid one another in the middle of the grid. The first reciever can change the way they present the ball: they could set the ball on the ground for the runner to pick, they could lob the ball into the air for the runner to reach for and catch, they could deliver a low pass aross the knees for the runner to catch etc.

General

Rugby: Speed pass challenge - ...

Groups of 8Ball Cones2 sets of 4 players line up back to back.Cones are places 3m apart and 3 in fornt of both set of players.When the coach says go the players must complete 4 passes before reaching the far cones. Then they must turn and do the same off coming back. (1 rep) Its a race agaisnt the opposing attackers to compelete the the reps given.

General

Soft Hands Passing - Rugby Dri...

The aim of the drill is to develop players awareness and passing.

General

Grids part 4 Passing - Rugby L...

Put one player in grid about 2 metres in. Pass ball to target man - get return pass - run through. Have 4 target men.

General

4v3-realign Tackling - Rugby D...

4 sausages 4 Bags The sausages and bags are lined up alternately in a line.8 defenders start lined up outside of the tackle grid.Whistle goes, the tacklers must shuffle across as a team (in a line) to line up opposite a bag or sausage before making a hit.

General

Switch Over Attack Passing - R...

Drill to practice attacking organisational skillsSet 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.

General

The Next Pass Passing - Rugby ...

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.

General

Kamikaze Passing Passing - Rug...

Passing drill under pressure.Set up a grid roughly 20m x 15m, with lines of 4 players facing each other across the grid. Each line of 4 needs a ball.The first line on each side of the grid starts running to the other side of the grid while passing the ball along the line.When those teams reach the half way point (white cones) the other two teams begin.When teams approach eachother they need to avoid running into eachother/dropping the ball but will need to continue to pass the ball along the line.

General

Periperal Vision Passing - Rug...

X throws ball up and A must the pass the 2nd ball to X, who catches passes to B. X then catches the original ball and throws it up again, while B passes the 2nd ball back to X who passes it on to A who then catches original ball again.

General

Rugby: Passing Along The Line ...

Simple hand drill that can be progressed onto many simple backline movements. 1 ball, 4 players, area of 20-30m by 20m 1st player starts with the ball who commences the sequence by running, 2nd player run from depth and receive the ball then pass to 3rd player who will do the same to the 4th. From this point the order will reverse to get another repetition through everyone's hands so you can score at the end of the grid.

General

Unfortunately there were no results for your search! Please try again
grid passing ANSWERS
View All

what does catching the ball between the legs acheive for the players

Archived User Coach

Top Tips for Girls U12 Tag Rugby

About to start a Girls U12 Tag Rugby team (hopefully) to run over the Summer months. Has anyone any particular top tips?

Gary D Coach, Northern Ireland

I'm starting coaching under 14 what are best drills?

I'm starting coaching under 14 what are best drills to start ?

mario smedile Coach, Italy

First time coaching U9 and U10s - anyone got any backline coaching tips?

Hi im a first time coach and is still getting the hang of how the technical details of the game works the back line is my department and whould like any help i can get to know what drills to do and anything helpfull in the backline im currently coaching for the under 9 and 10

Archived User Coach

Ball retention skills

How can I improve my U15 ball retention skills? They keep getting stripped or lose the ball in contact.

Noel Hill Coach, England

passing

drills for passing with u8s

Poppy R Coach, United Kingdom

JOIN SPORTPLAN FOR FREE

  • search our library of 1100+ rugby drills
  • create your own professional coaching plans
  • or access our tried and tested plans
STAY CONNECTED

in more ways than one

sportplan_rugby
LATEST COACHING TRENDS
The Lone Ball Carrier: A Halloween Coaching Nightmare

The Lone Ball Carrier: A Halloween Coaching Nightmare

The isolated ball carrier is rugby's spookiest turnover. Here is the five-step fix, plus drills that rebuild support lines fast.

October 2026
|
Sportplan Coaching
Ball Carrying Without Dipping: Footwork, Height and Leg Drive

Ball Carrying Without Dipping: Footwork, Height and Leg Drive

Tacklers are aiming lower, so carriers who dip late put heads at risk. Teach footwork, a strong early body height and leg drive to win the collision safely.

October 2026
|
Sportplan Coaching
The Scrum Brake Foot Is Now Law: Coaching Safer, Steadier Scrums

The Scrum Brake Foot Is Now Law: Coaching Safer, Steadier Scrums

The hooker's brake foot moved from trial into full law in July 2026. Here is how to coach it so your front row stays stable, legal and safe.

October 2026
|
Sportplan Coaching
VIEW ALL COACHING TRENDS
Rugby POPULAR SEARCH TERMS
touch rugbyjunior backline drillstacklingpassingtag rugbyunder 8lineoutfitnesstouchmaulscrumlines of runningruckingwarm updefenceruck7tagtacklesevens

What our users have been saying...

Coaches from around the world look to Sportplan for coaching confidence.

Sportplan rugby has played a large role in my team's love for the game!

Heather Weston Rugby Coach, United States

I am so pleased with all of the drills and advice on rugby. I am a player for my local club and we don't have a coach at the moment so I, as a senior player, am filling that gap. With your help, the team has been able to improve our skills.

Mokie Tau Rugby Coach, Papua New Guinea

Your tips and session ideas have really brought some interest back to our rugby training. The players and I now really enjoy our training sessions.

Eifion Highes Rugby Coach, United Kingdom

Wow what a great website, I have found sportplan an important tool for me when planning my netball sessions with my netball team. There are alot of very helpful tips/ideas/skills that I can learn and teach to my team. Thank you sportplan I hope to continue to use your helpful tips and to learn more about improving my teams netball skills. Thanks again....keep it up....

Monique New Zealand

I have been using Sportplan now for 3 years and can honestly say that I have never repeated the same session twice. My girls are always focused and are improving every year. Thanks Sportplan.

Debbie Cross Australia

What a fantastic tool. The Chalkboard and session tools make an unbelievable difference in making training plans in both time and organization. I will be instructing all of my assistant coaches that this tool must be used for all sessions during the season, so that we may build a club coaching resource library.

Wes Campbell Rugby Coach Canada

I can't get enough of the Sportplan, It has given me back the enthusiasm i was starting to lose. My girls are so keen and are ready at 14 to take the next up in their game. Sportplan will help no end.

Cornel Basketball Coach, South Africa

SIGN UP NOW FOR FREE

  • search our library of 1100+ rugby drills
  • create professional rugby coaching plans
  • or access our tried and tested rugby plans

Sportplan App

Give it a try - it's better in the app

SPORTPLAN USES COOKIES

Sportspeople like cookies too! By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. More info

Privacy Policy
We are committed to privacy and support current industry initiatives to preserve individual privacy rights on the Internet. Protecting your privacy on-line is an evolving area and this website will constantly evolve to meet these demands.


Cookies
Some of our web pages utilise "cookies". A "cookie" is a small text file that may be used, forexample, to collect information about web site activity. Some cookies and other technologies may serve to recallPersonal Information previously indicated by a web user. Most browsers allow you to control cookies, includingwhether or not to accept them and how to remove them.

Some cookies are necessary for the operation of our website, if you choose to block them some aspects of the site may not work for you. Non necessary cookies are only set when you have given your explicit consent to their use. Such cookies included those set by our statistics package Google Analytics.

We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.

More info
Rugby POPULAR SEARCH TERMS
3 v 2 7 counter rucking defence defense fitness football forward drills junior  backline drills lesson plans line out lineout lineout drills lines of running maul passing ruck rucking rugby scrum scrum machine search sevens tackle tackling tag tag rugby touch under 8 warm up
YOUR SESSION IS STARTING SOON... Join the growing community of rugby coaches plus 1100+ drills and pro tools to make coaching easy.
LET'S DO IT