Reality check of handling in Sevens

Sevens tournaments offer a unique learning environment for coaches.

You spend less than half of the time watching your own team and the rest observing others – ideal for spotting trends and challenges.

Warm-ups reveal little. While I once believed they could significantly improve performance, they are more about bringing players up to their potential – offering reminders, sharpening focus and loosening tight limbs.

Sevens ruthlessly exposes skill levels. With fatigue high, contact situations isolated and an increased number of passes, technical flaws are magnified.

Poor handling is a recurring issue I’ve seen in recent tournaments, particularly among younger players. 

Many are uncomfortable simply carrying the ball, let alone catching and passing under pressure. 

A basic five-metre pass remains a struggle, yet players still attempt 15m passes off their dominant hand, often with little success.

Rather than a criticism, this is a reality check. 

Players who handle the ball regularly outside of structured training appear far more comfortable in possession. 

When approaching contact, they instinctively protect the ball, adjusting their grip and body position to maintain control. 

In contrast, those whose primary exposure to handling comes from touch rugby often struggle with ball security, making offloads unreliable and turnovers common.

Even the seemingly simple task of running forward while passing backward proves challenging. 

The issue often lies in a lack of balance, rather than just technique. 

Many players can execute passes in predictable, structured drills, but struggle when timing and movement vary, such as in open play, where support players and defenders create unpredictable conditions.

What’s the solution? Patience. Provide players with abundant, game-realistic handling opportunities in training. 

Encourage them to pass at their own pace, but, above all, help them develop an appreciation for what a great pass looks like. 

When players understand and value precision, they become more determined to execute it correctly, both in practice and in the game.