The switch pass is notoriously difficult to coach. Try out this activity to let your players develop the right sort of skill.
There are lots of moving parts in a switch pass which mean, even at the top level, they can be difficult to execute. This activity gives the players more awareness of their running lines and potential passes.
Put up to eight players in the box with up to half the players carrying a ball.
Start by having the players walk around and when you shout “pass”, the ball carrier passes backwards from the direction they are moving.
They might have to wait for a player to become available.
As the players become better at this, increase the pace.
Develop by putting a ball carrier and another player each at the corner of the smaller box.
To start with the ball carrier runs across the box into the space between the middle and diagonally opposite corner, the non-ball carrier runs behind him to other space.
Swap roles and repeat several times.
Then ask the ball carrier to see if he can pass to the player running behind him.
Finally, if the players have made progress far enough, stand on the cone at the far end.
If you move to where the ball carrier is going, he passes. Otherwise he dummy passes.
Use this power pass exercise to work on both passing and passing out of the contact. The variability of how the attacker is held back increases the learning outcomes as players face new passing challenges. MORE
Don’t teach falling over. Teach the players to bounce themselves and therefore the ball off the ground and back into the game. It reduces the fear of falling by making the players embrace the ground as part of a skill for continuity. MORE
Mauling is a powerful weapon and you don’t have to be a big side to use it. A great tactic is to set up a maul from the back of a ruck to create go-forward and tie in their defenders. MORE
I’ve been talking tackling to plenty of coaches in the last few weeks. That’s not unusual. Therefore, I wanted to share with you one of my favourite tackling “drills”: High pressure tackling reactions. I say drill because it’s a 1 v 1 exercise. MORE