Long, short or contact: Options for forwards in attack

WHY USE IT

Develop forwards’ passing options so they can pass short or release the backs when carrying in midfield.

Set-up

A 10m square, followed by a 25m square. Also, ruck pads and a tackle tube.

HOW TO DO IT

• A feeder passes to a forward who has a support player inside or outside them and a back running wide.
• With two ruck pads coming forward, the receiver reacts in one of three ways (picture 1):

1. They pass behind the support player to the back
2. They pass short
3. They take contact

• To start with, you can tell them which one to do.
• Next, try a game scenario in a 25m square. Two forwards each drive into a ruck pad. A 9 waits by a tackle tube along with two more pad holders further out (picture 2).
• The forwards run around to be in position to take a pass (picture 3). In the meantime, a back gets into position to take a wide pass from one of the forwards.
• The 9 feeds one of the forwards, who are put under pressure by the two pad holders. The receiver decides which of the three options discussed to take.

TECHNIQUE

• Take ball close to gain line, but don’t run onto it too fast
• The forward support player should change their angle before taking the ball.
• The back must lie deep and be sympathetic to the length of the forward’s pass.