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Support pockets
Urgency to get to the ball carrier is essential in keeping the ball alive when executing an offload. Get the support player into the pocket of the ball carrier.
WHY USE IT
It will help players develop an understanding of which support line they have to run in preparation for an offload.
Set up
Four cones set out as in pictures 1 and 3, one ball per group.
HOW TO DO IT
- Two attackers start on cones 2m apart. The first attacker starts with the ball and runs towards a 3m coned gate (see top picture).
- They use footwork to fix a defender and take them to one side of the gate to create the space for the other attacker to run into and take a pass (see middle picture).
- The defender can tackle below the waist only. Each player in the group gets to perform three passes.
DEVELOPMENT
Once this has been mastered, set up a 4v3 in a 15x5m box. The defenders stand 3m apart. The focus is on the ball carrier using footwork to fix and take the defender to one side and execute an offload (see bottom picture). Defenders can only tackle below the waist.
TECHNIQUE
The support player gets behind the ball carrier but because they don’t know which side the ball carrier will veer, they don’t get into position to receive a pass until the ball carrier has fixed the defender.
- Put a defender at one end
- Have a ball carrier and support player run forward
Related Files
- The support player takes the pass in the “pocket” behind the ball carrier
- The ball carrier steps to one side and passes into the space they were in. The defender must follow the attacker
Look for:
- Clear calling
- A sympathetic pass to the support player
- A big step out to create a pocket
development
- Four attackers run up the channel aiming to score at the far end
- The pass is far enough backwards to allow time for the next attacker to take the pass and adjust to fix the next defender
Dan Cottrell
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