Quick Coach: Groundhog ball
CORE SKILLS
Ball manipulation Gathering loose ball Footwork speed
THE STORY
“A player races out to pick up a ball cleanly and then win the race to the far line.”
SET UP
A 10m by 5m box. A ball per pair.
HOW TO PLAY
One player in the pair holds a ball at knee height or lower. The other player in the pair stands next to them. When you say go, the ball carrier rolls out the ball.
The other player races out, picks up the ball and aims to win the race to the far end. If the ball doesn’t go 5m, then it must be kicked ahead until it does.
DEVELOPMENTS NUMBERS With six players have three pairs. With five players, one player can roll out two balls.
About Dan Cottrell
Dan is a practising RFU Level 3 coach and coach educator. He coaches with the Bristol Bears DPP programme, is the assistant coach with University of Bristol Women's team and is a coach mentor for Broad Plain RFC mini and juniors section.
He was Head Coach of Swansea Schools U15 and has previously held coaching roles with the Young Ospreys Academy and as Assistant Coach with the Wales Women's Team for the 2010 World Cup.
He was director of rugby for Cranleigh School, Surrey. Previously he played rugby for Bath and Bristol.
Related
in Footwork and evasion , Rugby drills
One player goads another, then touches the line and races to the other end to avoid being touched by the chaser. It’s a like smaller version of the Bangladeshi game of Kabadd MORE
in Small-sided games
"An attacker tries to get the ball onto a cone before they are touched by a defender. Defenders can only run around the perimeter of the shape.” MORE
in Attack , Defence , Small-sided games
Attackers aim to use feints, footwork and handling to score over one of two try lines. MORE
in Footwork and evasion , Rugby drills
Improve your players’ footwork and ability to evade contact. The “hot box” means your players will need to use their peripheral vision and their ability to see where defenders are. MORE
in Defence , Small-sided games
“The defender keeps themselves light on their feet, head up and marking a potential break, coming forward to close down an attacker when they move forward” MORE
in Footwork and evasion , Rugby drills
“Attackers race onto the pass, so they don’t break stride, taking the ball comfortably to sprint to the end.” MORE
