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.
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