EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED GRASSROOTS RUGBY COACHES
When it comes to coaching fundamentals, you don’t get much more fundamental than passing. Players aren’t all blessed with lightning pace or accurate kicking skills, but every player should be able to pass. The passing drills and handling activities in this section provide countless ways to improve your players passing and handling skills.
in Attack, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
Use this session to improve your players’ ability to break down an organised defence, simply by changing their running angles. It is not about fancy footwork in front of the defence. The ball carrier must hit a point and then move off at an angle with pace and force. MORE
in Attack, Passing & Handling, Rugby drills
Bring in the player from behind the attacking line to split the defence. Use this activity to develop the tactic and then put it into more game-like situations. MORE
in Attack, Passing & Handling, Rugby coaching videos
Improve the ball carrier's footwork to attack a gap at pace, drawing a defender and passing to a support player. Also, develop the roles of the support players to put pace onto the pass and change angles quickly. MORE
in Attack, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
This session works on a common problem – drifting out with the pass. The drift is a natural action that has two unfortunate effects. First it reduces the space for the outside players. Second it allows the defence to drift across. Help your players to break the habit with “attack the ball” running lines. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Practice plans
Though the pop pass is short, it still needs timing and accuracy. As a basic skill, all players should be able to draw a defender and deliver a pop pass into space for a support runner to accelerate onto. “Pop play” will help your players develop not only the technique but also their awareness of when to give a pop pass. MORE
in Attack, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
Once the ball is won at the set piece, the number on a player’s back should have no relevance to the skills and techniques they use. Working together in small groups (sets) and getting used to various tasks helps the players individually and collectively become more aware of what is needed and when, especially at the tackle situation. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills
Create good habits in attack by creating a smooth transition from tackled player to supporting player. MORE
in Attack, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
Looking up means your attacking players focus on the defence, to identify weaknesses and exploit them. By using visual cues, your players then will be able to make quick decisions on where to run and where to pass. I use variations of this session all the time to improve my players’ decision making. MORE
in Attack, Passing & Handling, Practice plans
In open play we want our players to identify the gaps in the defence AND move the ball towards those gaps AND then go through the gaps. This session works on these simple ideas, which you know are not so easy to execute. MORE
in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills
Practise falling on dropped passes or loose kicks as part of your core skills, especially in wet conditions. MORE
