Passing under pressure

What you tell your players the session is about:

1. Passing accurately and at pace when up against a defender.
2. Passing to create overlaps and overloads.

What you tell your players to do:

Attack the defender at pace before giving an accurate pass where the receiver wants it.

What you get your players to do:

In groups of three, one player (P1) controls the exercise, the next (P2) performs a series of skills and a third (P3) acts as receiver.

When P1 shouts “GO”, he feeds the ball to P2 who attacks a pole or cone. Just before the pole P2 gives a flat pass to P3 who comes onto the ball at pace.

P2’s skills/exercises can include hitting a pad and driving on, press ups and disorientation exercises (spinning round with closed eyes). P1 can also control catching skills, e.g. through random passing.

Developing the session

1. Swap the pole for a defender (possibly with a ruck pad) who varies the pressure put on the passer.
2. The receiver varies the distance of the pass (short or long) and off both sides.
3. Introduce a second receiver (one short and one long) so the passer has to decide who to pass to.

A game situation

The session can be developed further by playing a 3 v 2 game in a wide area. The three players attack the try line and try to score. The two defenders move from side to side along the try line. The attackers attempt to fix the defenders by running straight at them and passing to supporters coming at pace from deep. They should try to give passes as late as possible.

As the players improve allow the defenders to move forward and/or introduce contact. Change the teams around after each score.

Development: Each team stands 5m apart. You call for an exercise to be performed and then throw the ball to the attacking side after a short interval.