RTP Pairs support: Great for Ready4Rugby skills zone

by Dan Cottrell in Passing & Handling, Return to play

Develop your players’ ability to work in pairs in attack to beat defenders or offload under pressure to a support player. A great skills breakout for Ready4Rugby training.

The ball carrier should always aim to go forward first and then beat the defender in front of him. If he can’t then he should be aware of his support players and offload the ball before or during contact.

Split into pairs, with one pair in the middle of the box and the other pairs with a ball each at one end of the box.

When you say “go”, the ball carrier aims to get to the other end of the box without being two-hand touched by one of the players from the middle.
If he is touched, he has to pass the ball immediately.
The defender is only allowed to touch the pair once in each go.
If the ball is dropped, the ball is not passed immediately or the ball carrier runs out of the box, then that pair become the defenders.
If two groups make these mistakes, the ball carriers from each pair become the defenders.
Once at the other end, the pairs swap the starting ball carrier.
Develop by increasing the level of contact by the defenders.

Finally, split the box in half. Put one defender in each side of the box, facing two or three attackers.
Repeat the exercise, but this time the player who makes the mistake becomes the defender.

TECHNIQUE

Use footwork to beat the defender.
In support, run behind the ball carrier until he’s ready to pass, then accelerate onto the ball.

Share this: Share

Don’t switch out of the game

in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills

A switch or scissors play helps change the angle of attack. Stop the passer tuning out after the play but look for a second touch on the ball. They are often the best-positioned player to take advantage of any break. MORE

Double up the tip pass

in Attack, Passing & Handling

A tip pass is a short flat pass where the passer can immediately support the receiver as they go into contact. It can unbalance the defence because of the change of focus and helps dent the defence. Creating 2 v1 mismatches is just as effective in close as in space. The power of two is a powerful weapon. MORE

Switch and stay in the game

in Passing & Handling

Make your switch plays into a support play too, as the passer then turns quickly to be ready to take a pass from the receiver. The receiver “wraps” back to make this work. A switch play attacks the inside, weak shoulder of a defender. Execute this well as a passer by drawing the defender out of position. Once the pass has gone, get back into the game. MORE

Smash the gain line and offload

in Contact, Passing & Handling, Rugby drills

Use great footwork and leg drive to break through defences while ensuring support players are on hand to take a quick pass beyond the initial contact. Get the ball carrier to run the right angles to attack the gap between defenders, smash through the tackle and then offload to their support players. The support players will learn the best lines to receive the offload. MORE

Power pass

in Passing & Handling, Rugby drills

Use this power pass exercise to work on both passing and passing out of the contact. The variability of how the attacker is held back increases the learning outcomes as players face new passing challenges. MORE

Ground bounce

in Contact, Passing & Handling

Don’t teach falling over. Teach the players to bounce themselves and therefore the ball off the ground and back into the game. It reduces the fear of falling by making the players embrace the ground as part of a skill for continuity. MORE