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.

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