This highly entertaining exercise puts the spotlight on ball gripping and carrying skills, giving players the opportunity to experiment and you the chance to examine their technique closely.

What you need for this game

• 8+ Players
• 1 Ball
• 16+ Cones

Set-up

Use cones to mark out a playing area measuring 20m x 30m. Use more cones, to mark out a 3m wide goal at each end of the playing area and a 5m area around each goal, as shown 1.

Rules

The ball can be passed in any direction.

Goalkeepers only allowed in the goal area.

No contact.

Possession is reversed when either a goal is scored or the attackers lose control of the ball.

What you do as coach

1.Split the players into two equal teams of at least four. Each team should have a goalkeeper.

When you are ready, pass the ball to one of the goalkeepers to start the game.

2.The aim is for each team to score as many points as possible by passing the ball into the opposition’s goal. Players may run with the ball and pass it in any direction, but the goalkeeper is the only player allowed into the goal area.

3.Defenders should look to force an error or intercept a pass – no contact is allowed, but they can look to dislodge the ball. When one team scores, the other team restarts with a pass from the goalkeeper. Any mistakes that result in a team losing control of the ball, such as a knock-on or a spilled pass, result in the ball being handed to the opposition.

How you can progress the game

Give the players more room to manoeuvre by increasing the size of the playing area.

Increase the pressure on the players’ core skills by insisting on rugby passes only.

Pressurise decision-making and speed up counter-attacks by setting the number of passes in which a team has to score, or set a time limit on possession.

• Two teams of four players, each with one goalkeeper.
• Pass the ball in to start.
• Refresh: Discuss gripping technique: two hands, thumbs spread greater than 90º in the centre of the ball, arched palms and elbows out.

• Score by passing ball into the goal.
• Players can run with ball.
• Goalies only in area.
• Call out: From the outset, actively encourage the players to move the ball from hand to hand and to explore one-handed passes.

• Defenders look to take possession by forcing an error or intercepting the ball.
• Examine: Attacking players must use existing space well, or create their own space, to play the game effectively. Do they do this?