Return to play: Pogo passing

Use this tried-and-tested activity to work on accuracy and detail with your team’s passing. With lots of easy to change variations, you can develop both the efficiency of the players’ handling and then add elements of pressure and pace. Ideal as a breakout skills zone during the session, as well as a warm-up.

Use the static players to co-coach, each time focusing on one of the key factors.

1. Adjusting the distances to suit your players’ ability, two players complete 10 cycles. They then swap the starting pass, so they are passing off their other hand.
2. The static passers aim to pass so the first receiver is running onto the ball.
3. Focus: catching early, hips up the pitch, but the shoulders turning to pass, lifting the rear elbow to push the pass, and pushing both hands through to the pass.

1. Develop by having a cone for the first or second receiver to run at, to change angles.

1. Finally, create a passing channel, with the pass coming from a scrum-half pass.

TECHNIQUE

• Catch early.
• Hips up the pitch.
• Lift the rear elbow and push the hands through.

COMMENT

The activity is partly used due to the running volume and its conditioning benefits at this point in pre-season. The feeders are then on their rest period. That’s important to point out as it can seem that the feeders aren’t doing enough!