Rugby: 4v3 Passing Channel

• This is a backs moves passing exercise, aimed at drawing and fixing up a defender, to give a supporting teammate more space and take the defender out of the play
• 3 attackers line up along one side of the area, 2 defenders stand next to each other on the short side next to the coach
• On GO, the defenders run into position and the coach passes to the first attacker
• The attacker runs with the ball towards the first defender before passing sideways to their teammate
• That player then runs at the second defender and before contact passes across to the spare attacker to run to the other end of the area.

Drill to practice 3 v 2 attacking scenarios.

Set up a channel 20m long and 15m wide with cones every 10m along the length (red, yellow, green).

Set up 5 lines of players between the first two cones, the two players on each end are the defenders (red), and the three in the middle are attackers (blue).

The ball starts with one of the defenders on one side and that player runs forward and throws a long pass to the defender at the other end of line. He then continues his run around the far (green) cone to defend.

The defender who has caught the ball puts it down on the middle (yellow) cone and continues his run around the far (green) cone to defend.

Once the second defender has put the ball down on the yellow cone the attackers may begin their attack. The player nearest the cone runs to pick up the ball and then they attack the two defenders, trying to score over the line marked by the green cones.

PROGRESSION:

Start from the opposite side to practice passing in both directions.

Reduce the width of the channel to make it harder for the attackers to score

Add a defender to come round late and create a 2 v 1 after the 3 v 2

Drill to practice overlap situations.

Set up a grid roughly 10m x 10m, with another grid roughly 5m x 5m adjacent to it (see diagram - red cones and green cones).

In the bigger grid have two defenders (red) and in the smaller grid have one defender (red).

Three attackers (blue) attack the 2 defenders in the first grid. Once they have completed the 3 v 2 situation the player with the ball and one other support player run around the cone and attack the one defender in the smaller grid.

Swap the attack and defence after 3-5 repetitions.

PROGRESSION:

The ball starts on the opposite side to practice passing in both directions.

A coach/other player feeds the ball to the three attackers so the drill can start in any position. The coach/other player can kick or roll the ball to the attack to start the drill.

• Attackers react to the defensive line in a 3 v 2 situation
• If defence is compressed - overs - an outside line should be exploited. Can use two or three attackers to attack into the wide space
• If defence is wide - unders - a tight inside line should be hit by the middle player into the gap between two defenders.