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Rugby: Passing circle

What a fantastic tool. I've found a few drills that are unfamiliar,...

Wes, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

Tell your players the following.....

There will be 4 players on the outside of the circle, starting at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions.
There will be one player in the middle.
The players on the outside of the circle jog around the circle.
The player in the middle will have a ball, and will pass the ball to one of the runners - for them to run onto it.
The new ball carrier will pass the ball back to the static player in the middle of the circle.
And the same happens again, but the passer cannot bass to the same player twice.
Players will have to respond to the calls: SLOW JOG, FAST JOG, FASTER, CHANGE DIRECTION, TOUCH THE GROUD WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND, TOUCH THE GROUND WITH YOUR LEFT HAND, etc.

Don't forget to change the static player.

COACHING POINTS

You don't have to focus on all of the following coaching points, you may have some of your own. Choose the coaching points that best support your session and training goals.

The tempo is progressively high, and the players should respond quickly to your instructions.

Communication should be effective, efficient, and encouraging. The timing of communication is also important, letter the passer know their options in terms of : speed, location, and distance.

Ball receivers have their hands out ready to receive the pass, they might clap to define the target.

Passers make the pass to where the receiver will be, not where they are.

Passes are weighted correctly in terms of speed, distance, and accuracy.

Players don't use spin passes over short distance.

Passers are sympathetic to the receiver and only consider the pass a 'good pass' when the ball is caught.

Players pass off both hands.

The static player uses a variety of passes to move the ball to support runners.

Supporting players stay alert, responding to what they see.

Supporting players use changes in foot-speed to respond to the pass.

Supporting players are tested by the passer e.g. a ball to run onto.

Supporting players return the pass quickly.

PROGRESSION

The player in the middle can use a number of pass, and the supporting players must run onto them e.g. a flick pass backwards, a one handed spin in the opposite direction. This will keep the runners on their toes, and test the passing ability of the static player. There is no point in progressing to this if the static player cannot weight their passes correctly.
Have more than one static player in the middle with a ball each.
Place poles around the edge of the circle for runner to weave in and out of. This will force them to not only scan the passer, but what is happening in front of them.

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Fitness and Handling Skills - Refresher Session

Work on their speed and stamina in this passing and receiving recap session - designed to get your players spreading their fingers for maximum passing control

OFTEN USED WITH...

Pressure Cooker:

4 players stand on the middle cones in the grid, avoiding the corner cones. The 2 players at the top and the bottom of the grid will have a ball. The players on the sides of the grid will have one ball between them.
The 5th player will be the ball carrier.
The ball carrier starts at the top of the grid facing the bottom. Moving forward they will take a pass off one of the middle players and pass the ball onto the other middle player. They will then collect a pass off the player in front of them, before popping the ball back to them. They will then turn and once again collect a pass off one of the middle players before moving it on to the other middle player. They then take a pass off the top player before popping it back and starting the exercise again.
They keep going until told to switch with another player.
The player in the middle can turn and flick the ball to the static players at the top and bottom of the grid, as well as popping the ball.

Passing

Round the circle Passing:

Each group forms a circle with players about 1m apart. First practise passing and catch around the circle. Next, the first player to pass runs around the outside of the circle. The player races against the ball to return to his/her start position.

Passing

Dizzy:

There will be one ball carrier at any one time.
They will run around the circle, passing the ball.
The ball must be handled by all players, so players work to identify themselves as needing the ball.
The ball cannot be passed to the person beside the carrier, but backwards passes are allowed.

The coach can change the direction of the players running and ask them to do things e.g. touch the ground with your right hand, touch the ground with your left hand, jump up and clap etc.

Passing

Beat the defence:

Offensive players (blue), line out in one deep line while the defence (red) line up opposite in a straight line, slightly inside player from the player that they are marking.

The offence will attempt to pass the ball across the line at speed.

Defenders will move up to stop them but do not tackle, simply press. This teachers the attackers to pass under pressure, as they try to pass across the line without making any mistakes.

Passing

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