Rugby: Building Speed Onto The Ball

Attack the ball with speed and practice operating at pace with this week's foot-speed and handling skills session

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.

• Divide your players into groups of five, with one player acting as a running. Each grid will need a runner. The runner starts on the runners cone.
• You might wish to have two groups of five at each grid, and to have a quick demo before sending all the players to their own grids.
• Keep your player briefing, brief!
• The first five passers attack the runners line, passing the pass down the line as they go.
• The runner sets off as soon as the first ball carrier starts to move.
• The aim of attack is to score a try in the corner, beating the runner - so quick hands.
• Each player should realign following their pass, there will be two attacks for each group before they move the ball onto the next group.
• After the first attack the runner goes to their cones on the opposite side of the grid ready for the next attack. The attack begins when the first players picks the ball off the ground.
• Don't forget to change the runners.
• Move the runner cones in to progress the exercise and to put the attack under more pressure.

Keep your player briefing short. Tell your players the following....

1. Pass the ball left, clockwise for 2 passes.
2. Then right (anti-clockwise) for 1 passes.
3. Retain the ball and flick it to the player behind you.
4. Attack, at speed, across the grid. You will take a pass from the ball carrier on your left before finishing with a pop to the player in front of you.

• The pattern of this exercise can be a little confusing at the start, but when your players get the pattern there will be no problem. Start off slow and build from there.

Lets get the ball and the players moving with lateral passing through the hands. Each training area only needs one ball, and that ball should start with the any of the two players at the very ends of the L.

• Tell players to move forward, passing the ball down the line. When the ball gets to the last receiver, that player will pass it to the first receiver in the next line that is waiting to go.
• They should advance right away. Allow the players to simply move the ball down the line.