A Quicker Scrum Half Pass In a recent issue of Rugby Coach, Stephen Aboud, National Coach Development Manager at the Irish RFU, described an alternative way of increasing the speed of your scrum half’s pass. Coming soon in Better Rugby Coaching, Stephen will also look at how improving your player’s foot positions can improve the speed and accuracy of the pass. The mechanics of the pass The scrum half pass is like a sling-shot. It has a slow, deliberate start, followed by a long "pull", resulting in the final explosive release of the ball. The traditional key factors for coaching a scrum half (9) pass are: •A low body position to keep the pass from rising too high. •A wide base to help give the player a long sweep to gain distance. •A long follow-through with the hands to ensure accuracy. The challenge The challenge is to develop a quicker, more efficient pass while not compromising on accuracy and distance. This is not just about getting the ball there quickly, but also in a manner that is best for the receiver. That means, at the right pace, at the right height, and in the right place. A quick pass is not measured by the speed of the ball The speed of the ball does not make a quick pass. My definition of a quick pass would be in relation to the time the ball is in the passer's hands. I call this the "T"-time. Key measures of a good quick pass: •Speed: Reduce the "T"-time through the hands. •Accuracy: Correct the depth and appropriate height of the pass. •Distance: Achieve the required distance to launch attacks. •Empathy: Passing for, rather than to the receiver. A pass should begin to decelerate rather than still be accelerating when it reaches the fly half (10). •Support: After passing, the next function of the passer is to provide support in order to maintain quick continuity of play. In order to achieve these outcomes it is necessary to modify specific key factors of the "traditional pass" and produce a quicker, more flexible pass. Shorten the "base width" (the distance between the feet) A wide base provides more stability and the opportunity to swing the ball longer, resulting in a longer pass. A shorter base is less stable but means the ball spends less time in the hands and moves through the hands quicker ("T"-time). The distance of the pass may be shorter initially, but with practice and the other adjustments below, it will not be significantly affected and may even be improved. Weight-transfer and momentum In the pass, the body momentum and therefore weight is better off going towards the receiver. Therefore the scrum half should approach and address the ball from a more side on stance. This also has the benefit of allowing the passer to "see" the receiver for longer, allowing a more accurate pass. Body-height, head and shoulders The traditional pass promoted a lower body position, keeping the head down which kept the pass from rising too high and helped with greater distance and control. However with the adjustments to the approach, base and momentum modifications to body height, head position and shoulder positions must also be changed: •More bend at the knees than at the waist. •Keep the head up (think of a discuss thrower).