Brian

I wrote a small coaching book for youngsters and include some tips here to hopefully help you:

Scrum Half needs to be able to have:

• Quick long accurate passes
• A huge work rate
• Be general of the forwards
• Be an accurate kicker
• Understand all the Team Moves

Key points of a scum half pass:

• Put the ball on the ground so the point is facing towards the direction you are passing to
• Put your rear foot beside the ball – it should be your right foot if you are passing to your left
• Make sure your feet are wide apart so you can get down to the ball
• Put both your hands on the wide part of the ball with the point pointing in the direction you want to pass
• Sweep the ball towards your target (the hands of the receiver or a point on a wall)
• Let the ball roll off the fingers of your right hand (if passing to the left and left hand if passing to the right)
• Follow through with the fingers of both your hands so that they end pointing towards the receiver
• Pass the ball at chest height in front of receiver

Make it harder:

• Try to sweep the ball away as soon as you touch it (without picking it up and moving it backwards before you pass)
• Increase the distance you are passing
• Get the receiver to run onto your pass – you will need to pass in front of them
• Try to pass to the left as well as to the right – it will take time to be good in both directions but don’t give up

I hope this helps and I am sure you will do well as long as you keep practising.

Richard Hill (who played for England as scum half) used to make 100 passes a day every day - even on Christmas Day!

Simon