A simple lateral passing exercise for all standards. These basic skills are fundamental to rugby and should be repeated using a number of different practises. Key factors : Communication - Present a target with your hands - Run straight - Pass the ball across your body - Realign to repeat
To develop the lateral passing and take a look at the fundamental movements
Developing our lateral passing skills. The coach can alter the width, depth and number of players
An introduction to coaching the lateral pass
Handling Progression for developing the ability to create depth from a flat line
handling progression for developing lines of running and support
A core passing exercise for developing the lateral passing drill
In groups of 4, players must support each other through a tight channel of tackle shields, before panning out to complete lateral passes to the wing.
Here are different ways to develop a basic lateral pass exercise. Either increase the amount of players, or ask them to start from different positions.
Core skills development of teh lateral pass whgilst running
A quick exercise to identify ability in catching & passing. Encourage players to have targets up, and to hold their run.
An essential drill for new players, or a simple but relevant one for experienced players. New players should make sure their passes are not forward and are targeted in front of their teammate's chest. More experienced players can focus on speed of pass and footwork. In this example, a large group is split into two adjacent drills to ensure players aren't stationary for too long.
This simple drill breaks down the catch and pass while running in a straight line. Players also practice their communication skills.
A core handling exercise that coaches can use to vary the width, depth of pass plus introduce static and live defenders. An exercise repeated at the elite end of the game
A great warm up drill and passing exercise.
A core handling exercise for developing lines of running
Basic principles for the coach to focus on
Stand side-on to progress towards the lateral pass. Push the ball rather than swinging so your hand is pointing to the target after the ball has been passed. Maintain soft hands when catching the ball
Adding variations to a basic lateral passing drill is a solid foundation to build into strike moves. Players should concentrate on pass accuracy and the timing and direction of their running lines. Add defenders to progress.
Players work in 3s running around the corner and realigning to attack. Introduce defenders and the need to look up and communicate.
Learning to pass backwards is fundamental to rugby newcomers. This session brings minis out of a game for a few minutes to focus on that key skill, before taking them back into the game. Note the emphasis on questioning, development and how feedback changes depending on the ability of the child.
Learning to pass backwards is fundamental to rugby newcomers. This session brings minis out of a game for a few minutes to focus on that key skill, before taking them back into the game. Note the emphasis on questioning, development and how feedback changes depending on the ability of the child.
This clip provides some simple guidelines on coaching catch & pass for young players. The coach progresses to a conditioned game to help the learning process
To review the coaching points of the loop
To review handling Key factors
To develop handling skills
Aim of the game: In pairs, walk, jog or run around the grid, passing to their partner only when they call for the ball. Other players will be obstructing their vision and the flight of the pass, so decisions on when to pass will need to be developed
The quality of passes from Ford and Farrell to enable Elliot Daley to slide past his defender was the difference in the Wales V England match. The skills required to perfect these passes were honed on the training ground over several years. See what type of drills they did and still do
Harlequins pride themselves on their attacking play and the foundation to this philosophy is the quality of their passing. Attack coach Colin Osbourne runs skills session on passing accuracy.
Elite Sixth form players showcase that good passing technique is essential to become a good rugby player. The pass has some simple but very important components that need to be practised
This clip shows the classic passing process but with a significant twist in what players can do post the pass
Now working in just twos, we are concerned with depth, and the timing of the pass. Allow players to practice before adding a static defender. This can be a tackle bag as demonstrated. Players take the ball up to the defender but must complete the pass before they reach it.
This clip reinforces the importance of passing and especially accurate passing. The coaches use a variety of practises to test the players skills and help them progress
A simple pass-along-the-line warm up. Work in lines of 3 and ensure you pass off both hands. There's no need to do this for too long, but it is useful to get players switched on to passing.
Saracens academy coach Rory Teague explains the basic principles of the spin pass including the exercises and progressions that can be used to help players improve their techniques and accuracy
Controlling the ball is a fundamental skill, it may be simple but it is very important. Practise is important and is the foundation to passing and the ability to control and vary your pass
Lee Dickson leads a passing session at the Northampton saints summer training camp. The focus is on doing the simple things well and progressing the practises to make things more challenging
A basic handling drill for groups of young players with a mixture of talent. Emphasise technique, passing backwards, and running straight. As players become better they can try wider passes and add more pace. Encourage players to swap position. Counting the number of completed passes in a row challenges the players to never drop the ball.
Round the world passing challenge. Each player has a ball and they try and reach Ten passes of each hand. You can progress this by doing 1 pass to the left and then 1 to the right, then two to the left and so on until you get to 10, this is tough!!
The Wasps coaches use a mixture of games and drills to develop the passing skills of young players. Players are encouraged to respond to questions. Games are used to improve the learning experience
Some useful exercises for scrum-halves to develop their passing skills.
Being able to catch is fundamental to rugby and the majority of sports. Catching in rugby is slightly different due to the shape of the ball and understanding the technical points of "How to catch" is a very important area for all young players. This clip explains some of the finer points and why a good catch is the basis of a good pass
Working in pairs, the key point of this passing drill is for the support runner to be deep and taking the ball at pace.
Accuracy of passing can make the difference between finished chances or missed opportunities. In this video, Northampton Saints look at developing passing accuracy through games and focused exercises. Log in to see the full sessions.
This exercise is used by most coaches to identify a players passing and catching accuracy. The Northampton Saints coaches break down the skills required to ensure that "Simple things" are done well
Sale Sharks and Scotland scrum half Chris Cusiter leads a session on passing from the base of a scrum or ruck. In this first video, Chris addresses basic technique in a couple of exercises that warm up the wrists and arms.
This video takes you through the basics of why and how we pass in Rugby! Use these explanations and simple progressions to help your players.
This video takes you through the basics of why and how we pass in Rugby! Use these explanations and simple progressions to help your players.
Passing skills are a high priority for most coaches and teachers. This video features a "Grip Game" to test the offloading skills and ball control of players
Have some fun at home with some challenges passing games
A variety of drills and games to practice and improve your catching & passing
Coaching players to pass with variety and accuracy is one of the most important challenges a coach faces. The Harlequins academy players are presented with some very challenging exercises to help this process
To develop the Miss Pass
To develop and progress the loop pass
Working in waves of three, break down the components to catch and pass technique.
A passing game that encourages quick hands to catch out team-mates. Include press-ups to include a bit of upper body warm-up as well.
A simple passing game that is fun and competitive. You can add more players in and vary the distance to make this harder or easier. Different balls could be used as well. Dad's can do this at home as a fun game
Learning to spin pass is one of the first things young players want to do, it takes hours of practice and older / elite players continue practising throughout their careers. This video shows some simple exercises to do at home
At the JWC 2012 is was clear that more forwards were passing the ball.
Here are few exercises to help players of all ages improve their spin passing at home, even if there's no one else to practice with! As always, try to train your weaker hand so you have better options on the field.
Young Brazilian players just learning the game start out with some smile passing exercise, this is perfect for any young player starting out in the game
This passing exercise is weird, extremely tough to do but will take your players out of their comfort zone and challenge them, can your players master it?
To develop the core passing skills
Adding a live defender helps to encourage players to hold their depth in support, so a good pass can be completed.
Southern hemisphere players pride themselves on their passing skills. In this clip, the NSW Waratahs go through some wide passing exercises.
Test the middle player with a circle of players who feed two balls in. The passing players MUST call the middle persons name and give a good pass otherwise this exercise will fail. This is great fun if managed properly and excellent for hand / eye
The 10 pass warm up game is excellent to introduce an activity that has a focus on dynamic mobilisation and raising the heart rate.
Players should be asked to focus on their special awareness, passing technique and communication.
To maximise participation, introduce another ball or split the game into two or three smaller games.
Players must pass through gate before passing to supporting player before they reach the gate. This helps to ensure supporting players hold their depth and maintain a straight running line.
Harlequins Academy go through a few exercises designed to improve passing accuracy. Premier members can log in now to see full sessions from Harlequins and other Premiership clubs.
Being able to pass under pressure is how players perform in games. This exercise challenges players to react to multiple prompts and is great for all junior and senior players
This exercise looks to develop the decision-making around the timing of a pass, and highlights running at pace and holding depth.
Passing progressions are based upon the ability of players to fix defenders. Always insure your exercises reflect match situations and refrain from just doing drills because they look good
7. 5 Pass Game
The deep "Out The Back" pass is a play that is becoming more popular with several options and progressions. In this clip players from Harlequins run through a simple practise to improve their accuracy
Practicing rugby skills at home can be difficult if there are no others to play with. But there are still things you can do by yourself if you have a ball handy. This exercise requires passing against a wall, developing accuracy, hand-eye co-ordination and problem solving. Also, check out our other videos on developing grip.
Progress to working in 3s against two static defenders. The pressure is on the middle player to hold their depth and perform a quick pass.
Gradually progress from 2 static defenders, to 3 v 2 roaming defenders. The first two players must draw their defenders before giving the pass.
To get young players used to passing and catching the ball. This is best suited to a warm up exercise and get the players moving and active quickly
Understanding the swith pass and why it is used
Practising skills on your own can be tedious but using a wall to improve your passing can present some interesting challenges
Adding pressure to key skills is crucial to improve your players and to practise like you play. This exercise covers a variety of skills but essentially is about accurate passing and fixing defenders
A clever exercise that keeps the players involved and moving constantly with an emphasis on depth and accurate passing. Players need to concentrate, communicate and be accurate if the drill is to continue. Coaches can add width, more players or in this example another ball to increase difficulty
This clip outlines some of the fundamental techniques required to become a good passer of the ball from the ground, an essential skill for scrum half's. Simple and easy instructions for both coaches and players to benefit from
Northampton saints academy manager Ross Stewart outlines why the basics are so important and runs through some simple techniques
Here we take a look at a simple drill and Graham Steadman discusses the importance of getting the basics right. If every player can do this well your attacking speed will really improve.
Children are naturally competitive and will engage more in training exercises that include a competitive edge. This challenges their skills under pressure and creates excitement and fun
The aim is to fix defenders via the attacking players running straight, and preserving the space on the outside and to stop defenders from drifting. This will support the executing of overlaps.
A quick handling game to warm up. Handy if there's a few players standing around at the beginning of a session, waiting for others to turn up.
Players must closely follow the player in front, changing direction with them in a small grid. The front player pop passes to their closest supporter then rejoins the back of the snake.
A great fun practice using five players. One player works with the the other four players trying to catch him out using speed of pass rather than just throwing the ball at him. Very good for hand / eye co ordination
Four lifting pods must hold their jumpers aloft long enough for them to pass a ball through the hands twice. Lifters should stand close together and try to lock-out their arms. Jumpers should maintain a strong core and keep their legs straight to make life easier for the lifters.
Here are good examples of catch and pass to assist you in your coaching process
A basic 2 v 1 drill that encourages players to time their pass after they have drawn a defender, and for the supporting player to hold their depth.
This game promotes working hard off the ball and communicating with the ball carrier to give them the easier passing option.
Changing your catch & pass practises is always a good way to add variety into your sessions. This practise is not only different but the defenders are putting pressure on the attackers from a variety of angles
Use as either part of your warm up or as a breakout, this exercise is a high intensity passing challenge. Encourage your players to take ownership of this grid and manage the intensity themselves. Should create lots of fun
To practice the core passing technique before integrating into a moving drill or game.
Here the aim is for the player to pass the ball one-handed to support once they are touched.
A progression to build passing technique. The ball should be pushed from the waist rather than the player swinging the arm back first. Push through the ball so your arm finishes pointing at your target. Don't forget to practice on both hands.
When a solid Filton defence has denied them the outside, Oaklands College are able to break through the line thanks to good running lines from close supporting players and accurate offload passes.