Dummy Half Passing

admin    General, Handling    

The ‘Ruck’ is the centre of the universe!

Well it is probably the most important area of the Rugby Pitch that is for sure! Everything starts around the ruck, floor work and marker work followed by ruck plays and dummy half passing. If your hooker gets this pass wrong then inverably you turn the ball over and end up defending another set.

The following drills give you a lot of variation on passing off the floor to targets at different distances.

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Play the ball 'See Saw' Drill

admin    Handling, Play the ball     Attack the Line, Bump, Carry, Communication, Core Skills, Dummy Half, Grip, Passing, Play the ball, quick, See Saw, Tackle Sheilds, Timing the Run

Introduction

This drill uses many parts of the game of Rugby League and allows you to concentrate on different core skills depending on what you want to teach your team. A ‘See Saw’ drill is one that basically goes across to one side and then turns around and goes straight back to the other side a little like a see saw, you will understand better when you watch the videos. This is quite an advanced drill and probably not one you should be using much under 12 or 13 years old as the kids will struggle to understand it.

I have called this drill the Play the Ball see saw as that is the core component that I last used it to teach however there are many other core skills that it also works at the same time for instance ‘Timing the Run’, ‘Grip and Carry’, ‘Bump’, ‘Passing’ and Communication.

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Criss Cross Offloads

admin    Handling     ball carrying arm, Carry, Communication, hit and spin, offload, offloads, support, Tackle

INTRODUCTION

This is a neat drill that keeps everyone constantly working and see’s the players learning how to go into contact in a way that allows them to spin off the defender, keeping the ball carrying arm away and then works on the ability to offload to a man following up in support.

This drill requires Marker Cones, 2 Tackle Shields and a ball.

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Support Line Drill

admin    Handling, Warm Up     Catching, Coaching, Communication, Decision Making, drills, kicking, League, lines, Passing, Rugby, runnes, support

INTRODUCTION

This defensive drill works on a number of the core defensive skills as well as getting your defenders working together as part of a defensive unit. This drill will also work on player fitness when done continually for a set number of minutes.

Straights and Diagonals

admin    Free, Handling     Catching, Coaching, drill, Handling, League, Passing, Rugby

INTRODUCTION

This is a basic Rugby League handling drill which allows the coach to look at things like passing, catching, communication, running and passing in front of the man.

Explaining overs and Unders

admin    Decision Making, Handling     attacking, coaches, Coaching, Defence, defenders, drag, Handling, hold, inside, League, outside, overs, Rugby, runner, shoulder, step, support, unders

INTRODUCTION

Ultimately when coaching Rugby League, you want your players to create an overlap or to drag defenders out of position so that a hole is created in the defensive line for someone to go through!! Overs and Unders are a way of creating these holes for people to go through.

Both are coached in a very similar way, an unders line See’s the support player run towards the ball carrier and overs the opposite way. The video below shows you the unders line being run twice and the overs line once.

Introducing the dropoff or D-Ball

admin    Decision Making, Handling, Warm Up     attack, Coaching, d ball, Decision Making, Defence, double d, drop, Handling, League, off, Rugby

INTRODUCTION

The simplest way to describe the Dropoff ball is the ball carrier runs across the park and hits a man coming back on the inside of him, watch the following video to see what I mean

Can you think of any other ways to advance this one or do you have a question or comment? Please post them below.

Crossover Passing

admin    Handling     attack, Catching, Coaching, Communication, Defence, Handling, kicking, League, Passing, Rugby, set plays, strategy

INTRODUCTION

Crossover passing is a simple handling drill that allows the players to practice passing and catching the ball at pace and also re-adjusting their run so that they can react again in support.

INSTRUCTIONS

As per the following video start with 2 lines of players behind cones about 10 meters apart

Please make sure you add any questions or comments

3 v 2 v 1

admin    Decision Making, Handling, Warm Up     Catching, Coaching, core, kicking, League, pass off the floor, Passing, Play the ball, Rugby, skills, tackling

The 3 v 2 v 1 is a drill that can be used when learning individual elements of the game and then to keep practicing and making them better. The general idea is that you start with 3 defenders split into a 2 and a 1 with the 1 about 10 meters behind the other 2 and you also have 3 attackers hence 3 v 2 v 1. The 3 attackers first of all attack against the 2 defenders which give them a number of options (more about those a little later) and then once they have beaten those defenders they have to re-adjust and then beat the single defender in a 2 v1

INSTRUCTIONS

Set out an area around 10 meters wide by around 20 meters long, halfway down your area you want to place 2 cones either side of the drill, these are where

OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO

Start the drill with the players on their fronts or backs

Have 6 players in a line and give each a number, coach calls out 3 numbers who must react and defend whilst the others organize their attack very quickly.

Make the drill 30 meters along so the 2 defenders are retreating 20 and introduce a 10 meter line, the defenders set off with the ball passing it down the line and must place it anywhere on the 10 meter line and then retreat, attack must pick the ball up and complete the drill. This advancement changes the drill a lot as they then have to think about which defender to drag, which support player is running into space and also to take the correct option (Decision Making)

Can you think of anything else to add? Maybe you have a comment or a question? Please post them and join in the community.