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.

Dummy Runner or Option Runner

admin    Free     attack, Coaching, Communication, Decision Making, Defense, dummy, games, Handling, kicking, League, option, Rugby, runner, support

When I started coaching I got into the habit of asking players to be a ‘Dummy Runner’ in certain situations and very quickly they became used to being that ‘Dummy Runner’ which created problems further down the line. As the team progressed we then started getting the half backs taking on the line and picking the correct option which then caused a problem with our Dummy Runners.

What had happened is that the players had got used to running the lines but didn’t expect the ball but the halfs where giving them the ball because they where actually the correct option as they had a gap infront of them. Argutments ensued and the whole issue had to be addressed and thats when I realised a mistake had been made that slowed down our progress.

As an example take a look at the X Ball Video

This video is a basic introduction to the X Ball which introduces the players to the lines of runnall ing but we dont talk about running the X at the line and picking the correct option.

The X ball simply sees the widest runner go straight and then run across the front of the inside man who runs a line behind him. When I first started teaching this move I taught it that the Front runner was a dummy runner who never got the ball when  in reality as you see by the second part of the video the front runner should be an option.

The reason is simply that you never know where the defenders are going to go and they could spot the man going behind and all slide towards him leaving the front man going through a hole, simply you then want your half back to hit that runner and put him through the hole.

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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

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