Rugby: One Touch Off-Load

Your tips and session ideas have really brought some interest back...
Eifion, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

  • Keep your player briefing; brief, and get them working as soon as possible.I can't stress this enough, it's not a debating society - players want to play.
  • Split your players into two teams, giving each team their own set of bibs - if necessary.
  • One team will be in attack, the other in defence.
  • Tell the players we are going to play one touch off-load, the normal laws of rugby apply. Any forward passes etc. will result in the ball being turned over.
  • When a player is touched, they must pass right away without delay. A delay will result in the ball being turned over. Use your own judgement here, taking into account the age and skill level of the players.
  • Alternative: You might decide that one team will play 5 minutes in attack no matter what - and 5 minutes in defence.
  • They have unlimited touches, you can change this depending on your training goals.
  • Let them play - don't tell them what it's all about. Let them discover, remember this is the warm-up!
  • Don't hesitate to change any of the above to suit your training goals/targets.

COACHING POINTS

This warm-up is all about keeping the ball alive, running lines of support, and attacking space at speed. Remember, you don't need to focus on all of the following:

  • Keep the game fast; this is all about playing the game at speed.
  • Ball carriers should off-load to support runners and they need to focus on the quality of the off-load. The weighting and speed of the pass needs to take into account the position and speed of the support runner.
  • The ball carrier should ideally have the ball in two hands when touched, but if not - that's ok. Not everything in the game is going to be prefect, it's good that they look at different ways in which to offload the ball, and also evaluate what works best for them.
  • Tight support runners should be moving at speed onto the ball. Tight support can work to draw their defenders away from the space they will attack.
  • Good communication is essential, letting the ball carrier know who is in support, their position etc.
  • Players should be able to see where traffic has gathered, and where space might now be.
  • Attacking players should be able to quickly move the ball away from traffic and towards space.
  • Attacking players need to form supportive patterns behind the ball carrier.
  • Defenders need to work hard not to get draw into multiple touches, creating traffic and leaving space elsewhere.
  • Defenders need to take into account that the game is being played at pace, and that offload options may be executed around the touch area.
  • Ball carriers pace should help take them beyond the point of touch, this will later be the point of the tackle - Go Forward Ball!

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