It would be a much easier game for everyone if the ball carrier knew he had support at all angles to the side and behind him.
If the ball carrier had complete confidence in support he could pass the ball without even looking – secure in the knowledge that it would be caught by a support player.
There are a number of adapted games that can be set up to achieve the ultimate support. Here are just two of them.
The first game is just about passing. The second is on making the ball available in contact.
This first game is all about support and reaching the best position to receive a pass.
Organise your squad into two teams of eight and play in a 20m square. Full contact, but no scrums or lineouts, all restarts are tap and pass. Two crucial rules are added:
This means the ball is never on the ground, so no rucks and with no targeting the ball, no mauls. This creates an ideal situation for a very fast, dynamic game that can only work if the support play is of the highest order.
Split your squad as you did for the first game, playing on the same size pitch. Full contact but allow no passing apart from gut passes, where the ball is pushed into the support player’s body, ripping the ball out and pick and go when the ball is placed on the ground in a ruck situation.
Support now has to be very tight and very close to the ball carrier, who is still encouraged to run for space and evade the opposition, but when the tackle is made, team mates are on hand to continue the movement forward.
Because it is tight and lots of contact is made, support players are now challenged with arriving at the right angles, behind the ball carrier rather than at his side and in low body driving positions. They may receive the ball or have to secure the ball by driving opponents away.
By using these two differing games with the emphasis on support, an all-round understanding of support play will become apparent in your players.
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