Long pass plays – timing and running lines

WHY USE IT

Make long pass plays crisp to stop defenders drifting with the pass. 

SET UP

A ball, the side of the pitch and cones. A 30m wide by 20m long box for the game situation.

HOW TO PLAY

EXERCISE: Put a receiver in the 5m channel at the side of a pitch, another player in the 5-15m channel and a further player outside the 15m channel. Add a defender opposite the first two players. A feeder passes to the first receiver with the defence starting 8m back from the line of the ball. The first receiver must pass the ball inside their own channel, but can then loop to receive another pass. Using touch tackling, the defence closes down the attack who aim to score in the far channel.

• Three attackers line up, one in each channel at the side of the pitch
• Put a defender opposite the first two attackers. They can move outside the channels once the ball is played
• Put a feeder 8m back from the defenders

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: The first receiver always starts with a pass in their own channel. One point for a score in the first two channels, two points in the far channel.

1. Using a miss pass
2. Using a short pass, then a long pass
3. Switching channels
4. Using a loop play

GAME SITUATION: Put four attackers at one end of the box with three in one half and one in the other. Put a feeder about 5m outside the box, around 5m up. Shout out a letter, then countdown from five. Three defenders run around the lettered cone. Using touch or full tackling, the attack has to score at the far end once they receive the ball after the countdown.

• Three defenders run around the nominated cone
• The attackers are fed the ball after the countdown
• Three points for a try in the far channel, two points in the near channel

COACHING POINTS

• Long passer: Fix your opposite player, then release the pass.
• Last receiver: Hold your run, don’t drift away from the pass.
• Aim to fix the defence before attacking the outside channels.