The MIss Pass - coaching tips

To develop the Miss Pass

Evasion 1 v 1 after pass

Core skills handling

Lateral passing & miss pass with follow in 3s

handling progression for developing lines of running and support

Defence - 2. Miss Pass

If a miss pass is used, the passer and the player missed, are no longer primary theats

However they may become primary threats again if they take up support lines

Core skills Miss Pass intro

To develop the core passing skills

The Miss Pass Key Coaching Points

To review handling Key factors

2 v 1 Draw and Pass

A basic 2 v 1 drill that encourages players to time their pass after they have drawn a defender, and for the supporting player to hold their depth.

Passing - 2 v 1 Static Defender

Now working in just twos, we are concerned with depth, and the timing of the pass. Allow players to practice before adding a static defender. This can be a tackle bag as demonstrated. Players take the ball up to the defender but must complete the pass before they reach it.

The Miss Pass intro

Develop handling skills

The MIss Pass game footage

to illustrate handling skills

2 v 1 Passing

Adding a live defender helps to encourage players to hold their depth in support, so a good pass can be completed.

Learning to spin pass 1

Stand side-on to progress towards the lateral pass. Push the ball rather than swinging so your hand is pointing to the target after the ball has been passed. Maintain soft hands when catching the ball

2 v 1 with withd & flat pass

These are core skill drills for youngsters to learn the game. As a coach you can alter the width and depth of the supporting players

The Miss Pass - simple exercise

To develop handling

The Miss Pass - common problems

To develop handling

The switch pass - game footage 1

watch the switch in action

Learning to pass 2 v 1

Developing lines of running to attack the inside shoulder of defenders

Defence - 1. Primary Threat

If the ball is tucked under one arm, the ball carrier is unlikely to throw a 10 metre miss pass. So are the attackers 2 and 3 places out the primary threat?
If the ball carrier is running with the ball in both hands, the immediate threat may have a wider radius

If two centres are running at a centre and a prop, the primary threat may be the space defended by the prop

Fun passing game

Round the world passing challenge. Each player has a ball and they try and reach Ten passes of each hand. You can progress this by doing 1 pass to the left and then 1 to the right, then two to the left and so on until you get to 10, this is tough!!

Sevens - 2 v 1

A variety of passes create a 2 v 1 which is executed perfectly for the outside attacker to score. Key factors : Different angles of running and support - Comunication - Ball presentation - Effective clearing of defenders at the breakdown - Accurate wide passes - Attack the inside shoulder of the last defender - Flat spin pass

Sevens - 2 v 1

Having identified a 2 v 1 situation, the RGS Guildford player decides not to give an early pass from the breakdown, but instead to run and commit the defender before giving a pass to his teammate. Key factors: Timing - communication - accurate passing

Men's - 2 v 1

A good example of phase play to create a 2 v 1 attacking platform. The initial deep pass then creates an overlap and the defender drifts to allow the attacker to run through easily.

Key factors : Quick ball at breakdown - Straight lines of running - Deep pass - straight lines of running again - Loud communication

Sevens - 2 v 1

Seven's is about creating chances and then taking them. In this clip the Blue team take the ball up the middle of the pitch to draw in defenders, after recycling the ball they have a 2 v 1 opportunity, a straight line of running and a flat wide pass creates the try. Key factors : Call early - Run straight - Wide spin pass - Catch and swerve to score

Players First - Circle & Caterpillar Game

A great fun game to get training started and integrate new players into your squad. Lots of progressions and a variety of skills on show

3 v 1 in Channel

A progression from the 2 v 1, where a second pass is encouraged to move the ball away from the defender.

Sevens - Patterns of Play 1

A variety of passing and phases which are used to stretch the defence in order to create a whole for the attacker to exploit. Key factors : Wide spin pass - Short pop pass - Overhead pass - Lots of calling and commuication - Players retreat backwards to be in support

Passing Accuracy

Accuracy of passing can make the difference between finished chances or missed opportunities. In this video, Northampton Saints look at developing passing accuracy through games and focused exercises. Log in to see the full sessions.

Stress Passing Challenge

Test the middle player with a circle of players who feed two balls in. The passing players MUST call the middle persons name and give a good pass otherwise this exercise will fail. This is great fun if managed properly and excellent for hand / eye

Sevens - Strike Moves 1

A simple but effective attack from a scrum. Three good passes provides the winger to run past his defender to score. Notice how the first reciever is directly behind the scrum and not to the side, (This makes the pass from the scrum easier when under pressure). Key factors : Position of 1st reciever - Run straigh and wide spin pass - Speed of the runner

Men's - Patterns of play 1

Three phases of play with accurate passing and quick ball from each breakdown creates the opportunity for the scrum half to run through and score

Key factors : Present a target with your hands - Pass the ball laterally - Run straight / inside shoulder of the defender

1 v 1 Evasion Skills

A lone attacker must beat a single defender. This is great way to develop evasion skills in the attacker, and positioning for the defender.

Broncos 1 - Scramble defence - Tracking back

Use this exercise to replicate a line break with one defender to beat. The attackers need to move the defender and execute a 2 v 1 while the initial defender tracks back to stop the pass. Also works movement at top end speed for the main attacker

Women's - Patterns of Play 1

Three phases of play with accurate passing and quick ball from each breakdown creates the opportunity for the scrum half to run through and score Key factors Present a target with your hands Pass the ball laterally Run straight / inside shoulder of the defender

1 v 1 Tackling in Channel

An opportunity for players to put what they have learnt on tackle technique into practice. Each tackle is observed by all other players who can give feedback. Ensure all players have a go at attacking and defending.

Tag Game - Tag Rugby 1

Tag Game - Tag Rugby 1

Introducing live defenders for 2 v 1

Developing passing skills with more pressure and intensity

Attack 2 v 1

A good decision-making exercise which requires players to practice their basic running and passing skills

Passing 4 v 3 reset

A progression from 2 v 1 , 3 v 2 to 4 v 3

Passing Progressions with defenders

Use progressions to change the pressure points so that players are taken "Out of their comfort zone" and experience more match related situations. Rugby is about creating a 2 v 1 opportunity so fixing defenders is one of the most important skills to learn

Catch & Pass Progressions

Passing progressions are based upon the ability of players to fix defenders. Always insure your exercises reflect match situations and refrain from just doing drills because they look good

Practice Accurate passing

This clip reinforces the importance of passing and especially accurate passing. The coaches use a variety of practises to test the players skills and help them progress

Ball Control & Passing

Controlling the ball is a fundamental skill, it may be simple but it is very important. Practise is important and is the foundation to passing and the ability to control and vary your pass

Home Training - Passing Challenges

Have some fun at home with some challenges passing games

Passing Warm-up Game

A passing game that encourages quick hands to catch out team-mates. Include press-ups to include a bit of upper body warm-up as well.

7. 5 Pass Game

7. 5 Pass Game

Home Training - Passing with Dad

A range of simple drills that can also be progressed to really test hand eye skills. All of these practises can be done with more people. Set targets to increase the fun

Lateral Pass in 5s

This simple drill breaks down the catch and pass while running in a straight line. Players also practice their communication skills.

Junior - 2 v 1 1

Junior - 2 v 1 1

Running & Passing Lines

The aim is to fix defenders via the attacking players running straight, and preserving the space on the outside and to stop defenders from drifting. This will support the executing of overlaps.

Fun Passing Games

Children are naturally competitive and will engage more in training exercises that include a competitive edge. This challenges their skills under pressure and creates excitement and fun

Catch Up Passing Game

A quick handling game to warm up. Handy if there's a few players standing around at the beginning of a session, waiting for others to turn up.

Sevens - Offloads 1

Sevens - Offloads 1

Quins Defence - 1 v 1 tackle skills

Close contact in a small channel ensures the players work their movement skills in both attack and defence. The coach reinforces the skills for contact prior to progressing this exercise

Chapter 1 - Playing Tag Rugby

Introduction to TAG

Tackling on Knees - 3 v 1

Using three attackers ensures the defender tackles on both sides and from slightly different angles. The coach can vary the pace and width of this exercise

Step 1 - Playing Tag Rugby

Quins - Tackle Technique 1 v 1

A new tackle technique exercise without the "Bone on Bone" collisions

1 v 1 attack

Winger positional skills training.

1 v 1 defence

Winger positional skills.

Evasion 1 v 1

A decision making exercise to beat defenders and attack shoulders

Lateral passing & pulling back the pass from wide

Handling Progression for developing the ability to create depth from a flat line

Scrum - 1 vs 1

Practice body position and warm up for full scrum session.

Step 3 - Introducing the 1 v 1 Scrum

1. Support - 1,2,3 Follow Through

Isolated technical practice

Courtesy of the SRU

CCRU Game - Passing Pairs

Aim of the game: In pairs, walk, jog or run around the grid, passing to their partner only when they call for the ball. Other players will be obstructing their vision and the flight of the pass, so decisions on when to pass will need to be developed

Farrell & Ford - Spin Passes

The quality of passes from Ford and Farrell to enable Elliot Daley to slide past his defender was the difference in the Wales V England match. The skills required to perfect these passes were honed on the training ground over several years. See what type of drills they did and still do

Improve your passing

Harlequins pride themselves on their attacking play and the foundation to this philosophy is the quality of their passing. Attack coach Colin Osbourne runs skills session on passing accuracy.

Expert Passing

Elite Sixth form players showcase that good passing technique is essential to become a good rugby player. The pass has some simple but very important components that need to be practised

Passing and Support Lines

This clip shows the classic passing process but with a significant twist in what players can do post the pass

Passing Warm-up in 3s

A simple pass-along-the-line warm up. Work in lines of 3 and ensure you pass off both hands. There's no need to do this for too long, but it is useful to get players switched on to passing.

Coaching the spin pass

Saracens academy coach Rory Teague explains the basic principles of the spin pass including the exercises and progressions that can be used to help players improve their techniques and accuracy

Scrum half pass with Lee Dickson

Lee Dickson leads a passing session at the Northampton saints summer training camp. The focus is on doing the simple things well and progressing the practises to make things more challenging

Passing in 4s

A basic handling drill for groups of young players with a mixture of talent. Emphasise technique, passing backwards, and running straight. As players become better they can try wider passes and add more pace. Encourage players to swap position. Counting the number of completed passes in a row challenges the players to never drop the ball.

Teaching minis to pass backwards - full session

Learning to pass backwards is fundamental to rugby newcomers. This session brings minis out of a game for a few minutes to focus on that key skill, before taking them back into the game. Note the emphasis on questioning, development and how feedback changes depending on the ability of the child.

Simple Passing Exercises & Games

The Wasps coaches use a mixture of games and drills to develop the passing skills of young players. Players are encouraged to respond to questions. Games are used to improve the learning experience

Scrum-half Passing Exercises

Some useful exercises for scrum-halves to develop their passing skills.

Catching is the First Skill of Passing

Being able to catch is fundamental to rugby and the majority of sports. Catching in rugby is slightly different due to the shape of the ball and understanding the technical points of "How to catch" is a very important area for all young players. This clip explains some of the finer points and why a good catch is the basis of a good pass

Passing in 2s

Working in pairs, the key point of this passing drill is for the support runner to be deep and taking the ball at pace.

Teaching minis to pass backwards

Learning to pass backwards is fundamental to rugby newcomers. This session brings minis out of a game for a few minutes to focus on that key skill, before taking them back into the game. Note the emphasis on questioning, development and how feedback changes depending on the ability of the child.

Passing Basics

This exercise is used by most coaches to identify a players passing and catching accuracy. The Northampton Saints coaches break down the skills required to ensure that "Simple things" are done well

Quins - Developing An Accurate Pass

Coaching players to pass with variety and accuracy is one of the most important challenges a coach faces. The Harlequins academy players are presented with some very challenging exercises to help this process

Home Training - Fun Catching & Passing Games

A variety of drills and games to practice and improve your catching & passing

Scrum Half Passing with Chris Cusiter - Wrist Warm-Up

Sale Sharks and Scotland scrum half Chris Cusiter leads a session on passing from the base of a scrum or ruck. In this first video, Chris addresses basic technique in a couple of exercises that warm up the wrists and arms.

How To Push Pass - Simple Progressions

This video takes you through the basics of why and how we pass in Rugby! Use these explanations and simple progressions to help your players.

How To Push Pass - Simple Progressions

This video takes you through the basics of why and how we pass in Rugby! Use these explanations and simple progressions to help your players.

Advanced Passing Skills

Passing skills are a high priority for most coaches and teachers. This video features a "Grip Game" to test the offloading skills and ball control of players

The Loop Pass - coaching points

To develop and progress the loop pass

Passing - Basic principles

Working in waves of three, break down the components to catch and pass technique.

Lateral Passing in 3s

A quick exercise to identify ability in catching & passing. Encourage players to have targets up, and to hold their run.

Three player passing challenge

A simple passing game that is fun and competitive. You can add more players in and vary the distance to make this harder or easier. Different balls could be used as well. Dad's can do this at home as a fun game

JWC 2012: Forwards Passing

At the JWC 2012 is was clear that more forwards were passing the ball.

Skills at home - Learning to spin pass

Learning to spin pass is one of the first things young players want to do, it takes hours of practice and older / elite players continue practising throughout their careers. This video shows some simple exercises to do at home

Improve Spin Passing at Home

Here are few exercises to help players of all ages improve their spin passing at home, even if there's no one else to practice with! As always, try to train your weaker hand so you have better options on the field.

Key factors of the lateral pass

An introduction to coaching the lateral pass

Learning to Pass - first steps

Young Brazilian players just learning the game start out with some smile passing exercise, this is perfect for any young player starting out in the game

Zig Zag Passing Challenge

This passing exercise is weird, extremely tough to do but will take your players out of their comfort zone and challenge them, can your players master it?

Lateral passing in 3s with a switch

A core passing exercise for developing the lateral passing drill

Warm up - 10 Pass Game

The 10 pass warm up game is excellent to introduce an activity that has a focus on dynamic mobilisation and raising the heart rate.

Players should be asked to focus on their special awareness, passing technique and communication.

To maximise participation, introduce another ball or split the game into two or three smaller games.

Learning to pass deep

Players must pass through gate before passing to supporting player before they reach the gate. This helps to ensure supporting players hold their depth and maintain a straight running line.

NSW Waratahs - Quick Passing

Southern hemisphere players pride themselves on their passing skills. In this clip, the NSW Waratahs go through some wide passing exercises.