Centre bounce clearances 6v6

Setup

1. Cone a 40 × 40 m centre square with the centre circle in the middle.
2. Each team has a ruck and three mids in the square and a winger on each wing outside it.
3. The coach is the umpire and does a throw-up (no bounce) in the centre circle.

How it runs

1. Coach throws the ball up; the rucks contest it and the mids go for the ground ball.
2. Clearing the ball by foot or hand to a winger, or out of the square to space, scores 1.
3. Play stops at the first clear disposal out of the square or after 10 seconds; reset and go again.
4. Swap rucks every three ball-ups and rotate mids and wingers every five.

Coaching points

• Rucks: run in at the ball, hands up, and tap to the side your mids are on.
• Mids: one goes to the drop of the ball, one runs past for the handball, one stays goal side.
• Wingers hold their width until the ball is won, then lead into space.
• First possession goes forward and away from the pack, not back into it.

Common mistakes

• All three mids crowd the ruck and nobody is free for the handball.
• Wingers drift into the square and take the space away.
• Rucks jump into each other instead of at the ball.