Zone defence: press or hold

Setup

1. Cone a 60 × 50 m area across half the ground. The ball side (A1–A6) starts at half-back with the ball, aiming for the far end line.
2. The zone side sets two at the ball (D1, D2), a wall of three across the ground 15–20 m ahead (D3–D5) and a spare (S) behind the wall.
3. A coach on the boundary restarts each rep with a handball to A1.

How it runs

1. The ball side has 30 s to move the ball past the wall and mark it over the end line by kick or handball.
2. Press on a trigger: a sideways or backward kick or handball, a carrier facing their own goal, or the ball on the boundary. Two squeeze the ball and the wall shuffles across.
3. Otherwise hold. The wall stays 15–20 m off and shuts the corridor while the spare sits behind it.
4. Score 3 to the zone for an intercept or a holding-the-ball tackle, 1 for a forced long kick down the line, 3 to the ball side for a mark past the wall. Six 30 s reps, 45 s rest, swap.

Coaching points

• The player nearest the trigger calls the press and everyone squeezes together; one presser on their own is easy to beat.
• When holding, the wall stays connected with about 15 m between players, hips side-on so they see both the ball and their direct opponent.
• The spare reads the kicker's eyes and drifts to the drop, never into a one-on-one.
• When the press is beaten, sprint back behind the ball and rebuild the wall before the next kick.

Common mistakes

• Pressing a forward-facing carrier in space, so one kick beats the whole zone.
• The wall drifting toward the ball and leaving the switch open.
• The spare getting pulled out to a player.