Roving Repetition

Focus

Stoppages.

Skills

Ruck, Crumb.

Purpose

Communication between onballers is required to win clearances. Stoppages are the focus of this drill, with multiple opportunities for rucks and rovers to gain an understanding of one another. Rovers practice their mobility and concentration when tired.

Groups of

Ages

6⁺

Balls/grp

Cones

Distance (max)

Setup
Divide your total numbers by 3 and pick this number of talls, e.g. 30 players, pick 10 talls. Two other players join each tall to make a threesome, each group has a ball. Extra players take a ball and make a group of 4.
Step 1
(A) starts by feeding a high handball to ruckman (B). Rover (C) judges the ball in-flight and moves to a position where (B) can palm to them. (C) roves and returns to (A) with a handball.

Rover (C) must use constant voice to let the ruckman know where they are, and where they want to ball to be tapped.

Rover (C) must be on the move throughout

Ruckman should vary the strength of their tap, sometimes making (C) chase the ball.
Step 2
Once (A) receives the handball from (C), they again feed another high handball to ruck (B), who again palms to (C)

Encourage (A) to vary the depth and angle of their feed

(C) must position themself according to the feed, e.g. a deep feed would suit a receive out the backdoor
Step 3
(C) continues roving for 2 minutes and must retain their intensity throughout, avoiding mistakes made when tired such as over-running the ball, or missing the target with return handballs.
Step 4
After 2 minutes, blow the whistle to signal a changeover. (A) and (C) swap roles, the tall (B) stays as ruck. Repeat the drill until each player has had several turns roving.