Interception Game
Try this activity to put your players' passing under pressure
In the past few weeks we’ve had a PvP game that puts both attackers and defenders under pressure and a podcast episode from Red Roses attack coach Lou Meadows.
This article adds to the recent attacking focus by giving the defenders a rule that pressurises the attacker’s passing.
‘The interception game’ has a simple rule, but mimics what players may encounter in a match.
Here’s how to play:
Set up a playing area
Split players into two teams
If the ball carrier is touch tackled, they must stop and pass the ball backwards to a teammate
If a defender intercepts a pass, play continues and the team who won the interception gets three points
Adaptions to try
If a defender intercepts a pass and the team scores within 3 phases (or a number of your team’s choosing), they get 6 points. Otherwise they still get the standard 3 points for the intercept
Add in some ruck rules so that the pass off the floor from the ruck is pressurised. For example:
When the ball carrier is touch tackled presents, but no contested ruck takes place. (You could encourage players to pop the ball off the ground to keep play moving)
Restart the game after each try with a contested ruck using shields. Give 1-2 players shields and have them contest the ruck.
Why use this game?
I love this game. When I first put it into a session the players were finishing a block that focused on handling. This game became a great way of putting that skill under extra pressure.
It challenges the team’s decision making in attack, defenders may rush up out of the line to attempt an intercept. It also helps to develop player’s reading of the attack, to try and judge when a pass is going to be made.
Questions you might ask
Players might need prompts as they figure out the game. Vary how you give clues out to the team. Try giving individuals tips and then see how they use that information.
Some common challenges might be:
How the defending team can support the player moving up to make the intercept?
How the attacker might react when seeing a gap left by a defender who’s keen to try and intercept a pass?
Speed of support at the ruck
For newer players: questions about onside at the ruck and when the ball is out
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