Pop pass

The pop pass is an essential pass in rugby. Valuable when a player is running in close support and you want to disguise your intention to pass to them.

Start your good rugby with the basics

Build good rugby skills from the ground up.

A pass is easier if you have good handling skills, see image links -->

and good rugby passing basics.

Disguise your short pass

When you use only the spin pass you miss out on other opportunities.

Your body movements and positioning of the ball give information to opponents.

It is easy to see that you will make a hard and fast medium to long pass. It is not easy to turn it into something else and it is difficult to mistake it for anything else!

Pop pass of a rugby ball starting position Pop pass, starting

When you use other passes the position of your body and the position of the ball disguise what you are about to do.

This is the start of the pass.

It could easily be the start of other things - a normal pass, a swing pass, a lob pass.

It could easily be changed to a chip and chase kick or to put through a rolling ball or bouncing grubber.

Note - high arm action gives protection from the tackler.

Arms drawn well back give power message that says a medium pass or a long pass is about to be delivered.

How to make a pop pass

Pop pass of a rugby ball finish position Pop pass, finish

As shown above this is a two handed pass.

From the wound up start position with your arms drawn high to one side you swing your arms across your body.

You suddenly stop your arms in front of your body and do the rest of the pass with your wrists and fingers only.

You pop the ball upwards and outwards into the path of a charging support player. That player is running into the gap between you and the player your opponents thought was your target.

You have loads of control.

Your slight turn gives a great range of sight and a great range of movement.

Remember, just gently pop it out into the gap for your support to run on to and gather at speed.

This is a good pass to practice alone.

You don`t have to run far to retrieve the ball. Just treat it as part of fitness and agility training then do it again from where you pick up the ball.

Then again and again and again!

Main points