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Reverse pass

The reverse pass is a fairly rare pass in rugby. Useful when a player is highly skilled, pushed for time, facing the wrong way and has a great deal of confidence.

Start your good rugby skills with the basics

Build good rugby skills from the ground up.
A pass is easier if...
...you have good handling skills...

...and good rugby passing basics.

Wrong place wrong time - on the blind side

When you make a reverse pass...
...add a good dollop of hope!

Hope that it will get you out...
... of the crisis you are in...
...and hope it will not...
...create a bigger crisis...
...for your intented receiver..

Say the ball unexpectedly...
...shot out of the scrum...
...on the blind side. Reverse pass of a rugby ball showing starting position

Reverse pass of a rugby ball showing starting position

And say you are the scrum-half...
...and you have gone to pick it up...
...so you are facing the wrong way.
And say all the other backs are...
...are far away on the open open side.
And say you get to the ball...
...moments before...
...four huge ogres appear...
...wearing the same shirts...
...as the opposition team.
And say they make you think...
...you haven`t got time...
...to pick up the ball and...
...use say, a dive pass.

In other words...
...you are in the wrong place...
...at the wrong time.

Then...
...and only then...
... you just might think...
...of using a reverse pass.
And even then decide not to!
Reverse pass showing...
...the starting position

How do you make a reverse pass

The image above shows the start of a reverse pass.

I have probably taken...
...my left hand off the ball too soon...
...and the ball should be ...
...more in line with my body.
But you get the idea.

The ball is supposed to be going...
...to the same sort of area...
...and going the same sort of distance...
.as it would if you had time...
...to make a ground pass or dive pass...
...when facing in the opposite direction.

Reverse pass of a rugby ball finishing positions

Reverse pass of a rugby ball finishing positions

Reverse pass of a rugby ball showing the final position.

Holding th ball in two hands...
...out in front of you...
...you swiftly pull back towards yourself...
...and finish off...
...sweeping one arm...
...down one side of your body.

You release the ball...
...out of the back of your hand...
...and the ball goes shooting...
...towards the player you had in mind...
...when you first had the crackpot idea...
...of throwing the ball backwrds.

Well that`s the theory anyway!

I included the above image...
...not because it was a great effort...
...but because the ball is still visible...
...and helps describe the action.

That attempt was actually too low.
My better efforts tended to have...
...a higher trajectory.

I suspect your hand holding the ball...
...should stay more or less parallel...
...to the ground, maybe rising slightly.

Perhaps if you practice enough...
...you will get it right..
...and you will be hailed...
...as the next Gareth Edwards.

However, I suggest your time...
...would be better spent...
...if instead you learn rugby sidesteps!

Main points

disguised long pass
suitable for only highly skilled player with plenty of time to practice
know where your target is
ball exits from back of hand
hope for success rather than expect it

Return from Reverse pass to Rugby passing

Evtechs Sports Training
Sydney, Australia