Examples of Support Play Drills in Rugby: 3 Practical Examples That Actually Work

1. Triangle Support Drill – The Foundation of Support Play

If you’re looking for straightforward examples of support play drills in rugby, the triangle support drill is where I’d start. Think of it as the ABCs of support lines.

Set three cones in a triangle about 10–12 yards apart. Put one attacker at each cone, with one ball. Player A runs toward Player B, passes, and immediately changes angle to become a support runner. Player B then runs toward Player C, passes, and becomes the next support runner. The pattern continues around the triangle at a steady tempo.

The coaching gold here is in the details:

• The passer must work after the pass, not admire it.
• Support players stay inside the ball (between ball carrier and posts) or outside depending on your team’s system—but always within about 3–5 yards.
• Communication is constant: short, loud calls like “Inside!”, “Outside!”, “Here!”

As a basic example of support play drill for beginners, keep it non-contact and focus on:

• Catch-pass under mild pressure
• Running good lines after passing
• Staying alive as a support option

Progressions for the Triangle Support Drill

To turn this from a simple pattern into one of the best examples of support play drills in rugby, layer on these progressions:

Add a Defender
Place a defender in the middle of the triangle. Now the ball carrier must pick a support runner and attack space. This forces:

• Better depth from support runners
• Sharper communication
• Real decision-making under pressure

Add an Offload Rule
Allow the defender to tag or two-hand touch the ball carrier. The ball carrier is encouraged to offload before the tag. Support players must:

• Track the ball carrier’s hips
• Stay close enough for a short offload (2–3 feet)
• Adjust speed to stay in the ball carrier’s “support window”

Add a Time or Touch Limit
Give the group 20 seconds to complete as many clean passes and offloads as possible. Or limit the number of touches before a required offload. This makes the drill more game-like and raises intensity.

This one drill already gives you multiple examples of support play drills in rugby: 3 practical examples within a single setup: basic pattern, defender added, and offload-focused version.

2. 2v1 to 3v2 Channels – Building Real Game Situations

Once players understand basic support lines, you need real examples that look like actual game situations. That’s where 2v1 and 3v2 channel drills shine.

Set up narrow channels about 10 yards wide and 20–25 yards long. In each channel, start with two attackers versus one defender. The ball starts with the first attacker, who must fix the defender and pass. The second attacker’s job is to time their run and stay in support—close enough to receive, but not so close that they crowd the ball carrier.

For many coaches, this is the go-to example of support play drill because it teaches:

• Running smart support lines off the shoulder
• Timing the pass and support run
• Trusting the ball carrier to engage the defender

Progression: From 2v1 to 3v2

When 2v1s look sharp, move to 3v2s in the same channel. Now you have:

• Ball carrier
• Primary support runner
• Secondary support runner (often a deeper trail runner)

Here’s where the best examples of support play drills in rugby separate themselves: they don’t just add more players; they add more decisions.

In 3v2s, coach:

• Layered depth: one support runner flat, one slightly deeper
• Inside and outside options for the ball carrier
• Communication roles: trail runner often becomes the “eyes” calling space

Adding a Transition Element

To make this a stronger, game-relevant example of support play drill, add a transition rule:

• If defenders win the ball (intercept or turnover), they immediately attack the same channel.
• Former attackers must now turn and become support for the new ball carrier.

This teaches players that support play doesn’t stop when you lose the ball. They must react, turn, and support in both attack and defense transitions—exactly what you see in modern rugby at every level.

For ideas on how small-sided games and channels help with decision-making and fitness, you can look at resources on high-intensity interval training and small-sided games from organizations like the National Institutes of Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which discuss how repeated, game-like efforts improve conditioning and cognitive responses under fatigue.

3. Continuous Support Wave – Turning Support Into a Habit

The third of our examples of support play drills in rugby: 3 practical examples is the continuous support wave. This is where you turn all the technical work into a conditioning and habits drill.

Set up a field about 40–50 yards long and as wide as you like. Have three to five attackers start on one end with one ball and one or two defenders in front of them. The attack runs forward, passing and supporting, trying to score at the far end.

Here’s the twist: once the attack scores or is stopped, the last ball carrier and one support runner stay on. A new group of attackers joins from the try-line, and the ball is passed to them. The defenders recover and get back on their feet. You now have wave after wave of attack and support running.

This continuous format is one of the best examples of support play drills in rugby for building:

• Work rate after passing
• Support under fatigue
• Communication when tired
• Game-like chaos and transition

Variations to Keep It Fresh

To turn this into multiple examples include variations such as:

Touch Only, Offload Focus
Use two-hand touch instead of full contact. Encourage offloads before contact, with support players working hard to be in position. Reward successful offloads with extra points.

Hit Shield Contact
Bring in hit shields for controlled contact. Ball carriers take contact into a shield, and support players must clean out or latch, then reload into support. This ties support running directly into ruck support and ball retention.

Score and Spin
After scoring, the scorer must immediately turn and become the first support runner for the next wave. This builds the habit that your job is never done when you ground the ball—you reset and get back in the game.

For conditioning and safety considerations when running continuous drills, it’s worth being aware of basic guidance on youth and adult training loads. Organizations like the CDC and Mayo Clinic offer general advice on workload, rest, and progression that you can adapt to your rugby context.

More Real Examples of Support Play Drills in Rugby

The three main drills above are your core framework, but modern coaching in 2024–2025 leans heavily on variety and game realism. Here are more real examples you can plug into your sessions.

A. “Follow Your Pass” Grid Game

Mark out a 20x20 yard grid with 6–8 players and one ball. Players pass randomly within the grid, but with one rule: every time you pass, you must sprint to support the receiver.

This simple constraint creates a powerful example of support play drill because it:

• Punishes ball-watching
• Trains automatic movement after passing
• Builds scanning and communication in tight spaces

Add a defender or two to force problem-solving and quick support decisions.

B. Inside Trail Runner Drill

Set up a line of three attackers and one defender. The first attacker runs straight, the second attacker runs a flat line outside, and the third attacker runs as a trail runner slightly behind and inside.

The ball carrier can:

• Play flat to the outside runner
• Play short inside to the trail runner

This is one of the best examples of support play drills in rugby for teaching the modern “tip-on” pass and inside support lines you see in pro rugby. It also gets forwards used to running smart support lines off 10 or 12.

C. Kick-Chase Support Drill

Support play isn’t only about passing—it’s also about chasing kicks together.

Place a kicker and two or three chasers on halfway. The kicker aims for a contestable kick (about 25–30 yards), and the chasers must:

• Stay in a flat line
• Talk constantly (“I’ve got ball!”, “I’m inside!”, “I’m tackle!”)
• Support the catcher on the ground or in the air

Rotate roles so everyone practices supporting the kick. This gives you another example of support play drill that connects kicking strategy with support habits.

D. Ruck to Edge Support Drill

Start with a ruck in the middle of the field (use a hit shield or live contact, depending on level). Have a 9, 10, and two or three wider attackers.

9 passes to 10, who can:

• Take it to the line and pass to a flat support runner
• Pull back to a deeper support runner
• Hit a short inside option

Everyone else’s job is to work off the ball into support. This drill mirrors modern multi-option attacks and is one of the more advanced examples of support play drills in rugby you can use with experienced players.

Coaching Tips: Getting the Most Out of These Drills

You can have the best-designed drills in the world, but if players don’t understand what good support looks like, the habit won’t stick. Across all these examples of support play drills in rugby: 3 practical examples and the extra variations, keep hammering these points:

1. Work After the Pass
Make it a team standard: no one stands still after passing. You either:

• Support inside
• Support outside
• Sweep behind as a trail runner

2. Stay Connected
Support players should stay within about 3–5 yards of the ball carrier in most phases. Too far, and you’re not support; you’re just another attacker somewhere else.

3. Communicate Early and Often
Short, clear calls beat long speeches. Encourage:

• “Inside!” / “Outside!”
• “Short!” / “Out the back!”
• “My ball!” / “You!”

4. Reward Good Support in Games
In conditioned games, give extra points for tries scored from offloads or passes that come from support lines. This tells players that support play is valued, not just finishing.

FAQ: Examples of Support Play Drills in Rugby

Q1: What are some simple examples of support play drills in rugby for beginners?
For new players, the triangle support drill, 2v1 channel drill, and the “follow your pass” grid game are great starting points. Each example of a support play drill focuses on basic passing, running off the ball, and staying close to the ball carrier without overwhelming them with complex patterns.

Q2: How often should I run these support play drills in a weekly practice plan?
For most youth, high school, and club teams, aim to include at least one or two of these examples of support play drills in rugby in every session. You don’t need long blocks—10–15 minutes of focused, high-quality reps is usually enough. Rotate through variations so players don’t tune out.

Q3: Can I use the same drills for forwards and backs?
Yes, and you should. The best examples of support play drills in rugby work for every position because everyone needs to pass, catch, and support. You can tweak the spacing and contact level for forwards (more ruck and contact support) and backs (more width and speed), but the core principles are the same.

Q4: What is one good example of a game-like support play drill?
The continuous support wave is a strong example of a game-like drill. It creates repeated waves of attack, support under fatigue, and transition between attack and defense. You can adjust field size, number of defenders, and contact level to match your team’s age and experience.

Q5: How do I keep these drills safe and appropriate for youth players?
For younger players, keep contact limited (tag or touch), emphasize technique over collisions, and manage work-to-rest ratios. General youth sports safety advice from sources like the CDC and Mayo Clinic can help you think about rest, hydration, and progressive contact. Always scale drill intensity to age and experience.

If you build your practice around these examples of support play drills in rugby: 3 practical examples—the triangle support drill, 2v1/3v2 channels, and the continuous support wave—then layer in the extra variations, you’ll start to see a different kind of team: one where the ball carrier is never alone, support runners are always in motion, and tries come from teamwork rather than solo heroics.