Offloading in Contact: 2v1 Collision-to-Continuity Grid Drill

Overview

This 2v1 Collision-to-Continuity Grid Drill builds a simple attacking habit: the ball carrier wins the collision, stays on their feet, and offloads only when the support line is playable. The decision rule is clear: if the defender is fixed and the support player is late, loud, and in space, keep the ball alive; if not, take the tackle and present cleanly.

Use it immediately after contact preparation or as the bridge from unit handling to live phase play. It gives 12 (inside centre), 13 (outside centre), and 15 (fullback) repeated work on carrying square, supporting from depth, communicating in the collision, and deciding when an offload is on. The reference layout uses a full-size 100m x 70m pitch, the maximum field-of-play dimension under World Rugby Law 1.1

Drill at a glance

Element	Coach prescription
Primary outcome	Create a legal, accurate offload only after winning or neutralising the collision.
Core format	2 attackers versus 1 defender in a 10m x 10m grid.
Progression	3 attackers versus 2 defenders in a 15m x 15m grid.
Session dose	18 minutes: 3-minute walk-through, 7-minute core block, 6-minute progression, 2-minute review.
Minimum group	Three players per channel; run two channels with six players for higher repetition.
Intensity	Start at wrap-and-hold contact, then build to a controlled live tackle only when technique is stable.

Setup

Set the first 10m x 10m grid in the central third, between halfway and the nearest 10m line. Place four flat cones at the corners and give each channel one ball. On a 100m x 70m pitch, place a second grid at least 8m laterally so groups can work without crossing lines. Mark a 15m x 15m progression grid 5m beyond it; the extra space lets the second support runner arrive from depth rather than drift flat.

Item	Quantity for six players	Exact use
Flat cones	8–12	Mark two 10m x 10m grids and the optional 15m x 15m progression box.
Rugby balls	2	One active ball per channel; keep a spare with the coach.
Tackle shields or hit pads	2	Use during the first contact block or with inexperienced groups.
Coloured bibs	3–4	Clearly identify attackers and defenders.
Whistle and stopwatch	1 each	Control 6–8 second work bouts and 30-second reset periods.

In each core grid, position 12 as the ball carrier 2m behind the near boundary, with the ball in two hands. Position 13 2.5m behind 12 and 1.5m to the open side; this gives 13 a deliberately late support line. Place the defender, labelled D, 2m inside the far boundary and square to 12. The coach stands outside the grid on the support-player side, where they can see ball security, depth, and the legality of the pass. Use the visual below for the core picture.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Demonstrate the picture before the first rep. Show 12 carrying square rather than angling away, then show 13 holding depth until 12 has committed D. Give the group one sentence to remember: “Win the collision; earn the offload.” Make clear that a clean ruck is the correct outcome whenever the ball is trapped.

2. Start the controlled rep. On the whistle, 12 accelerates into the grid on a direct line at D. D advances under control and makes a wrap-and-hold or shield contact at first. Do not let D launch or chase a dominant hit in the teaching phase; the point is to give the carrier a stable picture from which to make a decision.

3. Coach the collision. As 12 meets D, demand a low, strong body shape: eyes up, feet alive, hips square, and a small leg drive through contact. 12 must keep the ball in two hands until the defender is fixed, then move it to the far side of the defender’s wrap. The carrier should have enough posture to look at the support player rather than throwing blind.

4. Release the support player late. 13 calls their name or a simple cue such as “left” or “right,” stays behind the ball line, and accelerates only once D has committed. The support line should arrive just behind and outside 12’s shoulder; if 13 is in front, flat, or stationary, 12 must not offload.

5. Make the decision and finish. If 12 has a free hand and can see or clearly hear 13, they deliver a short pop, underhand, or two-handed offload into 13’s running line. If D has clamped the ball or 13 is not playable, 12 calls “ruck,” secures the ball, and completes a strong presentation. In both cases, 13 works through the far side of the grid and accelerates out for 5m.

6. Reset with tempo. A rep should last 6–8 seconds. Run six repetitions, then rotate clockwise: 12 becomes D, D becomes 13, and 13 becomes 12. Give 30 seconds between sets for one clear correction, not a long lecture. Your best prompt is usually a question: “What told you the offload was on?”

7. Progress to the 3v2 decision. Expand to the 15m x 15m grid. Use 12 as carrier, 13 as the unders support option, 15 as the overs support option, and two defenders. Defenders may either double 12 or leave one support runner available. The carrier’s job is now to fix both defenders, identify daylight, and use the most accurate offload rather than pre-selecting a runner.

Key Coaching Points

Coaching point	What the coach should see	Short coaching cue
Carry square	12 attacks the defender’s inside shoulder and does not drift before contact.	“Fix them first.”
Win posture	Hips stay beneath shoulders; feet take two or three driving steps through the wrap.	“Low, long, alive.”
Protect the ball	The ball moves away from the tackle-side arm and is not exposed in front of D.	“Hide it, then show it.”
Support from depth	13 or 15 stays behind the ball, communicates, then accelerates onto the pass.	“Late and loud.”
Pass into space	The offload is soft, short, and in front of the runner’s hands—not floated behind them.	“Put it on the hip.”
Select the right outcome	The carrier chooses a ruck when the ball or support line is not available.	“No picture, no pass.”

Common Mistakes

Error	What it looks like	Immediate correction
Forcing the offload	The ball carrier throws while both arms are trapped or their vision is down.	Stop the rep and rehearse the “ruck” call; reward the correct decision, not only the spectacular one.
Flat support	13 arrives level with or ahead of 12, making the pass risky or forward.	Move the start point back to 3m and require a visible burst only after contact.
Turning away from contact	12 spins before engaging and loses the ability to fix D.	Re-run at walk-through pace with a square cone target behind D.
One-handed early carry	The defender can attack the ball before the carrier has controlled contact.	Insist on two hands until the defender is committed.
Blind release	The carrier flicks the ball without a call, eye contact, or a clear target.	Demand the sequence: hear, see, pass.

Variations & Progressions

Change	How to run it	Why it helps
Easier: shield-first offload	Replace D with a tackle shield; 12 drives for two steps before popping to 13.	Removes tackle anxiety and isolates body height, leg drive, and ball transfer.
Harder: 3v2 double support	Use the 15m x 15m grid shown above. D1 and D2 may double the carrier or drift to cover either runner.	Forces 12 to scan, fix two defenders, and choose between 13 and 15.
Hardest: continuous two-phase exit	After the first offload or ruck call, the receiving player must attack a second defender 5m beyond the grid.	Connects the skill to phase continuity, reload speed, and next-play communication.

Age Adaptations

Group	Contact and space modification	Coach priority
Under 8–Under 10	Use tag or touch contact in an 8m x 8m grid. The “offload” is a two-handed pop before a touch rather than through a tackle.	Two-handed carry, scanning, and a support player arriving behind the ball.
Under 12	Use tackle shields or a wrap-and-hold defender in a 10m x 10m grid. No player should be asked to offload while falling.	Strong carry shape and safe, short pop passes.
Under 14	Progress from controlled wrap to trained live contact only after players can show a stable body position and legal tackle technique.	Decision-making: offload versus secure presentation.
Under 16–Open	Use the full 3v2 progression, live defender choices, and a second-phase exit.	Manipulating defenders, varied offload techniques, and reloading after the pass.

Coach’s non-negotiable: stop the rep immediately when the carrier’s posture collapses, the support runner is ahead of the ball, or an offload becomes a blind hope. The drill is successful when your players learn that keeping the ball alive is a team decision, not an individual trick.

Reference