Numerical Advantage with an Intermediate Station

Pitch: Mark out an area of 30 x 15 metres with cones and mark a 5 metre wide zone in the middle of the 30 metres, so that a left area, a middle zone and a right area are created.

Equipment: 8 cones, bibs in three colours, balls.

Players: Three teams of 6 players each; with smaller groups teams of four or five are also possible. 5 players of the first team stand with the ball in the left area, 5 players of the second team without the ball in the right area. From the third team 3 players stand in the left and 2 in the right area. One player from each team stands in the middle zone: the player of the third team defends there, the other two are wall players.

• In the left area the first team plays against the 3 defenders, at first to keep possession.
• The two wall players in the middle zone serve as intermediate stations.
• The team in possession first collects points via the wall players or via its own passes inside the area.
• After 2 points it tries to play the ball into the right area. In doing so the ball has to go via one of the two wall players in the middle zone.
• If the ball arrives on the other side, the defender moves up from the middle zone to the right side, and one of the 3 defenders from the left takes up the middle zone.
• The defending team defends actively with its 3 players inside the area; the defender in the middle zone tries to prevent passes to the wall players and the switch to the other side.
• If the defending team wins the ball, it may play it straight to the other side without involving the player in the middle zone.
• The two defenders of the right side then change area, and the team that has lost the ball has to send 3 players to the other side as quickly as possible.
• In the middle zone the other two teams now provide the wall players, while the team that has lost the ball defends.

Scoring: Every one-two with a wall player counts one point, as does every fifth pass in the team's own area.

Progression:

• Limit the touches for the team with the numerical advantage inside the area.
• Allow the wall players only first-time play and allow the intermediate stations a maximum of 2 touches.

Note: Drill idea by Eddie Plickat.