Rugby coaching tips to get players using soft hands
Use these rugby coaching tips from Joe Whipple, former coach of the West Indies sevens squad, to get your players using "soft hands," a basic requirement for good 10s.
How to improve catching skills
I think too much emphasis is placed on watching the ball and not enough on developing "soft hands". I don't deny that keeping your eye on the ball is great when you have the option, but I don't believe it is essential.
Catching rugby coaching tips
There are two things that are essential for good catching:
Running with the hands up
Players should run with their hands up, ready for the pass, and not by their sides. This has a number of advantages, one of which is to allow you to absorb the force of the pass.
If your hands are at your side as you run, as you bring them up they are moving parallel to the direction of your running which is perpendicular to the direction of the pass and forces are working against each other. It is, therefore, better to start with the hands up.
Preparing to have soft hands
I use a great exercise which I took from golf. Put your hands in the air. Squeeze the fingers as tight as possible, this is a "10". Release the fingers completely, this is "0". "Soft hands" is a "3".
Next time a player drops a ball ask him to get his hands up when he runs and give you a "3". Then when the pass comes unexpectedly, he has a better chance of making the catch.
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