There are many more aspects to “Kicking To Score” other than the obvious methods of place kicking a penalty or conversion. Both those executions are dead ball plays. Of course they are very important and every team needs a reliable place kicker as most games are won or lost on the ability of the place kicker.

But there are numerous other kicking possibilities that, if well executed, can lead to a score.

The next most obvious kick designed to score is the drop-goal. The drop-goal is often used nowadays as a mechanism for winning a game when the clock is running out or to create a scenario where the opposition must score a try to take the lead. Kickers also attempt to score drop-goals when they have a penalty advantage pending and there is no disadvantage if the drop-goal attempt is missed as the play returns to the penalty infringement.

The 2003 RWC was won in extra time by a Jonny Wilkinson drop-goal with the clock running out. Ireland also won the Grand Slam in Cardiff in 2009, with the exact same tactic.

A drop-goal can be scored directly from a scrum or line-out, if the kick is within range for the kicker. But it requires a good pass from the scrum-half directly to the kicker, usually the fly-half. But the drop-kick directly from a set-piece can be easily pressurised by defenders as the defence is usually aware from the positioning of the kicker that the drop-kick is imminent.

If the drop-kick is outside the range of the kicker or not being attempted directly from a set-piece, it is necessary to set up the drop-goal opportunity for the kicker. To set up the drop goal requires field position that is within range for the kicker and with a reasonable angle on the goal posts. This is usually achieved by the forwards carrying the ball through numerous phases, which gradually moves the field position of the ball within range for the kicker.

Where the forwards carry the ball is also important. Carrying the ball out wide near the touch-lines may advance the ball further up field, but the angle on the posts it creates for the kicker is very acute and reduces the percentage of the drop-kick being successful. For that reason the ball is usually carried through the mid-field to retain a good angle on the posts for the kicker.

The backs also have a role in this strategy. They are required to retain width to the attack that threatens the defence out wide. If the backs do not threaten wide it allows the defence to condense around the mid-field where the forwards are trying to advance the ball to bring the kicker within range. Having the defence condensed where the ball is being carried will make it much more difficult to advance the ball within range for the kicker.

Of course if the defence remains condensed despite the backs threatening wide then the ball should be moved wide to attack the space left by the defence. If well executed that could lead to a try or at least advance the ball a considerable distance to within range for the kicker. If the ball is moved wide to attempt to score a try or advance the ball substantially the likelihood is the angle for the kicker will not be good. In that situation it is important to re-establish field position back towards the mid-field before the kicker attempts the drop-kick.

This drop-goal tactic is not as difficult as it would seem when trying to win or close out a game as the defence is in a very difficult situation. If the defence does not respect the off-side line or are careless at the ruck they could concede a penalty. The penalty puts the kicker in a dead ball situation, which is a much less pressured scenario than a drop-kick and if successful will achieve the exact result the drop-goal set out to achieve.

The “Garryowen, Bomb or Up & Under”, as it is often referred to, can also lead to a score. But it is a relatively low percentage play unless it is executed very accurately. In order for the kicking team to retrieve the ball from a Bomb the ball must travel forward far enough to isolate the receiver behind their team. Also, what is even more important, the hang-time on the kick must allow the chasing player enough time to arrive just as the ball is landing.

In fact if executed perfectly the chasing player will arrive at the exact moment the ball lands, i.e. not before and certainly not after the ball lands. The chasing player arriving just as the ball is landing means they have momentum to jump for the ball and regain possession. This gives them an advantage over the defending player waiting to catch the Bomb. The defending player is usually standing still waiting for the ball to land and will be unable to jump as high to catch the ball as the player arriving with momentum.

If the Bomb is kicked perfectly and possession is re-gathered by the chasing player it will often lead to a try as it puts the kicking team back in possession, behind the vast majority of the defence and the ball is in front in front of every player on the attacking team.

The “Chip and Chase” is another kick that can lead to a score. In this situation the ball carrier uses a Chip Kick over the defence with the intention of re-gathering the kick before or within one bounce of it landing. The kick can be re-gathered by the kicker or a team mate. In either scenario it immediately puts the attacking team in possession over the gain line and behind the vast majority of the defenders. This is a very strong attacking position and results in a try to the attacking team on a very high percentage of occasions.

But of course the risk with the Chip Kick is that if it is not re-gathered by the attacking team it immediately turns over possession and can gift the opposition a strong counter-attack opportunity.

The “Grubber Kick” like the Chip Kick can be very effective if re-gathered by the kicker or a team mate. The difference is the Grubber Kick is put through the defensive line along the ground instead of over the defensive line as with the Chip Kick. The fact that the ball is on the ground makes it a little more difficult for the player chasing the kick to gather the ball. Although, some players are skillful enough to deliver a Grubber Kick that bounces up into the hands of the chasing player, which is the perfect execution of a Grubber Kick.

Also, like the Chip Kick the Grubber Kick, if not re-gathered by the kicking team, can offer a great counter-attack opportunity to the opposition. Also, because the ball is grubber kicked through the defensive line there is a risk of the kick being blocked by a defender. So the precision of the Grubber and Chip Kicks must be tactically well thought out, supported by a good kick chase and executed extremely accurately. Otherwise there is a good chance the kick just turns over possession to the opposition.

The final attacking kick is the “Cross Kick”. This is a kick that has only come into fashion in recent years, as a response to defences that condense close to the source of an attack. This kick is usually executed by the fly-half, who kicks the ball cross-field to a team mate waiting on the touch-line, on the far side of the field. Before this kick can be executed, the attack is focused on one side of the field. The goal of the attack is to collapse the defence onto that particular side of the field, leaving the other side of the field free from defenders. It is on this side of the field which is free from defenders, is where the attacker who will receive the kick positions themselves. It is imperative the receiver of the Cross Kick remains on-side before the ball is kicked. Well executed Cross Kicks are often called back by the referee because the receiver was ahead of the ball and in an off-side position when the ball was kicked.

Once the Cross Kick situation is created, it is usually the fly-half who executes the kick cross-field to that lone attacker. It requires a kick of extreme accuracy from the kicker as the ball can travel up to 50m in the air before being caught by the receiver. If the intended receiver is being marked by a defender and that receiver has a height advantage, the kick must be even more accurate. In that situation the receiver will have to jump to catch the Cross Kick in the air in order to avoid the defender catching the Cross-Kick.

Like the Bomb, Chip and Grubber Kicks the Cross Kick is a very effective tactic. But like any successful kick in rugby it has to be tactically appropriate to the game situation, supported by a kick chase strategy and executed very accurately.

Eddie