Kicking Clinics
KICKING IS THE BEST WAY TO
GIVE AWAY POSSESSION OF THE BALL
Not Kicking
Experience tells us that more tries are conceded from “gift” kicks to the opposition backs in this circumstance than for almost any other reason.
Compared with making a hurried kick which even if it finds touch gives away possession, taking the tackle, protecting the ball and setting up a second phase must be a better outcome both tactically and strategically. Take into account the possibility of having your kick charged down and losing 5 or 7 points.
But what are the alternatives? If you’re deep in your own 22 and they’re bearing down on you, you can’t just allow yourself to be tackled with the ball, can you? In a word, YES. The great temptation to simply kick the ball away when under pressure must be resisted. Think what you have lost!
- Possession
- Territory
- Initiative
- Psychological advantage
What have you gained?…………………NOTHING except a breather!
Successful kicking is very difficult. It is not difficult to kick a rugby ball, far from it. Almost any player can do it and most of them try even in the most bizarre circumstances. But it’s difficult to decide when to kick and it’s difficult to do it well. If it’s done at the wrong time and if it’s not done well more often than not the outcome is costly, either in points or in territory.
Penalties aside, the guidelines for when to kick are difficult to define. It is clear that never making any tactical kicks is an extreme option and one that most sides would be unable to sustain, however if the kickers and decision makers on the pitch are coached on the factors which define the decision to kick and understand them based on practice under pressure, then you will undoubtedly create a more successful side. A number of factors must be weighed before the decision is taken. These include: Probability of regaining possession; Momentum; Specific tactical objectives; Match time and Score; and Field and Weather Conditions. The importance of each of these specific situations changes as the game progresses.
Probability of regaining Possession
- Kick behind opposing 15 (and/or wings) with a determined and organized follow-up which at worst should force a line-out with your throw. Probability: 75%
- Grubber into space behind fast up defence with at least two attackers available to recover the ball. Probability: 70%
- High Ball behind the defence into one of the opposition danger areas (just outside their 22 in the middle of the field or close enough to the posts that a clean catch is unlikely) with a determined and organized follow-up should force a line-out with your throw in the first instance, or a scrum 5m in the second. Probability: 60%
- Box kick from scrum near the touchline or line-out where a necessarily disorganized follow-up still has a good chance of forcing touch. Probability 50%
- Chip-and-chase. Probability 30%
- Kick to touch. There is the rare but definite place for a pressure-relieving kick to touch to e.g. to break a defensive cycle but otherwise the value of every kick must be judged very harshly and only in terms of the actual benefit gained — if any. Probability 10%
Momentum
Maintenance and re-establishment of momentum are critical aspects of play. If every kick were to be measured only against its likelihood of increasing or decreasing momentum there would be very few kicks taken. Grubbers and chip-and-chases are the only kicks that maintain momentum if they are successful. All others more or less reduce it.
Specific tactical objectives
The wind is swirling, the rain is horizontal and you wonder if the opposing 15 really wants to be out there. If the game is in its 1st quarter it may be worth finding out.
The concept of “playing the game in their half” does seem, on the face of it, to have merit but in a short term/tactical sense rather than a strategic one.
Match time and Score
Leading by 10 with two minutes on the clock? Kick the ball into the river.
Seriously, assuming you are observing not only the letter but also the spirit of all the Laws of the Game it is still true that nobody ever said you are also supposed to give the opposition any advantage. The spirit of rugby is basically “no quarter given, none expected” and how you use your time in possession of the ball is a measure of your determination to win.
Field and Weather Conditions
How you use any natural advantage provided by the weather or the field conditions is a measure of your ability to play the game. You’re playing down the slope with the wind behind you? If your side can fulfil your dedication to open rugby, play and run with the wind at your back until you score. However, if they are not that confident and or haven’t the conditioning to play that kind of game use the elements to give you field advantage. Remember don’t kick the ball into touch in their 22m if the wind is against them let them struggle to kick it back to you and take the lineout in the red zone.
Kicking in defence
If kicking successfully without pressure is difficult kicking successfully under pressure must be regarded as effectively impossible! If you must kick in defence attempts must be made to reduce the pressure on the kicker. To do this the kicker must be given space, which means finding a way to keep the opposition on their side of the gain line while you recycle the ball and make the kick. This requires a ruck/maul and a successful ruck/maul requires at least three or four of your players so once again support is crucial.
Kicking for touch
The first objective of touch kicking is to find touch. Gaining field position comes a very poor second and not finding touch, the third possible outcome, is nothing short of a disaster except in one special circumstance, the kick into the corner of the field. Here failing to make touch can be turned to advantage because the options remaining to the defence are considerably reduced. This does not mean that you should kick wildly into the corner at every opportunity because there are other pitfalls. e.g. kicking too long results in a scrum back. However one of the key points of the evening will focus on not how long you can kick the ball but how accurately.
Penalties: Kicking for Points
Take the points that are offered unless there is a VERY, VERY compelling reason not to.
The exception to the rule…?
One exception to this rule to take the points under all circumstances arises when you are awarded a kickable penalty in the first few minutes of a game.
When this happens the chances are that this penalty is to some extent at least your reward for an aggressive start and it may be worth maintaining the momentum of this start by kicking for the corner with a view to scoring 7 points rather than 3.
If do you score the try well and good, if you don’t not much is lost; you still have lots of time and you have given the opposition a very clear indication of your aggressive intentions. Worth considering!
It goes without saying that selecting a reliable goal kicker is crucial but what is not so obvious is that your goal-kicker must be nurtured and coached (Reliable means at least 8 out of 10 within the 22m area)
There has been a lot of emphasis recently on coaching the kicker to the extent that many of the national unions and premiership clubs have a coach who does little else. The problem is that it has yet to be proved to me that you can “manufacture” a successful place kicker. What you can do, however, is to improve the performance of players who have already demonstrated ability and, perhaps more important, enthusiasm for the task. 10 fully concentrated kicks from no further out than the 22 and no wider than the 15m line will do more to improve your kicker’s success than half-a-dozen massive boots from the half-way line. Many kickers, especially beginners and junior players, gain great benefits from the standard practice of using the goal line and attempting to hit the single post. This method provides instant feed-back. Again, the objective should be to work on technique, not distance. Using the angle of the posts within the 22m area to the left and right and narrowing it down to increase the pressure on your kickers technique may be a more realistic practice and create success. Be realistic, how many of us can actually hit a 4” target from 20 m away unless we drove our car at it!
Penalties: Kicking for Touch
A penalty kicked square into touch keeping the throw-in is fifty times more valuable than a 75m bullet caught in-field that sets up a counterattack and puts the kicking team back on the defensive.
A safe and efficient happy medium between these two extremes can usually be found by even the most mediocre kicker. Note: if you use penalty kicks to touch as a good opportunity for team conferences the kicker not finding touch can cause a certain amount of grief to your defensive capability
Having kicked to touch a successful line-out is now crucial if you are to maintain momentum so make sure that you select your best option and that the entire pack is on board. The pack will have had a few seconds to prepare so there should be no need for a call. Trot up, throw in and move forward.
Restarts
Aim always to retrieve the ball either from left, centre, or right, aimed kicks…practice them in training, kickers and catchers don’t just magically tie up to retain possession, we accept too much to our detriment as coaches that the opposition are going to recover the ball from our kick off and think negatively. Aim for your kicker to achieve 4 seconds hang time for the ball in the air.
Restarts: 22 drop-out
Justification for a short drop-out (except for the once-in-a -while chance where the ball can be kicked and retrieved by the kicker who can then put men away on the open side) is limited. Giving the opposition a fair chance to acquire the ball on your 22 makes absolutely no sense. There are two major 22 drop-out options to consider: kick long into the open side or long into the box (behind the mass of their forwards) but in either case into a place where the defence isn’t. Even if the wind is squarely in your teeth it should be possible to put the ball behind the mass of defenders.
Of these the box approach is by far the safest unless defenders are very sparse on the open side. Whichever is chosen the kick must be taken without any hesitation, and
a) Getting the ball from the touch down in goal immediately to the kicker should be a crucial priority. Nothing in the Laws says the kick has to be taken on the 22 and the change in the Laws allows for members of the kicking team to be in front of the kicker as long as the kicker or another player puts his team on-side. Thus it makes sense to begin the run-up to the kick well behind the 22 and actually kick say 5m behind it to make sure the kick is not charged down at the line.
b) Getting wingers/flankers into position to chase should be a second priority and getting the rest of the team up in a defensive line the next. 8 and 9 should be slightly behind to cover the chip and 15 plus a wing in position to field the longer return.
The kick must be chased with determination by tacklers who know what is expected and who, if they can’t initiate an immediate turnover, must with your defensive line in place shut down the counter-attack e.g. by forcing a clearance to touch
A team may use open field kicking to get itself out of a difficulty once or twice a game but is very, very unlikely to kick itself into a victory.
Tactical Kicking
Drop-Goal
The drop-goal is a tactic that can salvage a static position and can combat loss of momentum. Obviously, it can only be used within range of the posts but if you have a kicker of average or better than average ability (who is prepared to do the practice necessary!) it can be a very potent tactic in situations where you face a poised, well-organized defence dedicated to making sure that you are receiving only slow ball. If you can work the ball into the middle of the field by phased play then even slow ball from the ruck with your kicker in the pocket should provide the opportunity to score points and keep the board ticking over.
Successful drop-goals often surprise the defence (and always surprise the spectators) and for this reason alone it may be worth having a go even if conditions are not perfect. Even an unsuccessful attempt can be useful since there is always the chance of a defensive error which can be turned to advantage. If it results in the opposition dropping-out at least you will hopefully regain possession. It goes without saying that, as always, communication of your intention to the team is crucial not only in setting-up the attempt but in making sure that the chase follows up.
Up-and-under in open play
The difficulty of placing a high into a dangerous position — as opposed to simply banging it in the air and hoping one’s teammates will somehow recover it — reduces the effectiveness of this tactic. An up-and-under that falls short immediately stalls the attack even if the ball is recovered. One that is too far is simply an invitation to the opposition to counter-attack since no pressure can be brought to support it or to pressure the receivers. However, if it is well-placed to land in a danger zone AND your intention has been communicated it can be a decisive tactic in regaining momentum even given the risks.
Box Kick
Like the bomb the box kick is a potent tactic if it is accurate both for distance and position. The kicker’s team must expect it as part of a rehearsed move and kick chase pattern. It has the advantage of being made from close to the off-side line and is particularly useful in pressure situations. It is one of the ways to retain possession of the ball without accepting the kick to touch from defence surrendering the ball
Wipers
The wiper kick (diagonally into the space behind the open-side wing) is a way to set up a full-back/wing counterattack for your opposition exactly in the part of the field where your team has least defence. However, properly executed it turns the wing and stands a good chance of setting-up a turnover. There are various ways to set-up a wiper. Many teams use at least one phase after the set-piece to concentrate or at least fix the opposition forwards. Another tactic is for 12 to make the kick. This has the effect of triggering the opposition’s back defence and potentially opening a few more yards of space. The open-side wing’s task is both to put his team onside and to chase the kick so he must be alive to the tactic.
Grubber
Of all open field kicks the grubber kick is, strangely enough, the most valuable and useful tactic ” The grubber is: a) relatively easy to execute, even at pace, b) allows considerable tactical variation e.g. vector, distance, c) makes space rather than relinquishes it, and d) where the “chip and chase” always requires the lucky bounce of an notoriously eccentric ball for success the grubber kicked end-over-end more often than not is gatherable by the attack. Even if it’s covered it requires the covering defender to go down to field it and this is worth at least a yard to the kicker/tackler. On the whole the grubber is likely to be recovered 70% of the time — i.e. on a par with the normal odds of a competent back beating his man given space.
Chip and chase
This kick must be practiced to a fine art to make it worthy of mention. There are a few spectacular chip and chase tries Jonny Wilkinson Jeremy Guscott, David Humphries, to name a hallowed group. Care must be taken to do the skill under pressure from a defender and to watch the ball at all times. It is generally used as a cop out from an attacker who has run out of ideas.
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