‘Kicking the ball is a negative way to play the game.’
I’ve heard it said many times before. What they really mean is that by kicking the ball you are doing nothing more than playing forward oriented rugby, a ten-man game and by doing so, you are not allowing your backs to play with the ball in hand.
I disagree. If you possess a scrum half with a good pass, a pack that can win solid phase one ball and a fly half that can kick then you have a potent weapon that can actually create more space for your backs to run in.
The modern game has seen the emergence of the rush defense particularly off phase one ball. Off the top lineout ball is often greeted by a center that rushes up blocking off any outlet beyond your own fly half. Coaches realized long ago, that having opposing lines stood 20 yards apart is a great attacking opportunity and therefore acted to negate this opportunity.
The rush defense normally results in switch moves that come back inside to set up a ruck and recycle ball. Although the ruck does have opportunities, not being able stop the rush defense on phase 1 ball is an opportunity lost. And if you have a fly half that kicks poorly then they will rush up all day long
The basis of my argument for a kicking game is this. If you are able to kick the ball behind opposition centers at the start of a match, then they are less likely to rush up at a subsequent lineout or scrum. Making the opposition defend with a back three that have to stay deep and keeping the centers honest will mean that at some stage, your backline will be able to turn the corner and get round the defense or overwhelm the centers by flooding the midfield with an attacking blindside winger and fullback.
Like most things in rugby, it just doesn’t happen overnight and takes a concerted effort by a team's coach to continually practice it. Making sure you win a good supply of quality phase one ball is your priority, followed closely by making sure your scrum half is giving the kind of service that gives your kicker as much time as possible.
When coaching your fly half, make sure that almost all of his kicking practices are conducted under pressure and it is important he is given a target to aim at. The target should ideally be a circle of cones with a diameter of about 10 yards centered where the opposition 5 yard line crosses their 22. You can build on the drill by getting your scrum half and winger involved and then have defenders fielding the kicks – doing this will benefit your defense as well as your chasing game.
Once you’ve got your fly half putting the ball where he wants it to go, deciding how to attack with the ball in hand once you’ve moved the defenders back and the opportunity becomes available is your next decision.
There are many moves that can be employed, whether it is a miss move putting a fullback outside the defending center or a blindside winger being inserted inside or outside your fly half, it matters not. The most important thing to remember is that the runners are coming onto the ball and at pace. An extra 5 yards back makes all the difference and is very hard to spot by a defender that is already 20 yards away. Practicing the moves unopposed at first is wise to get the timing right but you should then quickly oppose your backs. Defenders with pads, followed wrap tackles then full contact.
One tactic that can work for any team is to stack the mid field area on your lineout or scrum. Having your fly half and centers in a front line across the field with your back three directly behind (ten to fifteen yards), can have defenders in a panic. If they come forward and match up, you simply kick the ball back into the circle we have previously mentioned. Keep doing this, and eventually you will have defenders lying deep, which is when you attack with the ball through the hands.
This tactic was first used by Australia back in the 80’s with the Ella brothers, and it showed that by being clever and kicking accurately, you can create defensive mismatches and create more room for your backs from an attacking scrum or lineout.
I’ve heard it said many times before. What they really mean is that by kicking the ball you are doing nothing more than playing forward oriented rugby, a ten-man game and by doing so, you are not allowing your backs to play with the ball in hand.
I disagree. If you possess a scrum half with a good pass, a pack that can win solid phase one ball and a fly half that can kick then you have a potent weapon that can actually create more space for your backs to run in.
The modern game has seen the emergence of the rush defense particularly off phase one ball. Off the top lineout ball is often greeted by a center that rushes up blocking off any outlet beyond your own fly half. Coaches realized long ago, that having opposing lines stood 20 yards apart is a great attacking opportunity and therefore acted to negate this opportunity.
The rush defense normally results in switch moves that come back inside to set up a ruck and recycle ball. Although the ruck does have opportunities, not being able stop the rush defense on phase 1 ball is an opportunity lost. And if you have a fly half that kicks poorly then they will rush up all day long
The basis of my argument for a kicking game is this. If you are able to kick the ball behind opposition centers at the start of a match, then they are less likely to rush up at a subsequent lineout or scrum. Making the opposition defend with a back three that have to stay deep and keeping the centers honest will mean that at some stage, your backline will be able to turn the corner and get round the defense or overwhelm the centers by flooding the midfield with an attacking blindside winger and fullback.
Like most things in rugby, it just doesn’t happen overnight and takes a concerted effort by a team's coach to continually practice it. Making sure you win a good supply of quality phase one ball is your priority, followed closely by making sure your scrum half is giving the kind of service that gives your kicker as much time as possible.
When coaching your fly half, make sure that almost all of his kicking practices are conducted under pressure and it is important he is given a target to aim at. The target should ideally be a circle of cones with a diameter of about 10 yards centered where the opposition 5 yard line crosses their 22. You can build on the drill by getting your scrum half and winger involved and then have defenders fielding the kicks – doing this will benefit your defense as well as your chasing game.
Once you’ve got your fly half putting the ball where he wants it to go, deciding how to attack with the ball in hand once you’ve moved the defenders back and the opportunity becomes available is your next decision.
There are many moves that can be employed, whether it is a miss move putting a fullback outside the defending center or a blindside winger being inserted inside or outside your fly half, it matters not. The most important thing to remember is that the runners are coming onto the ball and at pace. An extra 5 yards back makes all the difference and is very hard to spot by a defender that is already 20 yards away. Practicing the moves unopposed at first is wise to get the timing right but you should then quickly oppose your backs. Defenders with pads, followed wrap tackles then full contact.
One tactic that can work for any team is to stack the mid field area on your lineout or scrum. Having your fly half and centers in a front line across the field with your back three directly behind (ten to fifteen yards), can have defenders in a panic. If they come forward and match up, you simply kick the ball back into the circle we have previously mentioned. Keep doing this, and eventually you will have defenders lying deep, which is when you attack with the ball through the hands.
This tactic was first used by Australia back in the 80’s with the Ella brothers, and it showed that by being clever and kicking accurately, you can create defensive mismatches and create more room for your backs from an attacking scrum or lineout.
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