Rugby tips for a chip and chase kick

A rugby coaching drill to help make kicking a first phase attacking option using the chip and chase kick.

There are three ways to break down a defence:

Go through.
Go around.
Go over.

The variety of tactics that rugby teams can employ in the use of these skills keeps defences "honest". An honest defence does not anticipate the direction or type of attack.

A team that is known to "run everything" will find that, over time, sides will bring their wingers up. A team that aims to "go through" defences will face a close, tight defence, allowing space only on the outside, where it will remain unexploited.

"Going over" the defence by kicking will mean that defenders need to think about the "depth" of their defence.

Depth of defence

A defensive line spreads across the field, with the full back standing some distance behind. The deeper the defence, the more players step in behind the defensive line and further back. If there are more players in the back field, there should be more gaps for the attacking side to go through.

Going over the defence has spawned a variety of kicks, many more used now than in previous seasons. This article concentrates on the "chip and chase", a kick usually from the fly half (10) and the two centres (12 and 13).

Chip and chase tips

The most common and traditional kick is where the player "chips" (kicks) the ball over the rushing defence for other players to "chase" (run onto). This is more and more used as a pre-planned tactic, with the centres (12 and 13) running at defined angles to make the most of the kick.

The chip should land in front, but out of catching reach, of the opposition full back (15).

Advantages

Players can catch the chip kick on the full. There's also a good chance it will bounce up to be taken at pace.
The opposition won't run up so fast next time. The idea is to keep the defence honest.
The chip can draw the opposition full back up next time, enabling a longer kick to then be put in behind them.
It is less likely to be charged down than a grubber kick.

This article is taken from the Better Rugby Coaching e-newsletter. Click here to sign up and get free rugby drills and skills twice a week.

Click here for more rugby kicking tactics.