Kicking, Chasing and Catching

Whether from a kick off, or with a chip, grubber or penalty kick, a good kicker is vital to many rugby teams. And since a kick is only as good as the chase, you also need to make sure your other players understand their roles in your tactical kicking plan.

Drills and tips to boost kicking skills - Grant Fox, Michael Lynagh and Jonny Wilkinson - great kickers who were vital to their country scooping World Cup victory. So what can we learn from them, to help us kick winning goals?

Rugby drill tips for catching passes - Even the best international players drop the ball, so it is useful to remind players about the key principles for core catching skills. And we are not just talking about a normal catch and hold.

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.

Tips to improve your kicking game - The kicking game is too often left to chance and the whim of the fly half. Here are some tips and tactics to broaden your options.

Rugby coaching tips for kicking into the wind - Windy days can make kicking a lottery, but the following tips can help you use the wind to your advantage, even if it is against you.

Rugby tactics for kicking with a cross wind - Kicking under pressure with a cross wind is a common situation for rugby players. Here are some good tips to maximise your kicking skills in these conditions.

Coaching tips to help when kicking for pressure - We challenge teams to think beyond the adage of "don't let the ball bounce" and change their attacking tactics.

Returning kicks - Returning kicks is an aspect of the game that does not always get the same emphasis as tactical kicking and chasing.

Simple rugby tactics for returning kick offs - Receiving the kick off is both an opportunity and a threat. A poor kick off reception can mean a lost psychological advantage. A solid take can give your team a lift. These three tactics are designed to give you options for what happens next.

Rugby tactics for kick off reception - The following rugby coaching tips look at the basic tactics and skills to improve the kick off reception.

Three rugby kicking tactics to win more games - Inexperience and youth are not the only reasons why rugby teams kick badly.

Rugby coaching tips for catching a high ball - You won't always have the ball, so you may find the following a simple but useful tool to help your rugby players improve their catching, particularly when defending against the high ball.

Rugby restart strategies to reclaim the ball - Even a simple kick off strategy can enhance your rugby team's prospects of winning the ball back.

Turn your kicking game into tactical gold - Here's my "ready reckoner" guide to the rugby kicking tactics to earn your players the "order of the boot".

Kick and keep possession - Rugby coaching tips for kicking the ball away and having it too!

Developing the grubber kick into an attacking weapon - A grubber kick can be used to break down a strong defence - one that's well organised and moves forward quickly. It is also effective when you're faced with a superior number of defenders.

Rugby training video demonstrating halfback passing races - A great Ford Academy rugby training tip. Please search the site for more clips of rugby coaching drills in action.

Speed up catching skills - Improve your players' all-round catching skills, reactions, balance and hand-eye coordination with these rugby coaching drills.

Chip kick technique - This exercise looks at the chip kick, which is usually the preserve of the 10, 12 and 13.

Rugby drill to work on catching a high ball -
Most players in the team will have to catch a high ball at some stage, whether from a kick and chase, kick off or drop out restart. If they are not involved in the direct catch, they alternatively may have to support the catcher.

So, although it's primarily aimed at the back three, this rugby drill has benefits for all players.

Rugby drill for open play kicking - This rugby drill session is designed to develop your players' open field kicking. The drills focus first on technique, then progress with a training game to challenge the players' skills under pressure.

Drills and tips to introduce rugby kicking skills -
It's worth coaching rugby kicking skills as early as possible, even if your young players are not allowed to kick during games yet. By the time kicking is introduced into the game, the youngsters will have a well-developed set of core skills and a basic tactical understanding of when to kick. Use the following rugby coaching tips and drills to help.

Rugby drills to develop kicking game strategy -
Use these rugby coaching tips and drills to work on your team's kicking game strategy - you can build one in thirty minutes with the following rugby coaching session.

Rugby coaching tips for kicking on hard ground -
Make hard ground work to your advantage with these three rugby coaching kicking secrets.

Rugby drill for kick and chase moves - Use these rugby coaching tips and drill to get defenders on the back foot with some well-executed kick and chase moves.

Coach a rugby goalkick routine -
For consistent results from goal kicking you need to kick the ball the same way every time. Players should develop routines they feel comfortable with and a key rugby coaching tip is to sing a song, hum or whistle just before the kick. This might sound mad but it modulates breathing and helps players relax before they take the kick.

Catching skills rugby drill -
Use the following rugby coaching session to improve your players skills and ability to catch under pressure.

Rugby coaching tips for kicking skills -
With few exceptions, there's no point kicking simply to give possession away. If you are going to kick, be it a long punt or chip and chase, you have to execute the skill well.

Your players must understand rugby kicking tactics and their roles within the game plan. The chances are they also need to improve on their kicking skills and technique.

Rugby coaching tips to improve kicking from hand skills - With few exceptions, there's no point kicking simply to give possession away. If you are going to kick, be it a long punt or chip and chase, you have to execute the skill well. Use these rugby coaching tips to help.

Tramline returns rugby training drill - More rugby teams are kicking the ball into the tramlines, that is between the 15m and 5m lines. This means your wingers, or the players covering that area, need to develop tactics to return the ball. Supporting players also need to get in position to support these tactics.

Seated catch rugby drill -
Rugby coaches can use this lineout training as part of a rugby warm-up for all players and not just those in the lineout. The drills will help improve players' catching ability.

Rugby coaching game to practise the chip kick -
The chip kick exploits the space behind the defence. This rugby coaching game forces one team to defend in front of and behind the defensive line. The defined kicking areas call for accuracy.

Rugby coaching drill for the goal kick -
Goal kicking is an odd aspect of a rugby team game because 15 players can do everything in their power to score tries, but one player can win it by slotting his penalties.

The goal kicker should practise, practise, practise. The coach's role is to make sure he is practising perfectly.

The rugby coach needs to be the person who "stands" with the kicker – their rock to lean on if they are feeling wobbly. It's a mental game and he needs to feel he is not alone.