Kick Attack

“Kick Attack”
If a kick attack is going to be a major part of your patterns of play and in operation from phase play, you need to ensure that you are not spending much of the game presenting the ball to the opposition to play with. This requires you to practice the kick skills and chasing plans to a high degree. Remember, if a player kicks on attack, his team mate, or indeed he himself, must be the first to gather the ball. Then the support plan needs to kick in to operation.

Kicking needs to be based on where the spaces are in the defensive pattern and how you manipulate the defence to create the spaces for yourself.  Obviously these spaces are in behind the first defensive line and are often determined by the positioning of the back three either at set play or by determining where they tend to move to in phase play situations.

Some Ideas
1-Attacking scrum inside or about the 22. Fullback is up in the defensive line with the blindside wing ready to cover across.

Set your attack line nice and flat and have 15 wide, but in the line. 10 attacks the line running at the gap between 10 & 12. Close to the line they either grubber kick or chip in to the space behind 13. The attacking fullback has taken off on his run on an angle towards the goalposts and collects the ball on this running line. He will link with 7 and 8.                                                                 

Keep the ball alive with a couple of quick passes as necessary.  The aim is to score from this play.

2-A similar position on the field but the defensive fullback has waited back in the pocket. This time the attacking ten will run at the line but with his shoulders square on so that at the appropriate time he can chip kick the ball back across the to the zone on the far side of the scrum where his winger will run on to it. The wing will be supported by 6 & 8 in the first instance. All the rest of the players should make sure it appears the play is going the same way from the scrum. The wing may well have to practice regularly at jumping and catching the ball as he runs forward.

3-Further downfield similar situations can be created at the first ruck situation from a scrum or a lineout starter. (Or you can experiment from the second or third ruck). The space here is most likely directly behind the ruck or is created once the attack team look as though they are going in one direction and the cover begins to move across. This is a good opportunity to reverse kick as planned or for nine to chip over and behind the ruck. For the chip from nine to be effective it needs to be called by a player who is also going to be the runner and gatherer. There may be several calls dependant on height and length, but as a rule the ball needs to be kicked only as high and as far as is required for the player to run the angle and catch the ball on the full.

4-Kicking from a wide attack. By the time the ball is received out wider than midfield there is every likelihood that the defensive line has moved up, including the fullback and there is space in behind and away from the cover. Practice kicking from your centre with the wing running on to the ball and support from fifteen running through. Twelve will most likely be the inside support to make sure that there is continuity. The wing is most likely going to have to gather and pass under some sort of pressure so this must be practiced.

5-The long diagonal kick has shown itself to be successful at every level of the game and this is a must in the repertoire.  The team will attack to the sideline and look as if they are going to continue attacking in to the narrow channels. The player who has found himself on the far side of the field should stay on the sideline and prepare for the chase and catch of the diagonal kick.   This needs to be planned and practiced often.

6-The ‘bomb’ is a not often used attacking weapon which can be very successful. It is all about getting it high enough so that the chasers arrive with the ball. It can be a very nervous time for the catcher.

If high kicks, and indeed long kicks out of the half, are used it is most important that the chase organization of the team is practiced so that there is pressure on the ball and on the players close by; there is pressure applied up the middle of the field to stop the counter attack; and a second line arrives to cut off any chip kicks. At least three players need to be held back should the kick not be very effective and the defenders are able to return the ball through kicking themselves.

Kicking to attack from positions other than nine or ten are not often utilized so these could be an interesting development. As well, kicking back in to space that has just been left will provide plenty of headaches for the defence.  Kicking to attack from phase play also tends to create pressure on defences that are used to expecting an attack with ball runners and are aligning to cope with this strategy.  Just remember, if you are kicking to attack you must be able to get your hands on the ball before the defenders.  If you plan carefully, with kicks in to space and players running from different angles on to the ball you will have a lot of success. Other than that the kick has to be high enough so that your players arrive with the ball.

These are but a few basic ideas. I’m sure your team can come up with some that are even better.  Watch televised games carefully with the kick attack in mind and see what they are coming up with. How have they created the necessary pressure which has in turn promoted a try scoring opportunity?

SUMMARY
Kick to space or kick high. Make sure you can get there first.
Manipulate the defences through your previous phase plays. Observe how they defend at set play and where they track to at phase.
Plan the chase and support organization to ensure continuity and pressure.
Practice the necessary kick requirements under pressure.