Under 11/13 – Drop & Grubber Kick /Highball Catch

DROP KICK
There are two key parts of the game that require a skilled drop kick.
Kick offs that are high enough for the team kicking to chase and compete for the ball in the air, or that are long enough so a chasing team can apply pressure and force the next play to be deep in the opponent’s half.
Secondly the drop kick can be the match winner in a close game if there is a player capable of kicking a goal from the field of play.

Key Factors

1. The ball should be dropped so that it lands upright on its point or slightly forward.
2. The ball should be dropped in the same position every time.
3. The body should be square on.
4. The non-kicking foot is pointing at the target and flexing at the knee.
5. Head is above the ball with the ball held in line with the kicking foot.
6. To get accuracy on the drop use your right hand under the ball and reach down as you go so it is not dropped from a great height. The left hand can steady the ball.
7. (Hand positions will vary depending on what is most comfortable.)
8. Step forward, drop ball, make contact with the hard part of the upper foot.
9. Kick the leg through and keep the head over the ball ending up on the toes of the non-kicking foot.
10. The power will come from the bend at the kicking knee at its back most point before driving forward.
11. Transfer the body weight through the ball and follow through to touch the hand of the balancing arm.

ACTIVITIES
1-Learning the Skill
As many balls as possible.
In pairs kick the ball to each other over a short distance trying to keep the ball straight.
The coach must go through the key factors and the partners must help each other.
The coach should break the kick in to a series of skills : Body position in preparation – the contact with the ball – the follow through.
Stretch out the distance when the basic skills are under control.
Practice kicking a distance by striking the ball close to the ground
Practice kicking high kicks by letting the ball bounce and getting underneath it.

2- Under Pressure
Set up some competitions.
Who can kick the longest kick off?
Who can kick the highest kick off? Introduce a chaser.
Who can kick a dropped goal from the field of play? Have a half back passing to a receiver at various positions on the field. Introduce a defender running at the kicker to put them under pressure.

3- Games
 * Hit the Post
Standing on the tryline at the point where the 15 metre line and tryline meet drop kick the ball to hit the single post the kicker is facing.
Best of 6/10 kicks. Doesn’t count if it hits lower than the crossbar. Could try on non-kicking foot.
Aiming for accuracy.

*Kicking Volleyball
Using a whole field with the 15 metre marks being the side-lines (or the 5 metre lines if a lot of players). The area between the two 10 metre lines across the field are the ‘No Kick Zone’. The infield area is from the 10 metre lines back to the tryline, inside the 15’s. (or mark out an appropriate area with cones)
5 v 5 (or a suitable number) the kicker tries to land the ball in a space in the ‘infield’ part of the field to get a point. Or if the receiver drops the ball a point is scored.
The kicker can aim high to make the catch difficult or do a flat long drop kick that hits space or is difficult to catch on the run.
If the ball touches the ‘No Kick Zone’ after the kick no point can be scored.

* KCC (Kicking – Chasing – Catching)
Kicker kicks from the middle of the field aiming for sufficient height and depth to land at least 10 metres ahead and a chaser having time to run after it and catch it on the full. (in the air if possible)
Pair up and see which pair have the most successes from 6/10 kicks. Change over the kicker.
Could introduce a receiver who gets up off the ground to catch the ball with the chaser running at them but not competing. (Could progress this through with a player chasing with a hit shield and competing in the air. A support player can be in place to support the receiver as they come to the ground)

GRUBBER KICK
The grubber kick can be used when kicking for touch outside the 22. This is usually carried out on the blindside with the halfback or first-five running and grubber kicking between the defenders.
It is also very handy in windy or wet conditions when the ball on the ground is hard for the opposition to deal with and as an attacking ploy to get in behind a flat defence.

Key Factors

1. Fingers are pointing downwards on the ball with hands comfortable down the sides or top and bottom of ball. Experiment with this.
2. The point of contact is on the top third of the ball which is angled slightly towards the body.
3. Head and shoulders remain over the ball with eyes focussed on the contact point of the ball.
4. Much of the force through the ball comes from the lower leg from a bent knee position which is accelerated forward so the speed of this motion will determine the distance of the grubber.
5. The ball is struck low to the ground with the ankle firm, the foot pointing downwards and the head and shoulders still leaning forward over the contact point.
6. The kicker needs to attack the defensive line and kick into a space between two defenders when they are as close as possible to the defensive line.
7. On attack the aim is to have the ball rolling end over end so that it can be picked up on the run.

ACTIVITIES
1-Reinforcing the Skill
Kick the ball down lanes or at targets such as posts from different distances and angles.
Coach on the run.
Progress to receiving a pass and kicking in to zones whilst on the run. Introduce two defenders two metres apart who run forward to apply pressure. They must maintain their width apart. The kicker receives the pass, runs forward whilst looking forward and picks their spot between the defenders and kicks at the appropriate time.

2-Intercept
In a large grid, maybe a quarter of a rugby field. 9 players with 6 attackers and 3 defenders. (or similar numbers)
The attackers can run no more than 10 metres at a time and must grubber kick it to another attacker who picks it up on the run. The game continues in this fashion.
The defenders will be trying to charge down the kick or intercept the ball after the kick. If intercepted or charged down the two players change roles.

3-Game Situations
Set up situations with the team grubber kicking for touch outside the 22 and on attack having a grubber kick made to get in behind the defenders which can be recovered by the attacking team.

CATCHING THE HIGH BALL
This skill requires an amount of courage as the catcher must concentrate on the ball and not the opposition. If the catcher is not under pressure from an opponent close by they can stand firmly on the ground but if they are near an opposition player also wanting to regain the ball they should jump in the air to catch the ball. In this way, they have a safety valve as no person can tackle them while they are in the air.

Key Factors

1. The player should keep their eyes on the ball as they move towards it whilst it is in the air.
2. As they get close to the catch zone they should get in to balance by using small steps.
3. Their arms will raise upwards with elbows in and fingers pointing upwards above their eyes.
4. They will extend their leading arm upwards towards the ball as they turn side on.
5. If they stay on the ground they present their thigh, hip and shoulder towards the opponent and their feet are wide apart with a slight knee bent. This position will provide safety and stability.
6. If the player is planning on catching the ball in the air their leading knee will come up as does their leading arm.
7. The key is to get the timing of the jump correct so that the ball is caught at the top of the jump.
8. This will be assisted by using the small steps to get in position before taking the big take off step and propelling in to the air.
9. The leading arm should guide the ball down towards the chest as the other arm helps secure it. This is done almost simultaneously.
10. As the player comes to the ground they should be in a strong position with a wide base and in a crouch, ready to take contact or explode away with the ball.
11. The catcher should make sure they call for the ball so that their team mates make the appropriate decisions on their next moves.

ACTIVITIES
1-Practice the Skill
In pairs each group with a ball. Talk and walk through the skill aspects with one partner throwing a high ball towards the partner.
Coach on the run.
Gradually get further apart.
Introduce the catch under a high kick. Make sure there is sufficient room available.
Coach the movement towards the ball.
Introduce catching the ball whilst jumping in the air. Go through the same process.
Finally introduce a person chasing the kick. The chaser should have a hit shield and hit in to the catcher just after they have caught the ball or has returned to the ground if they caught it in the air.

2-Game Situations
There are any number of situations that can be set up using smallish groups with specific tasks:
Fullbacks and wingers taking high bombs from halfbacks and five-eighths. A loose forward or winger could be chasing with a hit shield.
Wingers and loose forwards (in phase play) taking high cross kicks aimed for the attacking winger to run on to.
Forwards going up for a kick off receipt.
No 8 taking the high ball when going back in defence.
The next step is to introduce the next part of the play once the ball has been caught. Who does what? What is the plan in each situation?

3-Force Back
On a full field with the squad divided in to two even teams.
The team starting will make a kick from the middle of the field 15 metres back from the halfway.
The object is to kick a ball that lands in space. It must be inside the field of play.
If it does land in space the opposing team must kick it from 5 metres back from where they retrieved the ball.
The team receiving are trying to catch the ball before it hits the ground.
If they catch it successfully they can move forward 5 metres before they return their kick.
The object of the game is to drive the opponents back by kicking it over the tryline they are defending.
Once this has happened they restart as for the start of the game.