Box kicking essentials

The “box kick”, a high kick launched off 9 into the space behind the forwards, is usually seen as a relieving kick from defensive positions less than 30m from your own goal-line.

However, many teams who like to force errors out of their opponents will use the box kick from much further up the field - such as between the two 22s.

The four key points are as follows:

1. Field position

You do not have to make the box kick directly from the lineout or scrum.

Throw in an extra phase to take play up the field to give the kick an attacking flavour. This will draw up the defence and increase your options.

2. Set the kick

Once you have secured the ball, to ensure that the kick from the 9 is unimpeded, call in an extra two players to create a long ruck for the 9 so that their kick cannot be blocked.

They bind one behind the other, so the back foot of the ruck is further from the defence.

3. Hang time

To be effective as an attacking tool, the box kick needs to travel approximately 20 to 30 metres and stay in the air for over four seconds.

4. Chase quality

Ideally, there should be at least three chasers – one outstanding aerial athlete to contest for the kick itself and one chaser to cover the space on either side and pick up any loose ball that results.

You can use the exercise on page 6 to work on the timing of the box kick for your chasers and kickers. Note that it suggests that you don’t always have to put height on the ball. If the defender is not back, you can land it on the ground and chase the bouncing ball.

In all cases, the idea is that these kicks are contestable – you are kicking to gain possession back, not to relieve pressure.