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LOGINNathan Gosling was inspired, after seeing a clip posted by Pro 14 Dragons coach Bernard Jackman, to improve grubber kicking training. Here’s his take.
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Grubber challenges
the challenge
How to move grubber kicking from technique into a game situation.
principles
The kicker manipulates the defence and then grubber kicks, while the supporting player gathers to score.
Start with players working on the correct technique: striking with knee over the ball, and shoulders and hips facing in the direction of the kick.
Kicking the ball to each other 10 metres apart can create a co-operative challenge of how many times, in succession, the ball can be gathered by a partner.
Adaptive Games: Grubber goals
Set up four goals, say 5m wide. Feed the ball to the kicker, who aims to the goal indicated by the coach. Score one point for landing in the correct goal, and two points for the supporting player gathering the ball.
Progressions/alternatives:
- The support player calls the goal to call for.
- Add one, and then two, defenders – now the attacker has to manipulate the defence.
- Change the pitch size.
- Play grubber ‘bingo’, where the attacking team need to score in all the goals.
game transfer
Touch game. Points are awarded for executing grubber kicks effectively used – i.e., kick to space; double points awarded for grubber kicks that retain possession; bonus scores given for grubber kicks which lead to scores.
Nathan’s coaching cards
Shaun Connor, Dragons BACKS coach, on the clip that proved the inspiration
"The clip was of two players perfecting a skill for a specific play we want to use to break down defences. We found that players tend to side-foot the ball, rather than follow the core skills for a grubber kick.
We used these breakout exercises to work on the kicker taking the ball, shifting their body so the hips and shoulders were square to the target, and then executing the kick for the chaser.
Because we want our players to be using this as part of our attacking system, we want them to have the confidence to use it. Once we have practised this in isolation, we put back in defenders and make it live. The decision maker will recognise when to pass to the chaser or when to thread a kick through. In other words, if the defender is hanging back or up in the line."
Backs working on attacking kicks this morning with @10sac1975 on @dragonsrugby preseason camp pic.twitter.com/TFjGVPX7E0
— Bernard Jackman (@bernardjackman)Backs working on attacking kicks this morning with @10sac1975 on @dragonsrugby preseason camp pic.twitter.com/TFjGVPX7E0
— Bernard Jackman (@bernardjackman) August 9, 2017
Related Files
RCW 216 grubber challengesPDF, 1.5 MB
Nathan Gosling
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