Attacking out of the tramlines

Develop the skills and tactics to return the ball from kicks to the sides of the pitch, between the 15m and 5m lines.

A cross kick can isolate the defending winger. He needs to use kicking and running skills to avoid being caught away from his support.

1. Get the potential receivers to practising chip and catching/ gathering the chip by running towards the posts, chipping over the bar and receiving the kick before it bounces.

1. Then, put a ball on the halfway line, in the middle of the tramlines.
2. Put a retriever to the side of the tramlines and two defenders about 20m away.
3. Put a support player behind the defenders.
4. On your signal, the retriever gathers the ball and attacks through the tramlines and the defenders and other support player move forward.
5. Give the retriever targets to achieve, like distance made, or holding up the ball for support, or keeping the ball inside the tramlines.

1. From about the halfway line put a kicker and four-lettered chasers as per the bottom picture.
2. Place three opposition players in the 13, wing and 15 positions.
3. The kicker kicks into the tramlines, and you shout which lettered players have to chase.

TECHNIQUE

• For the chip, drop the ball onto the foot to avoiding breaking stride.
• Kick back through the tramlines into the space behind the defenders.
• Don’t go into touch.