Develop your players’ ability to jump to catch a high ball under pressure. This session aims to give your players more confidence.
A jump to catch a high ball is not just a vertical jump. The player has to be moving into the space in front of them to dominate the situation.
Put two players holding ruck pads at head height about 5m in front of the catcher and no more than arms distance apart.
Have the catcher run at the gap in the pads.
Standing behind the pads, throw ball over the pad holders so the player has to leap and catch the ball either just before, over or through the pads.
Increase the distances and have the pad holders move forward and backwards to develop.
GAME SITUATION
Put two attackers and a kicker about 20m away from two 10m boxes.
Put a defender in front of the kicker and then another defender just behind the boxes. Have the kicker aim to land the ball in the boxes so they are contestable by his own players.
The defender in front of the kicker can try to block the kick or run back to help his team mate.
TECHNIQUE
Keep your eye on the ball all the way – no matter what you expect to happen.
Jump into the space where the ball will be caught, keeping your elbows close and your hands up.
Bend your knees as you are airborne to land more safely.
Avoid aimless kicking from your kickers. Give them targets and then, as they develop, make them look to kick to space and adjust to before they kick. Help players develop their understanding of how to receive a pass so they can be in a good position to kick to where they want. MORE
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. MORE
This small-sided game is ideal to work on players kick chase and keeping the ball alive in attack. You can use this as a standalone skills game or have it as a platform to launch a bigger game of touch and pass from. Thanks to Simon Parsons, Women and Girls Director of Rugby for Tunbridge Wells RFC and Kent U15s Girls Head Coach for this activity. MORE
Develop rugby rounders into a skills development game specifically aimed at improving kicking techniques and tactics. While there are also good outcomes for catching and passing, I want to focus on the precision of the connection between ball and boot and then finding space with the kick. MORE
Develop a long passing counter-attack game which includes accurate kicking, fielding and moving the ball to space out of your 22. Use this whole pitch exercise to work on the right skills. In a territorial kicking game, your backfield cover needs to be confident to field kicks, pass long and either kick long or run back. MORE
Create the desire to win the ball in the air, for kick-offs, high balls and lineouts. This session creates jumping and catching challenges for different situations. Let the players discover what works for them and try out lots of scenarios. GAME 1 Stand 5m away from two players who are side by side in a... MORE