Drop kick restarts

WHY USE IT

Not enough time is spent on this simple skill, especially by younger players, who need to work their way through the set-up and technique to complete a drop-kick restart.

set up

A ball for each pair of players, a pitch to be able to kick at the goalposts from the side, and cones to set up a square.

HOW TO PLAY

ACTIVITY 1 & 2: A pair of players stand about 15m apart. They drop kick back and forth to each other. Work down a line, such as the 22m line. Steadily move them further apart as they improve in accuracy, then kick at the posts, aiming to strike the side of the goal post as high up as possible.

DEVELOPMENT: Kick from the middle of the pitch to land in a square, marked out by cones placed around 10m to 15m inside the other half of the pitch. This replicates a kick-off. Get a chaser to see if they can catch the ball in the square.

COACHING POINTS

• The swing of the leg needs to be smooth and steady, like a controlled golf swing. It is in the timing not the power.