Charge downs

LOGIN

Subscribe today to access over 2000+ drills, 350+ ready made practice plans, and more.

Teams often need to kick out of their 22 and you can pressurise kickers by charging down their kicks. This session makes chargers focus on the kicking foot and the potential outcomes the kicker is looking for.

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 10-15
Warm down time: 5-8

What to think about

The best chargers “read” the kicker’s actions so they intercept the kick, rather than just appear in front of the kicker by chance. That means the charger needs to know which foot the kicker kicks with. With that information, he can angle towards that foot, given the kicker will move to their left if he is kicking with his left foot and vice versa. The charger needs to get his arms and elbows in front of his head, so he has less fear of the ball flying into his face. He also needs both arms up to create a larger area to prevent the kick and be strong as the ball makes impact.

set-up

Read what foot the kicker is going to use.
Attack the space where he is going to make the kick, not where he is standing now.
Get both arms up and in front of you and follow through (see picture 1).

What you get your players to do

Set up the cones and players as in picture 2. Indicate which gate the kicker is to kick from. The feeder passes the ball to the kicker, who aims to kick the ball into his target zone. The charging player sets off at the same time as the pass to block the kick.

More like this...

Charging down the kick

Keep the arms and hands in front of the head. Follow through with the body.

Development

The feeder can box kick. The kicker does not have to go through the gate indicated (but must still aim for the targets).

Set up with the feeder (9) passing to a kicker (K) who goes through a designated gate. The charger sets off towards the kicker at the same time as the pass is made.

Game situation

Play a game of 4 v 4 (or more) touch rugby plus one player behind each team. The team in possession passes and runs as normal but can use the player behind to kick into coned-off target areas say 10m x 5m. Only he can kick into target areas (see picture 3). If he is charged down, his team loses a point. If the ball goes dead, it loses a point as well. Use onehanded touch, with the tackled player turning around to pass the ball from the ground (creating an offside line). Each team has four touches before a turnover.

The kicker must aim for the specific target areas. Develop by allowing the feeder to box kick (kick over the shoulder with his back to the oncoming defenders).

What to call out

“Don’t hold back – the charge down might miss but the action will hurry the kicker”
“Get the arms and hands high, and dive at end if necessary to get over the ball”
“Stay inside the kicker as you line up”

Dan Cottrell

Dan is a practising RFU Level 3 coach and coach educator. He coaches with the Bristol Bears DPP programme, is head coach of Bristol Schools U18s and the Rugby Performance coach for Bristol Grammar School.

He was head coach of Swansea Schools U15, Young Ospreys Academy, assistant coach with the Wales Women's Team for the 2010 World Cup, director of rugby for Cranleigh School, Surrey. He played for Bath, Bristol, Esher and Clifton, South West division, Gloucestershire and Surrey.

Editor's Picks

Wicked warm-ups

Being authentic, player relationships and 'why?'

Challenging players of differing abilities

Behind the scenes with: England U18s

Saracens Academy: Behind the scenes with the Wolfpack

Practice Plans

Go forward from the lineout

The session looks at running and support lines from the back of the lineout. There is a run up of around 10-15m for the ball carrier before ...

Long pass plays

Develop long passing for specific plays. This session works on running lines and timing as well as improving accuracy of passing in match-...

Four-man contact pods

This session works on players taking the ball into contact in groups of four. This is most likely in a game when you know the opposition is ...

Become the perfect decoy

A strike runner often makes his break because a decoy runner has drawn the defender. Decoy runners need to be credible and available to ...

Newsletter Sign Up

Join over 75k coaches that are saving time searching for fresh coaching ideas with our free email newsletter: ✔ New drills ✔ New games ✔ New warm-ups. Delivered direct to your email inbox

Eight-man drift session

You can run an effective drift defence session even with fewer than 10 players. Use this as a warm-up for a larger group work out, too.

Quick Coach: Wrestlemania

Two players wrestle with the ball until they go over one of the lines – then it’s a battle to win the ball on the ground.

Bounce out

The main focus is on the support players and the lines they run; but also look for the defenders and attackers to get their heads up.

Defending the front lineout ball

Combine speed, accuracy and anticipation to read the opposition’s movements. By Joe Payton, NZ Rugby’s women’s high-performance development ...

Coaches Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

"I have been coaching competitive soccer for over 20 years in Las Vegas. I feel like you are my personal club director. My players and myself have learned a lot from your sessions. The exercises from Soccer Coach Weekly are easy to understand and implement. I never run out of ideas and there is always an exercise for whatever problem we need to fix. Thank you!"

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

"First and foremost, Soccer Coach Weekly is truly unique and exceptional for its clarity and for explaining the "why?", in addition to the "how?". Soccer Coach Weekly is also professionally managed - any issues, which are infrequent, are resolved in an expedient and courteous manner. I place Soccer Coach Weekly at the top of my recommendation list for any new or seasoned coach of the beautiful game."

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

"I coach both young club players as well as players at the High School level and both genders. The talent range is wide at times, however with the use of Soccer Coach Weekly I am able to apply the information to all talent levels and player ages and make the session fun and challenging for all players. It has helped spark me at times when I am at a loss for what to do at the next training session or offers a different approach to a current problem."

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

"My team and myself are truly enjoying the Soccer Coach Weekly downloads. Pierrefonds Titans are a great group of U16 Females who compete in the Lac St-Louis Association of Montreal, Quebec, Canada."

Be a more effective, more successful rugby coach

In a recent survey 89% of subscribers said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them more confident, 91% said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them a more effective coach and 93% said Rugby Coach Weekly makes them more inspired.

SUBSCRIBE

Get Weekly Inspiration

All the latest techniques and approaches

Rugby Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use rugby drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice.

We've been at the cutting edge of rugby coaching since we launched in 2005, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.