Up and plunder

Chase down your kicking bombs with an organised line of players. The better the chase, the more chance of stealing the ball. Help your players know their roles.

Pressure high balls are a great way to go forward, turn the defence and ask questions of an opposition back three. They are even more effective in poor weather or accompanied by a proper chase with your best high ball catcher challenging and other support players covering for the dropped or tapped ball.

1. Start with a feeder passing to a kicker who is aiming for a target zone to gain their range.

1. Then, with all 10 players, start the back three on cones in a defensive position waiting for the kick.
2. From a coned simulated set piece, the attack sets up with a clearing passer, a kicker and four chasers. The extra defender puts pressure on the kicker.
3. The ball is passed to the kicker who sends up a high ball pursued by his chasers, who challenge the back three.

TECHNIQUE

The majority of kicks will be end-over-end, keeping the ball in the air longer with backspin. A more effective kick can be the high spiral, where the ball goes up point first but more importantly comes down point first. This is much quicker and sometimes moves in the air.