Rugby coaching session on catching a high ball

The session

What you tell your players the session is about:

1. Catching high balls under pressure.

2. Supporting and moving the ball away from danger.

What you tell your players to do:

1. Call clearly and move into position early.

2. Reach up for the ball. Turn towards the nearest touchline.

3. Support players must work hard to get behind the catcher to provide options.

4. If there’s pressure, move the ball away from the catching zone. Otherwise, pop the ball to a supporter or prepare to maul.

What you get your players to do

Practice 1: In a small grid, a player throws a high ball. A receiver calls for the ball, catches it and pops it to another player. This continues, with each player having a number of throws, catches and pop passes.

Develop by making the thrower put pressure on the catcher. The supporter now has to make a decision on whether to take a pop pass or drive in on the catcher.

Practice 2: In a larger grid, one player kicks to a catcher with a support player. Another chases the kick. The catching team tries to beat the chaser and then the kicker.

Developing the session

The training session can be developed as follows:

1. Add more chasers and supporters.

2. Change the size of the grid, making the chasers either further away or closer to the kicker and/or the catcher.

3. Change the type of kick, e.g. box kick, bomb, drop kick.

4. Make the supporters start in front of the catcher.

A game situation

Develop the session with these game situations and their typical catchers: A drop out (any forward); a box kick (the no. 8 or a winger); a high ball (the full back or a winger).

The scrum half or fly half kicks into a designated area on the pitch where these situations might occur (the kick does not have to be perfect). The players start from set positions (e.g. lineout, second phase breakdown).

Play through the situation and get quick feedback. Play again and then swap attackers and defenders. Focus on the session objectives, but allow players to make their own decisions. Develop the practice by halving the pitch size and the number of players.

What to think about

• When might you catch the ball on the run?
• What are the catcher’s options: Kick, pass, run?
• Should the catcher have two feet on the ground or jump for the ball?
• Calling the mark – is it always worth it?
• A counter-attack strategy: Kick, run back, pass and kick?
• Catching like an Aussie Rules player (reverse hands) or cradling (like a baby)?
• How should players use the elbows and fingers?

This article is from my Coaching Rugby manual, specially created for coaching core skills.

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