Great hooker set ups for better throwing accuracy

The starting point for accurate throwing is a good set up by the hooker before the throw.

Pre-throw rugby drill

It is important that your hooker gets into a consistent pre-throw routine in the same way a goal kicker does. They need to:

• Get their breathing settled.
• Get the call communicated and understood.
• Focus on where the target is going to be.

Less tension

The hooker needs to be relaxed as any tension in the body will affect the accuracy of the throw. Most poor lineout throws are due to the hooker not being mentally prepared before throwing.

Being involved in open play and then having to set for a lineout throw is a difficult skill. Preparing to throw needs to be practised in training:

Get your hooker to run a series of sprints, hit some bags or perform a similar rugby drill to get them out of breath.

They then have one minute to set themselves and hit a target.

Repeat this rugby drill several times to build up their stamina, but primarily their ability to relax and settle quickly.

The grip

The back hand holds the ball near the end. The fingers are spread and the ball sits in the hand. The player shouldn't grip the ball too tightly.

Many hookers have the seam of the ball in the palm of the hand but it is down to how individuals feel comfortable.

The front hand rests at the front of the ball. It doesn’t grip the ball and is simply a guide for the throw.

The stance

The feet are side by side with the toes just behind the touch line. The hips and shoulders are set square. The knees are slightly bent and the upper body leans back slightly away from the pitch.

The starting position

The body is still with the knees and back bent to give a "coiled spring" feel. The elbows are tucked in close to each other either side of the head.

The ball is held directly behind the head. The head is up and the hooker focuses on the exact spot where the ball is to go.

For young hookers the feet should be flat on the ground to give stability. As they develop and start to throw longer distances they can stand on the balls of their feet to give them more flex and therefore power.