Rugby World UK – July 2019

“If the full-back is

deep and there is space

behind the front line, a chip over

the top is good. It doesn’t want to be

too high because you want to catch it

before the defence recovers. A banana kick

is another option – it’s quite risky but I try it

once a game. You kick the edge of the ball,

which allows the ball to arc out and cut

out extra defenders. It goes straight

and then curves later in the fl ight,

rather than arcing

at the start.”

“Kicking
gets the ball to
wherever the space is as
quickly as possible. What kick
you use depends where you want
to hit it and how quickly you want
it to get there. You look at the
defensive shape or if the 15 is
deep. Back your decision
and commit. Decide
and do.”

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Top tips from All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett, twice World Player of the Year

HOW TO MIX

YOUR KICKS

PRO INSIGHT

“I’d use a

cross-fi eld kick if the

wingers are tight and the

full-back is deep. You want a

15-metre window for your winger

to run onto the ball. The key is you

don’t want the ball in the air too

long or the defence to have

time to get there. It’s a low

drop and a low kick.”

“If there is space

behind the defence and no

cover, I’d put a grubber kick in

between them. You need to be

close to the line so the attack can run

onto it. Target the space between two

defenders, then get the ball and your

foot through. Work on kicking the

ball end over end. You don’t

want it to roll on

its belly.”

BEST PLAYERS^100

BEAUDEN

BARRETT

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