We all know that lineouts and scrums are crucial phases of the game, but so often we forget about kick-offs.

The kick-off might often be ignored, but the fact it is ignored means smart teams can gain an advantage through it.

We saw that on Saturday when Bristol Bears scored two tries directly from their own kick-offs in a crazy game against Exeter Chiefs.

But, what do you have to know about this new battleground?

When you look at a kick-off it can be helpful to split the receiving team’s half into two; the 22m and the space between the 10m and 22m. Between the 10m and 22m is where any kick will be competitive whereas a kick into the opposition 22m should be too deep for the chasing players to compete for it.

Receiving teams react to this by putting forwards or tall backs in the space between the 10m and 22m. Leicester Tigers do this with Freddie Steward who can patrol the middle of this space and compete for balls in the air without being lifted.

Focus of Wales

Wales have also focussed particularly on this area in the past, spreading four groups of two players with one lifting the other. In the past you will have seen Ken Owens lifting Leigh Halfpenny to win those short competitive kicks.

In the above example you can see how the Chiefs fill this short space with three groups of three players all in lifting pods. They will start spread and then the middle player, the jumper, will track the ball and his two lifters will follow him to the spot of the ball.

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As Bristol showed on the weekend though, and as you can see in the below video, there are two areas to attack this kind of set-up.

The first is a low hangtime short kick to an area between the 10m and 22m where no receiving players are located. Put simply, if you dink a kick into space you have just as much chance of reclaiming it as the receiving team. If anything, your chance is greater because the lifting pods are unwieldy and the first instinct is to use them to catch the ball.

A low kick without hangtime will encourage the lifting pod to move towards it but you will be in position to pick their pockets if you’re a speedy winger who knows what’s happening.

When it comes to winning back kick-offs, the key is chaos! Your opponents are set, so if you can pull them away from what they are set up for then you nullify their advantage.

The second Bears try comes from a perfect kick. I spoke earlier about how kicking short is the only way to win the ball back. Well, you can ignore that now. Harry Byrne was able to kick into the Chiefs’ 22m but also with enough hangtime that Benhard Janse van Rensburg could get there at the same time and win the ball.

Worrying for teams

That is exceptional and worrying for teams receiving kick-offs.

Bristol have opened the door to this being a possibility and I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a host of fly-halves practising those long kick-offs with boatloads of hangtime.

If that can be consistently nailed, expect to see the number of retained kick-offs skyrocket!

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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/how-ireland-and-leinster-outcast-is-creating-chaos-in-the-premiership-with-exceptional-kick-off-display