Box Kick, Chase & Recovery Drill
Site: eaglesrugbycoach.co.uk | Club: Effingham & Leatherhead RFC | Date: 12 April 2026
Description
A structured, progressive drill that develops the scrum-half's box kick technique alongside coordinated chase lines and kick-recovery skills for chasers. Working across a divided grid, players rehearse the full box-kick sequence — kick, chase shape, catch or compete — before facing live defensive pressure. The drill builds width and depth in attack, sharp decision-making under pressure, and the self-organising chase patterns that unlock territory at set piece and breakdown.
Purpose
The box kick is a high, over-the-shoulder kick most commonly used by scrum-halves at scrums, line-outs, and breakdowns to put the ball into less-defended aerial space. When executed well — and chased with purpose — it pins opponents inside their own 22, creates contest situations, and generates front-foot possession. This drill isolates and joins all three phases of that sequence: kick mechanics, chase line organisation, and aerial/ground ball recovery.
Why box kick?
At professional level the average box kick spends approximately 3.5 seconds in the air. In that time a tracking winger can cover roughly 25 metres. Practise the chase and the kick becomes a genuine attacking weapon at any level.
Learning Outcomes
- Execute a technically sound box kick — consistent height, direction, and hang time
- Organise and communicate a coordinated chase line from kick initiation
- Arrive at the landing zone in a legal, safe, and competitive body position
- Compete effectively for the ball in the air (two-handed catch or contest)
- Recover a grounded ball quickly and present or recycle cleanly
- Apply offside laws correctly during kick and chase (remain behind the ball at kick)
- Make real-time decisions: kick or carry, chase or hold width
- Self-organise as a unit when the kicker's cue changes
Equipment
- Balls: minimum 6 (size appropriate to age group)
- Cones: 24 (to mark the grid and nine inner boxes)
- Tall poles or air shields: 2–4 (optional, for kick-target hanging)
- Coloured bibs: 2 sets (attackers and defenders)
- Tackle bags / contact shields: 2–3 (for Phase 3 progression)
- Stopwatch or coach timer
- Flat open grass area: minimum 40 m × 30 m
- First aid kit: accessible at pitch-side at all times
Setup
Grid Layout
Divide a 30 m × 30 m square into a 3 × 3 grid of nine equal boxes (each box approximately 10 m × 10 m). Add a kicking channel — a 10 m deep strip — along one end of the grid. This gives an overall playing area of approximately 40 m × 30 m.
+----------+----------+----------+ ← Landing / Contest Zone (boxes 7–9)
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
+----------+----------+----------+
| 4 | 5 | 6 | ← Mid-chase Zone (boxes 4–6)
+----------+----------+----------+
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ← Chase Start Zone (boxes 1–3)
+----------+----------+----------+
| KICKING CHANNEL | ← Scrum-half kicking position
+--------------------------------+
Player Numbers
- Minimum: 8 players (1 scrum-half, 3 chasers, 2 catchers/receivers, 2 coaches or passive defenders)
- Recommended: 12–16 players to allow rotation and rest intervals
- Maximum per grid: 16 (split into two groups and run on parallel grids if numbers exceed this)
Timing
| Phase | Activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unopposed kick and chase (technique focus) | 10 min |
| 2 | Kick, chase and contest (catcher added) | 10 min |
| 3 | Live kick, chase and recovery (defenders introduced) | 10–15 min |
| Rest intervals | Between phases | 2 min |
| Total | 32–37 min |
Step-by-Step
- Mark the full 40 m × 30 m area with cones. Clearly mark the kicking channel line and the boundary of each of the nine boxes.
- Scrum-half starts in the kicking channel at the centre of the grid's width.
- Three chasers align in boxes 1, 2, and 3 (Chase Start Zone), one in each box.
- On the coach's whistle, a ball is fed to the scrum-half simulating a ruck or line-out scenario.
- Scrum-half executes the box kick, calling a pre-agreed cue word (e.g., "BOX").
+----------+----------+----------+ | 1 | 2 | 3 | ← Kick Origin Zone (boxes 1–3) +----------+----------+----------+ KICKING CHANNEL [SH stands here]
Player Numbers
| Role | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Scrum-half (kicker) | 1–2 | Rotate every 4–6 kicks |
| Chasers (attackers) | 3–4 | Wings / back-three players |
| Receivers / defenders | 2–3 | Start in boxes 7–9 |
| Feeder (coach or player) | 1 | Delivers ball to SH at pace |
Minimum group size: 7 players
Ideal group size: 10–14 players (allows rotation and rest)
Session Timing (40-minute block)
| Phase | Activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | Dynamic mobility (SOL), footwork, wrist/shoulder prep | 8 min |
| Phase 1 | Unopposed kick and chase — shape only | 8 min |
| Phase 2 | Passive defenders — contest introduced | 10 min |
| Phase 3 | Live defenders — full competition | 10 min |
| Cool-down & review | Stretch, Q&A, delegate debrief | 4 min |
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mark the grid using flat cones. Number each box 1–9 (or use coloured cones per row).
- Position the scrum-half in the kicking channel, just beyond box 2. Use a ruck pad or a cone to simulate the base of a ruck or the back of a scrum.
- Position 3–4 chasers in boxes 1–3, spaced across the width, behind the kicker. They must be behind the ball at the moment of the kick — reinforce this constantly.
- Position defenders (passive to begin) in boxes 7–9, spread across the width.
- The feeder rolls or passes a ball to the scrum-half at pace, simulating a ruck feed.
- The scrum-half executes the box kick — aim for boxes 7–9, targeting box 8 initially for height and direction consistency.
- Chasers read the kick and accelerate, organising into a spread chase line. The inside chaser calls "middle," outer chasers call their widths.
- Defenders begin with arms folded (passive), then progress to competing for the ball.
- Recovery options for chasers on landing:
- Ball caught cleanly → retain possession, play continues
- Ball contested in air → compete legally, clear ruck or maul
- Ball grounded → chaser jackal attempt or clean pick-and-drive
- **Rotate