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Bouncing grubber kick

The bouncing grubber kick is handy in rugby. You use this for short to medium kicks past defenders into space behind them for attacking players to run on to.

Start your good rugby with the basics

Build good rugby skills from the ground up.
A kick is easier if...
...you have good rugby handling...

...and you know your rugby kicking basics.
.

Why use the bouncing grubber kick

The rolling grubber kick is...
...a good attacking ploy...
...when in the opposition half of the field.

You would normally carry the ball...
...into and against the opposition.

Sometimes problems arise...
...and the ball cannot easily...
...be carried.
Or an opportunity arises...
...to make grand rapidly by using a kick.

Say the opposing wing and centre...
...have moved up quickly...
...to smother your attack...
...by making it difficult to run and pass...
...to your outside backs.

This kick would be useful.
By moving up quickly...
...the opposition players...
...have left undefended ground behind them.

You put in an angled bouncing grubber kick.
You send it spearing through...
...their defensive line...
...rolling and bouncing into the undefended ground.

Timing their runs well...
...your outside backs...
...race past the advancing opposition...
...gather the ball well at one of the bounces...
...and race away towards...
...a two-on-one encounter...
...with the opposition fullback.

It can be very useful.

How do you do a bouncing grubber kick

A rugby ball will roll end over end...
...keeping low some of the time...
...and bouncing up from time to time.

So you kick the ball...
...to make it do this.

Bouncing grubber kick start position

Hold the ball in both hands,... Bouncing grubber kick of a rugby ball starting position

...the ball pointing away from you...
...and slightly downwards.
One hand above the ball...
...one hand below

The length of the ball...
...is pointing away from your body.

Swing it up to about waist height...
...then remove your lifting hand...
...from under the ball.

Now you have the ball at bent arms length...
...perfectly positioned for the kick...
...just as in the image.
As you step forward to kick...
...the ball hangs there under
...your out-stretched fingers and thumb...
...moulded to the shape of the ball.
Gently remove your hand...
...as the ball starts to drift down...
...towards your foot...
...which is coming through to kick.

Bouncing grubber kick in progress

This guides the ball down... Bouncing grubber kick of a rugby ball in progress

...towards your foot...
...maintaining the correct positioning...
...of the ball.

As you are positioning the ball...
...you are also stepping...
...into the kick.

You bring your leg through...
...at the same time the ball arrives...
...at foot height...
...and Pow!

Slightly bent legged...
...toes pointed...
...You firmly strike the ball...
...with the boney...
...top part of your foot.

You also keep your knee...
...forward to keep the ball low.

How hard you hit the ball...
...depends on how far you want it to travel

Bouncing grubber kick finish position

Bouncing grubber kick of a rugby ball finishing position

Follow through...
...keeping your knee high...
...and toes pointed.

You can vary how the ball behaves...
...by varying where it...
...first hits the ground.

Hitting the ground close to you...
...would tend to make it a short...
...high bouncing kick.

Hitting the ground further away from you...
...would tend to make it a longer...
...rolling kick with a few bounces.

Practice frequently and use two balls.
Use any method to kick one ball...
...20 to 35 metres to use as a target.
Then use use a bouncing grubber kick...
...to put the other ball...
...close to or past the first one.

This gives you plenty of feedback...
...about whether or not you are accurate...
...and when you are measuring the distance well.

Main points

good handling skills required
place the ball downwards onto the foot
ball pointing in line with the foot
knee forward, toes pointed downwards

Return from Bouncing grubber kick to Rugby kicking

Evtechs Sports Training
Sydney, Australia