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Catching a rolling ball

When you play good rugby catching a rolling ball (or a squirting, skidding, bobbling ball) is a useful skill you may need from time to time during games.

Progress from rugby catching basics

When you catch a rolling ball it is very important...
...to be sure you keep hold of it...
Make sure you have good handling skills

You are building good catching skills...
...so you want a solid foundation.
Visit or have visited the page...
...know the rugby catching basics
...you may go further faster.

Good catching is vital...coach yourself!

Play a big part in creating a good team.
Be confident the time you practice alone...
...catching a rolling ball...
...will certainly be valuable later on...
..when you have time...
...to practice with other players.

You have spare minutes...
...so improve skills on your own.
That is when you can make mistakes with no consequences.
Thats the time when you can experiment...
...and find the best way...
...or even new ways of doing things...
...for you!

Just because I say...
...this is how to practice...
...it doesn`t mean it`s true!
Look at lots of ideas and methods.
Use the bits that suit you and seem to work.
Play about with them.
Some may be useful in certain situations.
Find out for yourself.
You don`t need to go to a rugby pitch and rugby coach to improve.
Improve anywhere, anytime...
...all by yourself...
...but you will have to be creative...
...when catching a rolling ball.

How you do it - naturally

Catching a rolling ball - you`re a natural.
You are like a sponge.
You are learning all the time.
All you have to do...
...is think what to do...
...and your mind does the rest...it controls your body...
...and your body performs the task.
But only because it knows how to do it...
...because you have done it before...
...enough times to remember and be good at it.

It`s all valuable experience. It`s simply repetition.
When we want to do something new...
..we talk about practice...
...but we don`t remember...
...just how many times we have to do things...
...before we can be considered skillful.

Use your experience.
Keep your eyes wide open...
...concentrating on the ball.

Keep your mind on what you want to achieve...
...catching a rolling ball.

Catching a rolling ball...details

It`s a a natural step from the basic skills for handling the ball.
I have called it "catching" because it fits the category...
...you could say "dealing with" ...
...or anything you think best describes it.

The ball is travelling along the ground.
It may be rolling on the grass or hard mud...
...or slithering on a muddy surface.
It`s maybe skidding off wet grassy areas of the field...
...or possibly bobbling from side to side...
... because of spin on the ball...
...or from a slightly uneven surface of the pitch.
It may be squirting as it travels over first mud then grass...
...or out from under a player trying to fall on the ball.
But basicly it`s rolling and keeping predictably low to the ground.

Guidelines are given to junior players...
...to help cope with the complexity of the game.
They are just guidelines.
They are not laws that players must use all their career...
...as some players may think.

What you do depends very much on the situation.
What is no good for one set of circumstances...
...may be right for the situation you find yourself in.

How you deal with catching a rolling ball...
...depends on where...
... you are on the field...
...and what is going on around you.
In other words...the pressure being applied to you...
...the consequences of making a mistake.
You have to weigh it all up...
...and then you decide what to do.

Catching a rolling ball - situation A

The ball is rolling, slithering and skipping...
...close to the ground and towards you.
You are standing five metres out from the goal-line.
No opposition - their nearest player is 40 metres away.
Little pressure they are so far away...
...you have plenty of time.
Huge consequences.
If you knock-on they get a scrum...
...five metres out from the try line.
Their put in to the scrum...
...and a push over try is possible.
They have an amazing attacking opportunity...
..and that means big trouble for your team.

Solution...
You use your foot to trap the ball...
...keeping your hands well away in case it bounces up...
...and so making it certain there will be no knock-on.
Then you turn slightly sideways...
...and simply pick up the ball...
...any fumbles and the ball goes backwards...
...everything is sweet.
You are carrying the ball...
...and you are into the next situation.

Catching a rolling ball - situation B

The same ball is rolling towards you.
You are 20 metres from the goal-line...
...this time it`s their goal-line.

Loads of opposition - and your nearest support is far away.
Lots of pressure...they are so close!...
...and you have little time.
Minor consequences.
If you don`t go for it...
...they are going to get it anyway.
You may knock-on, but so what...
...they will get advantage and play on.

Solution
You swoop in for a one handed pick up...
...maintaining pace as much as possible...
...hand skimming the turf...
...palm upwards.
Your fingers touch the ball and...
...your arm "gives"...

Catching a rolling ball - reaching down on the run

Catching a rolling ball - reaching down on the run

...just enough so the ball sticks in your hand.
You`re through the opposition...
...just the fullback to beat.
SIDESTEP!!...
...and it`s a try!!! - in under the posts.

What a lucky pick up!...they all say

Only you know...
... how much you practiced.
You make your own luck.
When you practice and practice...
...you make difficult things...
...look easy and become easier for you to do...
...including catching a rolling ball.

Of course, there are a million sets of circumstances...
...which cover the ground between the two examples.

Do your utmost to prepare yourself.
Then you will have the experience...
...to deal with most situations...
...and you will act instinctively...
...when other players...
...have to think about how to do it.

Return from Catching a rolling ball to Rugby catching

Evtechs Sports Training
Sydney, Australia