Dan Biggar: How to kick to regain

The Wales fly-half explains how to test defences by catching your own kick

Dan Biggar: How to kick to regain

Wales fly-half Dan Biggar has become known for his ability to regain his own kicks and put defences under pressure. Want to replicate the skill? Here are his top tips…

The position

“With so little space on offer in Test rugby, there is more kicking. If you kick and regain the ball, you get territory and it can be as good as a line break. Look to employ this type of kick between 
your 10m line and the opposition 10m.”

The height

“If you kick the ball too high, it won’t go far enough forward. So you’re looking at a 30m kick with around a three-second hang time to give you enough time to get up on it and compete. You want to connect with the ball with the top of your foot, not the inside.”

The timing

“Timing your run and jump is crucial, and you want to be jumping into the ball. If you get momentum coming onto the ball, it’s incredibly difficult for the person standing still to jump as high. You also want to get your knee up to protect yourself.”

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The jump

“Try to stay square onto the ball when you jump. As soon as you turn your body in the air you can’t quite compete for a high ball. You need to be in 
a strong position to reclaim the ball. And knocking on isn’t the worst outcome if you’ve got a good scrum.”

The mindset

“These are all the technical parts, but the biggest thing is having the right mindset of wanting to get up and compete for the ball. If you’re not going to give it everything, you probably won’t win the ball. You have to be brave and back yourself to compete.”

This article originally appeared in the June 2015 edition of Rugby World magazine.

Every month Rugby World features advice from professional players and coaches on specific skills.

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