Aerial Skills drill
Contested Aerial Catch
Win the ball in the air with an opponent competing, safely and legally.
- Time
- 15 minutes
- Players
- 3 to 8 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- Ball, cones
- Space
- 10m box
- Positions
- Locks, back row, wings, fullbacks
Setup
A 10m box with cones, one ball, a kicker or thrower, a catcher and a chaser competing.
How to run it
- The ball is delivered high into the box and both the catcher and the chaser compete for it.
- The chaser must not tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp anyone whose feet are off the ground - that is a penalty every time and the rule exists because landing badly from height is how necks get hurt.
- The jumper's responsibility is to jump up rather than into the opponent, and to get their feet back underneath them before landing.
- Vary the delivery between throws, punts and drop kicks, and both spinning and end-over-end.
- Do 8 reps each as catcher and chaser, then swap.
Coaching cues
- Jump up, not into your opponent
- Feet back under you before you land
- No contact with anyone whose feet are off the ground
Common mistakes
- Making contact with a player in the air, which is an automatic penalty and the main injury mechanism
- Watching the opponent instead of the ball and arriving late and off balance
Related drills
- High Ball Under PressureHold catching technique together when the pressure and the doubt are real.
- Kick Chase LineArrive as the ball arrives, which is the whole point of a chaseable kick.
- Restart Receipt PodWin your own restart receipt safely as a unit of three or four.
- Solo High Ball Self-FeedBuild high-ball catching confidence and the safe jump entirely on your own.
- High Ball Catch TechniqueBuild a safe, confident high-ball catch - the foundation of every aerial skill.
- Wall Pass ReboundBuild passing accuracy and reaction catching completely alone, off any flat wall.