Kicking drill
Partner Punt Ladder
Build punt distance and accuracy at four times the rep density of solo kicking.
- Time
- 25 minutes
- Players
- 2 to 6 players
- Intensity
- Medium
- Equipment
- Ball
- Space
- 30m+ apart
- Positions
- Fly-halves, fullbacks, halfbacks, wings
Setup
Two players facing each other on a marked pitch using the painted lines as distance markers. Start 30m apart with one or two balls.
How to run it
- Kick to your partner so they can catch it without moving more than two steps - that two-step tolerance is the accuracy standard.
- Every clean catch, both of you take five steps back; every miss, five steps forward.
- Your score is the maximum distance you hold for three consecutive clean exchanges.
- Alternate kick types on call: end-over-end drop punt for accuracy, spiral for distance, up-and-under for height with the receiver having to jump.
- Work for 20 minutes continuous, which gives roughly 80-100 kicks each, then finish with 20 kicks on the non-dominant foot at half distance.
Coaching cues
- One point at your foot, one at the sky
- Non-kicking foot in line with the target
- Land on the same foot, body moving towards target
Common mistakes
- The body falling away or rotating open on long kicks - keep the opposite shoulder forward
- Chasing distance with a bigger swing at a worse ball position, when distance comes from leg speed
Related drills
- Find the Gap GrubberExecute a grubber inside a live attacking shape against real defenders.
- Cross-Kick to the CornerBuild the flat cross-field kick and the one-handed leaping catch that finishes it.
- Aerial Noughts and CrossesTrain kick selection, accuracy, contested catching and chase decisions all at once, competitively.
- Target Kicking LadderBuild punt accuracy across increasing distances with a scoring system you can beat.
- Spiral Punt DevelopmentBuild the long, low spiral that finds touch and makes the 50:22 possible.
- Box Kick with StopwatchBuild a box kick with the hang time to actually be contested, not just distance.