Putting the boot in
One-time Springbok utility back Vlok Cilliers is the current kicking coach at the Blue Bulls, the reigning Currie Cup champions. In the first of a series of articles, Cilliers explains to Rugby365 the value of a good kicker.
Bath centre Mike Tindall has become the latest England star to be afforded a full colour spread in the British tabloids after he was snapped 'grappling and smooching' the Queen's granddaughter in the Bahamas.
Since the start of my involvement with the Blue Bulls, where I was appointed as kicking coach this year, I once again realised just how big the role of a kicker is in a team. If you look at the Bulls' last couple of Currie Cup games you would realise it was our goal-kicking that swayed the results in our favour.
I also had the privilege to attend a number of recent school fixtures and it was bitterly disappointing for me that the kicker in one game did not realise the importance of this aspect of his game. The game I am referring to saw one team lose because its kicker couldn't find the target with his place-kicks, failed to relieve the pressure on his team, and was unable to put his team into a good field position with his touch-finders.
Through my work at the Blue Bulls I regularly study kickers from around the world, to see what it is that makes them such outstanding performers. Kickers like Johnny Wilkinson, Daniel Carter, Derick Hougaard, Andrew Mehrtens, Joe Roff and now Percy Montgomery all have something in common.
Their technique is very basic, they have the ability to handle pressure, and can vary their game with some well-placed kicks from off the ground and out of the hand.
What really set these guys apart from the rest is that they apply the basics of kicking very well and repeatedly do drills to hone the basic skills during training.
It is also very important to ensure you are comfortable with your style. You should never try to copy another kicker, or try and adapt to his style. Every kicker must develop their own technique, something which works for him and makes him unique.
The aim of rugby is to score more points than your opponents. It is simple game. If you kick better than your opponent and thus score more points than him, you will win the game!
Kicks are also an important attacking option. For that reason kicking is like any aspect of the game, where the basics have to be mastered in order for the kicker to be successful.
I'll look briefly at three important aspects of kicking:
TECHNIQUE: As a kicker you have to keep your technique as comfortable and simplistic as possible. The longer your run-up, the bigger the chance of mistakes creeping in. Conversely, a shorter run-up leaves less room for errors. The swing-through of the kicking leg is very important. I always tell my pupils that you "kick through the ball, not at the ball".
TIMING: This is the most important part when it comes to accuracy and distance. Without timing you will struggle. Your body position is important – as kicker you have to be comfortable when you are lining up your kick, your stance and your run-up.
CONTACT: The third important aspect of the kick is making contact with the ball. Many kickers don't kick through the ball, they lift their heads, their hips are in front of the ball, they step too far away from the ball and try to kick too hard. These are all vital aspects in determining where the ball will end up – and sometimes it is the difference between winning and losing.
Finally, I would just like to say that the difference between the best kickers in the world and the average player is the kicker's technique, attitude and training methods.
Until next time,
Vlok Cilliers
