Kick-out press and counter

Setup

1. The kick-out side has a kicker (KO) in the goal square and five leads (B1–B5) made up of two pocket leads, two half-backs and a long target at centre half-back.
2. The pressing side goes player-on-player with five (P1–P5) and plays a loose player (L) in the corridor about 40 m out as the plus one.
3. The coach calls "behind" to start each rep; KO can kick from the square or play on out of it.

How it runs

1. The kick-out side calls a pattern before each rep, either short to a pocket lead and play on, a spin and lead to the boundary side, or long to B5 with two at the fall.
2. The press covers the short leads, L takes away the corridor and the player on B5 plays in front.
3. The kick-out side scores 2 for keeping the ball past the 50 m arc and 4 for reaching the centre square with it; the press scores 3 for an intercept or a holding-the-ball tackle inside 50.
4. Six kick-outs, then swap sides; about 20 s of work and 60 s between reps.

Coaching points

• KO decides before the leads go and plays on quickly when the short option is open; a press takes about 5 s to set.
• Leads go hard and late. Lead up, spin and go wide, giving KO a target on the boundary side away from L.
• Press players lock the short options first and talk; L reads KO's eyes and sits in the hot spot, not with a player.
• After the mark, the next handball goes to a runner coming past. Speed breaks a press, not a hold and switch.

Common mistakes

• KO kicking to a contest in the corridor where L is waiting.
• All the leads going at once, so KO has nothing on the second look.
• Press players being dragged out of their area by decoy leads.