Switch the play

Setup

1. Five attackers: two half-backs, a centre half-back (CH) and a winger each side.
2. Four opponents start on the ball side to jam it up, with one on the far wing.
3. Cone a target gate on each wing about 30 m up the ground.

How it runs

1. The coach hands the ball to a half-back on one flank; play is live straight away.
2. Attackers move the ball to the open side and get it through either wing gate to score 1.
3. A switch kick that is marked on the far side scores a bonus point.
4. Opponents score 1 for an intercept or a forced kick out of bounds; rotate every 5 balls.

Coaching points

• Look up first: if the ball side is crowded, the open side is where the space is.
• The far half-back presents early and wide, so the switch is a short, safe kick.
• Switch kicks go flat and to the advantage side, away from the nearest opponent.
• The open-side winger leads back toward the ball, then turns and goes.

Common mistakes

• Bombing it up the line on the crowded side out of habit.
• The far half-back drifts in too close, so the switch kick goes past opponents.
• Kicking the switch high and slow so the opponents have time to cover.