In rugby union, few skills influence the result of a match as directly as kicking. A single well-judged kick can move play 40 metres downfield, force an error, or set up a try, which is why the boot sits at the centre of how teams manage a game. This guide explains the main types of kick, the laws that govern them, and how coaches and players use kicking to control field position. It is written for anyone learning the tactical side of the sport, with terms explained on first use and a New Zealand focus throughout.
Key Points
- Kicking is about winning field position and applying pressure, not just clearing danger.
- The 50:22 rewards an accurate long kick from your own half with a lineout throw inside the opposition 22.
- Box kicks prize hang-time over distance so chasers can contest the catch.
- Grubbers, chips and cross-field kicks turn kicking into an attacking, try-scoring tool.
- A drop goal is worth three points and can be taken at any time in open play.
- Solid backfield coverage from the fullback and wingers is the defensive answer to a good kicking game.
Why the kicking game shapes a match
Kicking was once dismissed as a defensive move used only to escape trouble. In the professional era it has become a way to manipulate the opposition and win back possession in better areas of the field. A kick relocates the contest from your own end to the opponent’s half, which shifts the pressure of making a mistake onto them. In New Zealand, where teams favour fast, continuous play, kicking is also used to make defenders turn and retreat, which is tiring over 80 minutes.
At a basic level, teams kick for four reasons:
- Territory: moving play 30–50 metres downfield so any error happens in the opponent’s half, not yours.
- Defensive manipulation: forcing wingers and the fullback to drop deep, which thins out the front-line defence.
- Points: creating chances for a penalty goal or a drop goal to keep the scoreboard moving.
- Contest: using a high, hanging kick to create a 50/50 aerial battle and possibly regain the ball.
These aims sit inside a wider approach to controlling territory, where field position often matters more than raw possession. A side can hold the ball less than half the time and still win by keeping the game in the right areas.
Managing territory: the exit
The area between your own goal line and the 22-metre line is the most dangerous place to play loose rugby. Any handling error or penalty there hands the opposition an easy shot at goal or an attacking lineout. To relieve that pressure, teams use an “exit”: a planned kick that clears the ball out of the danger zone. It is usually a long kick to the touchline or a contestable kick from the halfback.
How a clean exit works
A good exit needs the forwards to secure the ball at the ruck and protect the kicker from a charge-down. The kicker then aims for touch to stop play, which lets the defence reset. Under the Laws, a team inside its own 22 can kick the ball directly into touch and still gain ground; from outside the 22, the ball must bounce in the field first or the lineout is brought back. Knowing exactly where the 22-metre line sits is therefore central to the decision.
| Exit method | Benefit | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Kick to touch | Guaranteed stoppage and territory gained | Possession lost at the opposition throw-in |
| Contestable kick | A chance to win the ball back | Short gain if the chase fails |
| Long in-field punt | Forces the opposition to field and return it | Opens the door to a counter-attack |
The 50:22 law and its effect on defence
The 50:22 is one of the most important recent changes to the kicking game. Introduced by World Rugby in the 2021 law trials and inspired by rugby league’s 40/20, it works like this: if a team kicks from inside its own half and the ball bounces in the field of play before going into touch inside the opposition’s 22, the kicking team wins the throw-in to the lineout. In other words, an accurate long kick can gain big territory and keep possession.
How it stretches a defence
The threat of the 50:22 forces defending wingers to stay deep near the touchlines to cover the kick. That removes them from the front-line defence and can leave more space to run through the middle. Skilful kickers such as Beauden Barrett scan the backfield for open grass: if a winger creeps up into the line, the 50:22 becomes a strong option.
- Bounce required: the ball must bounce in the field before crossing into touch to qualify.
- Own half: the kick must be taken from inside the kicking team’s own half.
- Sideline pull: defenders hug the touchlines, which can create overlaps in midfield.
- Set-piece reward: the resulting lineout close to the opposition line is a launch pad for attack.
The box kick: control from the base of the ruck
The box kick is a high kick taken by the scrum-half (number 9) from the base of a ruck, dropped into the space behind the opposition’s first line of defence. The aim is not distance but “hang-time” — the number of seconds the ball stays in the air. A hang-time of around four seconds lets the chasers, usually the wingers, arrive as the ball comes down and contest the catch. Understanding the halfback and back-three roles is easier if you know the rugby positions and their numbers.
The chase matters as much as the kick
A box kick is only as good as the chase behind it. If the chasers are slow, the kick simply gives the ball away. Teams coach their wingers to sprint and time a jump to take the ball at its highest point. Note that if the opposition catches it cleanly inside their own 22, they can call a “mark” and receive a free kick.
| Box-kick target | Typical aim | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Hang-time | Around 4 seconds or more | Gives chasers time to travel 20–25 metres |
| Distance | About 20–25 metres | Keeps the contest close to the original ruck |
| Accuracy | Near the touchline | Pins the catcher against the sideline |
Attacking kicks: grubber, chip and cross-field
Kicking is not only about defence. Several kicks are used to score. When a defensive line rushes up quickly and flat, kicking behind it can be the best option, because it turns the defenders’ own momentum against them.
- Grubber: a low kick that rolls and bobbles along the ground through the gaps in the defence. Because a rugby ball bounces unpredictably, it is hard to pick up while running backwards, so a chasing attacker can win the race to touch it down.
- Chip: a short kick lofted over the defenders’ heads into the pocket of space between the front line and the fullback, for a teammate to run onto.
- Cross-field kick: a diagonal kick towards the far touchline, aimed at a winger in a one-on-one near the corner. It is a high-skill play often used inside the opposition 22 or under a penalty advantage, when a failed kick costs nothing.
Weather is a real factor for these kicks in New Zealand. A strong Wellington southerly or a Canterbury nor’wester can add metres to a kick or push it off target, so kickers adjust their power and angle accordingly.
Kick Comparison
| Kick type | Usually kicked by | Main purpose | Best used when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long touch-finder (exit) | Fly-half or fullback | Clear the danger zone and gain territory | Pinned inside your own 22 |
| Box kick | Scrum-half | Contest the ball in the air | From a ruck, to pressure the back three |
| 50:22 | Fly-half or fullback | Win territory and keep possession | A winger has crept up out of the backfield |
| Grubber | Any back | Beat a flat, rushing defence along the ground | Close to the line against fast line speed |
| Chip | Fly-half or centre | Kick over the front line into open space | The fullback is deep or out of position |
| Cross-field kick | Fly-half | Find a winger one-on-one near the corner | Attacking the 22 with an unmarked winger |
| Drop goal | Fly-half | Score three points from open play | A tight game when a try will not come |
Kicking to pin: the territorial battle
One of the most effective uses of the boot is the slow squeeze known in New Zealand as “playing in the right areas”. A team repeatedly kicks the ball long or into the corners and forces the opposition to kick back. If your kick-return game gains more ground than their exit game, you gradually creep closer to their line while their forwards tire from chasing back. This exchange, sometimes called kick-tennis, ends when one side finds a gap, forces a knock-on, or wins a penalty.
Why field position wears teams down
Being pinned inside your own 22 is physically and mentally draining. Forwards have to retreat long distances for every kick, and the pressure of a single mistake grows with each phase. Deciding when to kick, run or hold the ball is the essence of game management, covered in depth in our guide to rugby game management. Pinning a side in the corner can also set up a chance to steal their lineout or drive a maul, one of the payoffs explored in our look at set-piece strategy.
Defensive kicking and backfield coverage
The flip side of kicking is defending the kick. The fullback (15) and the two wingers (11 and 14) work as a back three to cover the space behind the defensive line. A common system is the “pendulum”: if play is on one side, the far winger drops back to cover the deep kick while the fullback shifts across. Since the arrival of the 50:22, many teams keep two players deep and wide to guard the touchlines, leaving the fullback to patrol the middle.
Skills the back three need
- Scanning: reading the kicker’s body shape and foot position to anticipate the kick.
- Communication: calling teammates left or right into coverage before the ball is kicked.
- The mark: catching cleanly inside the 22 and calling “mark” to earn a free kick and stop the momentum.
- Catching under pressure: taking the high ball securely with a chaser bearing down.
| Position | Main coverage | Defensive duty |
|---|---|---|
| Fullback (15) | Deep middle and high balls | Organises the backfield |
| Wingers (11 / 14) | Touchlines and the 50:22 zone | Close the space near the sideline |
| Halfback (9) | Short chip and grubber zone | Sweeps behind the ruck |
The drop goal: three points from open play
A drop goal is worth three points and can be attempted at any time during open play, provided the ball is dropped to the ground and kicked as it rises. It is a useful way to break a deadlock or close out a tight match. In the final minutes of a level game, teams work the ball into central field about 20–25 metres out — the “pocket” — so the first five-eighth (fly-half) can attempt the kick. To buy time, the forwards set a deep ruck and the kicker stands well back to receive the pass before the defenders arrive.
| Situation | Common choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Late in a tied game | Set up a drop goal | A high-percentage way to win without risking a turnover |
| Stalled on the line | Take the drop goal | Rewards pressure with points when a try will not come |
| Leading by one | Consider a drop goal | Pushes the lead to four, so the opponent needs a try |
Laws that shape the modern kicking game
Several relatively recent law changes have made kicking even more central. It helps to date them correctly:
- The 50:22 (from the 2021 trials, now in law): rewards accurate long kicking with a lineout throw, as described above.
- The goal-line drop-out (from the 2021–22 trials, now in law): when an attacker is held up over the line or the defending team makes the ball dead in-goal, play restarts with a drop-out from the goal line rather than a five-metre scrum. This keeps the ball in play and gives the defending team a chance to clear or contest.
- The shot clock (2024–25 directives): kickers have up to 90 seconds for a conversion and 60 seconds for a penalty at goal, with some competitions trialling 60 seconds for both. A visible countdown discourages time-wasting.
- Lower tackle height (community rugby, full law from 1 July 2026): a player-welfare change that lowers the legal tackle to below the sternum in community grades. It is a safety measure rather than a kicking law, so treat any link to attacking kicks with caution.
New Zealand fans see these laws in action every weekend across Super Rugby Pacific and the provincial game, where kicking accuracy is now a headline statistic.
Summary
Kicking in rugby union is as much about geometry and decision-making as it is about physical power. The boot lets a team relocate the contest, stretch a defence, win the ball back in the air and score points from distance. From the territorial value of a clean exit and the 50:22, to the aerial pressure of a box kick and the try-scoring threat of grubbers, chips and cross-field kicks, kicking gives players a set of tools to control where and how a match is played. As the Laws continue to reward variety, a reliable kicking game — and the coverage to defend against one — remains one of the clearest markers of a well-drilled side.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is kicking so important in rugby?
Kicking lets a team gain territory, force the opposition to defend under pressure, contest for the ball in the air and score points through penalties and drop goals. It often decides where a match is played, which is why coaches track kicking accuracy so closely.
What is the 50:22 rule?
If a team kicks from inside its own half and the ball bounces in the field of play before going into touch inside the opposition’s 22-metre area, the kicking team wins the throw-in to the resulting lineout. It rewards accurate long kicking with both territory and possession.
What is a box kick?
A box kick is a high, contestable kick taken by the scrum-half from the base of a ruck. The goal is hang-time rather than distance, so chasing teammates can arrive as the ball lands and compete for it.
Can you score a try directly from a kick?
You cannot score by kicking the ball into the in-goal and touching it down yourself in general play, but a teammate who is onside can chase a grubber, chip or cross-field kick and ground the ball for a try. The kicker’s positioning must keep chasers onside.
Why do fullbacks call “mark”?
A player who cleanly catches an opponent’s kick inside their own 22-metre area (or in-goal) can call “mark” to stop play and receive a free kick. It is a safe way to relieve pressure from a high ball.
How many points is a drop goal worth?
A drop goal is worth three points in rugby union and can be attempted at any time in open play, as long as the ball is dropped to the ground and kicked as it rises.