The Ulster and Ireland wing explains how to kick over defences
Jacob Stockdale: How to chip and chase
Jacob Stockdale’s ability to chip ahead and chase his own kick has resulted in memorable tries against England and New Zealand amongst others. Here the Ulster and Ireland wing, who scored a record seven tries in the 2018 Six Nations Championship, gives his advice on how you can replicate the skill…
Space exploration
“The key thing to look for is the space. Be aware of the players around you. If their full-back isn’t in the backfield and the winger is up, there is space in behind. Don’t put a chip in if someone is standing in the space.”
Clean connection
“You want an upright ball drop so it comes down and makes a clean connection with your foot. You want the ball to hit the top of your laces; your toes should be pointing up, so the ball goes up rather than long.”
Change in stride
“I have a long stride when I’m running, but before I chip I’ll shorten my stride length. This is so I can get good timing and it makes it easier to kick. Then once I’ve kicked, it’s back to the long stride to chase the ball quickly.”
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Muscle memory
“In Ireland camp after training, all the wingers – Andrew Conway, Jordan Larmour and Keith Earls, for instance – will get together with the kicking coach, Richie Murphy, and put in chips against each other, as well as trying longer kicks and grubbers. You get that muscle memory and when I’m in a game I don’t think about it!”
This article originally appeared in the November 2019 edition of Rugby World magazine.
Every month Rugby World features advice from professional players and coaches on specific skills.
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