Our Kickers Must Lift Their Game

Not so often, we thrive through our kicking game but last Friday it was evi­dent in our first Super Rugby Pa­cific win against the Melbourne Rebels.

The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua mixed their kicking game with good passes and great running lines.

With our main kicker, Baden Kerr, ruled out minutes away from the opening whistle, it took some time for the Drua to settle down.

Trailing 14-0 and just before half­time, Drua first five-eight Caleb Muntz, suddenly chipped the ball over the Rebels defence with sec­ond five-eighth Kalaveti Ravouvou, winning back possession.

The ball was quickly recycled with Muntz delivering the final pass to winger Onisi Ratave to score the first try.

There was no turning back from there.

The Drua kept the kicking stats ticking- 22 kicks from hand with 86 per cent success in their kicking rate.

The early introduction of veteran first five eight, Teti Tela, was the much-needed catalyst.

Tela’s kicking was precise and this often allowed the Drua inside backs to regain possession while playing in the Rebels half.

Also, halfback Peni Matawalu kicked well on a couple of times.

That allowed us to kick, pass and run 485 times from 126 passes and 109 runs.

We have started to kick with pur­pose with the aim to spend more time in the opposition’s half.

Those kicks allowed us 51 per cent of our overall possession in securing our lineouts and scrums.

New kicking law

The new 50:22 kicking law and goalline dropout that were put into trial during last year’s Super Rug­by and Rugby Championship will be vital for our kickers to make good use of it.

According to World Rugby, the 50:22 law means that if a player kicks the ball from their own half and it bounces into touch within the opposition’s 22, then the attack­ing team will receive a lineout.

For the goal line dropout law, if the ball is kicked into the try area and dotted down by the defending side, instead of a 22m dropout they will now have it from the try line.

It also means that if the ball is held up over the line in the act of scoring, instead of a five-metre scrum to the attacking team, it will now be a turnover and dropout for the defending side.

On match day, our main kick­ers like, Tela, Napolioni Bolaca, Kitone Taliga, Muntz and Kerr should be able to master the new kicking rules and make good use of it for us to gain territory and possession.

Facing O’Connor

Heading into our next game against Queensland Reds, the kick­ing battle will be the highlight.

It’s time for our kickers to prac­tice what they are going to execute in that game.

One thing is certain, Reds first five James O’Connor will provide the kicking competition against us and we must be ready to take him on.

Feedback: simione.haravanua@fijisun.com.fj