Own 22 Green Exit: Deep Kicker, Contestable Chase

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Overview

This is a three-pass depth exit for a settled ruck between the goal-line and own 22. Its purpose is not simply to clear the ball; it is to buy the kicker a clean square, make the opposition turn their shoulders, and put a prepared chase onto a contestable landing zone. Use it after a defensive set or turnover when the ruck is stable and the defensive line is flat. The call is “Green”: 15, not 10, is the primary kicker and the shape must be ready inside 3.5 seconds of the ball being available.

The shape uses ten players: 9 at the ruck; 10 as first receiver; 12 and 13 as a narrow protection shield; 15 as the deep kicker; 11 and 14 as chase leaders; and 6, 7 and 8 as the reload group. The kick is to the space five metres in from touch, ideally just beyond the first opposition wave, with 11 contesting the catch and 14 folding inside-out to cover the return.

Setup

Set the ruck four to eight metres inside the 22. The ball carrier presents long, with 7 as first cleaner and 6/8 folding behind the ruck line; that gives 9 a protected pass lane. 10 stands about five metres from the base, square enough to hold edge defenders. 12 is two metres outside 10 and slightly ahead as the lead shield; 13 is four metres wider as the outside shield. Neither centre should drift early: their job is to sell a run threat and protect the transfer.

15 starts 12–14 metres behind 10 in the middle third of the pitch. He calls “set” once he has depth, space and a clear view of the backfield. 11 stays wide on the intended kick side and 14 starts on the far side, deep enough to become the second chase wave. 6, 7 and 8 communicate “fold, fold” and prepare to rebuild behind the kick.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 0.0–0.5 seconds: scan and call. As soon as the ball is playable, 9 checks that the ruck is stable, the guard has not shot through, and 15 is set. 10 makes the exit call, “Green, Green,” while 15 confirms “set.” If any of those conditions are absent, 9 uses the normal exit call rather than forcing the shape.

2. 0.5–1.0 seconds: first transfer. 9 fires a firm, chest-height pass to 10. It must travel in front of 10, not behind him; a drifting catch pulls 10 into the tackle lane. 10 attacks the pass with two hands, catches square, and takes a short step forward to hold the inside chaser. 12 gets his feet set inside-out, ready to block the defender's line legally without changing line into contact.

3. 1.0–1.5 seconds: create the kicker's square. 10 turns his hips late and transfers immediately to 15. The ball should arrive at 15's outside shoulder, allowing him to catch, drop and kick without a second adjustment. 13 tracks outside 12 to close the edge, while 6, 7 and 8 fold behind the transfer. 15 must not run onto a flat ball: his depth is the insurance policy.

4. 1.5–2.5 seconds: kick with a target. 15 takes one stabilising step, points his non-kicking hand to the target, and kicks from a balanced body position. The default is a high, contestable spiral or torpedo to a point five metres in from touch and 35–45 metres upfield. If the opposition backfield is deep and the touchline is clear, the same shape can become a longer clearance into touch. The kicker calls the target number—“11 ball” or “14 ball”—before contact with the ball.

5. 2.5–3.5 seconds: chase and rebuild. 11 owns the aerial contest and arrives on the ball's outside shoulder. 14 folds across behind him, tracking the returner's hips rather than over-running the ball. 12 is the first inside support, 13 is the first outside support, and 6, 7 and 8 build a connected second wave roughly eight metres behind. 9 and 10 sweep into the defensive line after the kick; they are not spectators admiring the clearance.

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Key Coaching Points

Coach the speed of organisation before speed of pass. A 0.3-second pause to get 15 deep is better than a hurried kick from a crowded square. Demand voice before the ball moves: 10 owns the call, 15 owns the confirmation, and 11 owns the landing zone. The pass from 10 to 15 should be crisp and slightly out in front; if 15 has to stop or reach back, the kick is no longer protected.

Keep the shields legal and useful. 12 and 13 may run honest support lines and fill space, but they must not turn in, stop, or obstruct a defender who could make a tackle. The chase is timed off the strike, not the pass: leave too early and the ball flies over an offside line; leave too late and the returner catches uncontested. Finally, reward a smart no-kick decision. If 15 sees an unprotected edge or a broken chase, he carries behind the shield or finds touch rather than donating possession.

Common Mistakes

The most frequent fault is 15 starting too shallow. That turns a planned exit into a pressured kick and invites a charge-down. The correction is simple: mark a depth cone in training and do not let 15 cross it before the ball has passed 10. A second mistake is 10 overplaying the decoy and taking an extra carry step; coach a catch-turn-transfer rhythm, not a delayed pass. Third, wingers often chase the ball rather than the landing picture. Give 11 the contest and make 14 the fold player, with 12 and 13 arriving as connected support rather than isolated sprinters.

Variations & Progressions

Against a hard defensive press, use a shorter transfer: 10 catches, squares, and pops to 15 on his inside shoulder, with 12 leading through the channel. Against a deep backfield, change the finish to a long touch-finder or a low driven clearance to the open field. From the same picture, 15 can also show kick and feed 13 on a late unders line if the edge defender has fully committed to the chase; only use this as a called progression, never as an improvised rescue.

Progress the drill from walk-through timing, to passive red defenders, to live 7v7 pressure with a nominated backfield catcher. Score the unit on three measures: kick completed by 2.5 seconds, first chase contact within two seconds of the catch, and a second-wave line in place if the opposition return the ball.

Age Adaptations

For Under 12s, reduce the transfer to 9–10–15 with cones as shields, allow a punt rather than a spiral, and aim for safe space instead of a contestable kick. For Under 14s, introduce live line speed but stop the drill on any unsafe aerial contest. For Under 16s and open-age groups, add a live backfield, a counter-ruck threat, and a decision rule: if 15 receives pressure inside his kick square, the team carries or finds touch. Keep the language consistent at every age—set, green, target, fold—so the exit becomes a calm, repeatable habit under pressure.