Drop-kick start?

Question

In my older years playing rugby, it was always a drop-kick to start a game. When I was playing under 11s etc, (over 25 years ago) I'm sure it used to be a place-kick to start the game. Anyone remember?

Answer 1

Maybe true for some youngsters. Drop kicks are not the easiest thing in the world to do. I remember having to do it as a 12 year old at training, I remember because it was a skill I had difficulty acquiring - and I'm pretty sure we started the games that way, but maybe different for different comps, provinces and countries. But then again as a lock I was never expected to restart.

Answer 2

Only in Union. League still starts with a place kick.

Answer 3

To start the game it was always a place kick. After a try that was converted it was and had to be a place kick. If the try was not converted it was a drop kick. There has always been a 22 drop out although it was the 25 yard drop out.

Answer 4

Yeh they changed it. Kickoffs used to be done off a kicking tee but they reduced it to just a drop-kick.

I think they did it to speed the game up and place kicking was seen as unnecessary.

I still remember when they changed that rule. It was around 2003/2004 (I think) when they made all kick-offs and restarts a drop-kick. The changes were made to the international game and it filtered down to all levels. I noticed it at club level when I was playing and then saw them doing it in the Super 12.

Answer 5

At colt level, you are not allowed to kick the ball, the start off is performed by a static pass to another player. Kicking starts at age 12 -13 I believe.