Five Common Rugby Fives Mistakes And How To Fix Them

Rugby Fives rewards accuracy, movement and calm decision-making. The court is compact, rallies can change direction quickly, and a technically sound shot is useful only when it supports the next phase of play. Beginners often improve rapidly once they recognise which habits are costing them points.

Many errors look minor in isolation: a late step, an overhit volley or a weak return to the centre. Over several rallies, however, these small faults give an opponent control. The good news is that most can be corrected with focused practice rather than a complete change of playing style.

Rugby Fives has developed from school courts into an organised national sport with clubs, competitions and coaching pathways. Understanding the sport’s history can also strengthen a player’s appreciation of its distinctive court craft and traditions.

Why Technique Breaks Down

A common mistake is treating every rally as a test of power. Rugby Fives is usually won through placement, preparation and pressure. A controlled shot that makes an opponent move awkwardly can be more effective than a hard strike aimed at the front wall.

Players also tend to practise shots in isolation. Repeatedly hitting the ball from a comfortable position creates confidence without preparing the body for a real rally. Good training includes movement into the shot, recovery afterwards and a decision about where the next ball should go.

Watch your own matches, or ask a coach to identify patterns rather than isolated failures. If three points are lost because the ball is played late, the priority is footwork and anticipation, not simply hitting harder.

Mistake: Standing Too Square

A square stance makes it difficult to move towards the ball and rotate through a forehand or backhand. Players may reach the ball, but their body is often facing the wrong direction, leaving the shot weak and recovery slow. This is especially costly when the opponent plays into a corner.

Begin from a balanced, slightly side-on position with soft knees and your weight ready to move in either direction. As the ball approaches, use small adjustment steps instead of crossing your feet or stretching immediately. Get the head and shoulders into position before starting the swing.

The fix is simple to practise. Have a partner feed balls to both sides at moderate pace. Move into each ball, pause briefly in a stable position, strike with control and return to a central recovery area. Increase speed only when the movement remains smooth.

Mistake: Chasing The Ball

Inexperienced players often follow the ball rather than reading its path. They rush directly towards it, arrive too close or become trapped behind the bounce. This produces hurried contact and leaves the court open for the next shot.

Try to predict where the ball will be playable before committing to a direction. Use the walls, angle and speed of the previous shot as information. A short split step as the opponent strikes can help you respond without leaning prematurely.

During drills, practise moving to a landing zone rather than simply pursuing the ball. A coach or partner can call “short”, “deep”, “left” or “right” before the feed, encouraging you to move with purpose. The aim is to arrive early enough to choose a shot, not merely to prevent the ball from escaping.

Mistake: Hitting Without A Plan

A player may have a reliable drive but still lose rallies by using it in every situation. Repeating the same shot gives an opponent time to settle and makes your intentions easy to read. The better question is what the shot should achieve: push the opponent back, create an awkward angle or regain a safe position.

Before contact, identify the simplest useful target. When under pressure, favour a high-margin shot that buys time. When balanced and close to the front wall, look for a placement that moves the opponent away from their preferred court position.

Shot selection improves when you use constraints in training. Play a game where points count only after a change of direction, a successful volley or a shot into a nominated target area. These rules develop awareness while keeping the focus on rally construction rather than isolated winners.

Mistake: Losing Contact And Control

Loose contact often comes from gripping the racket too tightly or allowing the swing to become excessively large. The result is a ball that flies too high, clips an unwanted wall or lacks enough pace to reach the intended area. Tension also makes it harder to adjust when the ball takes an unexpected rebound.

Hold the racket firmly enough to control it, but keep the forearm and shoulder relaxed. Prepare early, watch the ball through contact and use a compact swing when space is limited. Aim to meet the ball in front of the body where possible, with the racket face stable through the strike.

Consistency should come before speed. Set a target zone and complete several controlled exchanges before adding pace. If the ball begins to spray across the court, reduce the swing and reset your body position. Reliable contact gives you the foundation for attacking play later.

Mistake: Failing To Recover

A good shot can be wasted if the player watches it instead of preparing for the reply. Standing near a corner, admiring a successful strike or drifting too close to the front wall leaves large spaces for the opponent to exploit. Recovery is part of every shot, not an optional action after it.

After contact, take efficient steps towards a position that covers the most likely return. This will not always mean standing in exactly the same place; the correct recovery depends on the angle, height and speed of your shot. Keep your eyes on the opponent and stay light on your feet.

A useful drill is to call out your recovery position after every stroke. Your partner can then feed a predictable reply, forcing you to move from the shot into a ready stance. Over time, this links execution and court coverage into one continuous movement.

Build Better Practice Habits

The following comparison helps connect each error with a practical remedy. Use it to choose one priority for a training session instead of trying to repair every part of your game at once.

Common error	What it causes	Useful correction	Practice focus
Square stance	Late contact and weak rotation	Begin slightly side-on with bent knees	Two-sided movement feeds
Chasing the ball	Rushed shots and poor balance	Read the rebound and move to a landing zone	Direction and depth calls
No shot plan	Predictable rallies	Select a target based on court position	Constraint games
Loose contact	Inconsistent height and direction	Relax the grip and shorten the swing	Target-zone exchanges
Poor recovery	Open court after the shot	Move immediately into a covering position	Strike-and-recover drills

Short, regular sessions are usually more productive than occasional exhausting practices. Spend ten minutes on movement, ten on controlled contact and ten on a realistic rally pattern. Finish with points in which the chosen technique must appear under pressure.

Keep a simple training record. Note the mistake, the drill used and one measure of progress, such as successful returns in a row or the number of rallies completed without losing court position. This turns vague frustration into information you can act on.

A Simple Matchday Checklist

Before a match, avoid filling your mind with too many technical instructions. Choose one movement cue and one tactical cue, such as “small steps” and “play away from the opponent’s strength.” Between rallies, take a breath, reset your feet and decide what the next ball needs to accomplish.

Use these practical reminders:

• Start each rally balanced, alert and ready to move in either direction.
• Watch the rebound and opponent’s position before committing to a shot.
• Choose control and placement when your balance or timing is under pressure.
• Recover immediately after contact instead of watching the ball.
• Review one repeated error after the match and build the next session around it.

Coaches, club partners and experienced players can make this process faster by giving specific feedback. “Move earlier” is less useful than “split step as the opponent strikes” or “recover two steps after the backhand.” Clear cues are easier to remember during competition.

Rugby Fives improvement comes from connecting technical skill with court awareness. Correcting a stance, reading the ball earlier, choosing a purposeful target, controlling contact and recovering quickly will make rallies more stable and decisions more confident.

Take one of these five areas to your next club session, record what changes, and repeat the drill until the correction appears naturally in match play. Visit a Rugby Fives Association club, coaching session or competition to keep developing your game within the wider playing community.