Overhead flat-lay photograph of a worn leather Rugby Fives glove resting on a dark wooden court floor, with a hand-stitched ball nearby; deep browns, burgundy shadows, and warm cream highlights evoke a vintage sporting atmosphere.

Rugby Fives Association

The governing body for Rugby Fives — promoting play, coaching and competition across the UK

Sharpen Your Rugby Fives Backhand

A dependable backhand gives you time, accuracy and options when the ball reaches your weaker side. In Rugby Fives, the best response is rarely a desperate swipe. It is a controlled, balanced stroke that sends the ball deep, keeps it low and makes your opponent work from the back of the court.

For Australian players, regular practice may mean fitting sessions around school terms, club bookings or a long drive to the nearest suitable court. A focused set of drills can make limited court time count, whether you play in Melbourne through winter, train in Brisbane’s warmer conditions or join a weekend session in Sydney.

Drill	Main skill	Suggested volume	Best training partner
Shadow backhand	Footwork and swing shape	3 sets of 10	Solo
Wall target hitting	Contact and accuracy	5 minutes	Solo
Deep-corner feed	Length and control	20 balls	Feeder
Moving backhand	Recovery and balance	3 sets of 8	Feeder
Backhand pressure game	Decision-making	10 minutes	Opponent

Build A Reliable Backhand Shape

Start with your feet rather than your arm. As the ball travels towards your backhand side, turn your shoulders, move into position and keep your head steady. Your non-playing shoulder should point towards the front wall, while your racket stays prepared rather than dropping behind you.

Use a compact swing. The racket should travel forward through the ball, with the contact point comfortably in front of your body and roughly around waist height. A long, looping backswing often creates timing problems and leaves you late against a fast shot. Aim for a smooth acceleration, then finish with the racket travelling towards your intended target.

The shadow backhand is a simple way to establish this pattern. Without a ball, split-step, move laterally, turn your shoulders, plant your outside foot and swing through an imaginary contact point. Perform ten repetitions slowly, ten at normal speed and ten with a recovery step back towards the centre. Quality matters more than speed.

Train Contact And Court Accuracy

A wall target drill improves your ability to strike the ball cleanly. Mark a small target on the front wall using removable tape, or choose a visible brick line if you are training outdoors. Hit backhands from a comfortable distance and try to make the ball return into a reachable zone rather than simply hitting as hard as possible.

Begin with straight drives. Your objective is a ball that travels deep and stays difficult to attack. If the ball comes off the wall too high, check whether your racket face is opening at contact. If it flies across the court, your shoulders or swing path may be rotating too early.

Progress by alternating between a deep target and a lower target. This develops control over height and pace, two essential parts of a strong Rugby Fives backhand. In a Melbourne winter, when indoor court access can become especially valuable, five purposeful minutes against a wall may produce more benefit than a long unstructured hit.

A useful variation is the two-ball rhythm drill. Strike one backhand, let the ball rebound, recover to a neutral position and prepare again. The exercise teaches you to reset after every shot instead of admiring a good hit and becoming stranded out of position.

Improve Movement Into The Shot

Many backhand errors begin with poor distance from the ball. Players either crowd it and jam the swing or reach from too far away. A feeder can help by sending balls to slightly different positions: close to the side wall, further in the court and just behind the ideal contact point.

For each feed, move early and use small adjustment steps before the final plant. Avoid crossing your feet during the last part of the movement. Your body should remain stable enough to swing freely, with your weight moving forward through contact rather than falling away from the shot.

The moving backhand drill is especially effective. Start near the centre, split-step as the feeder releases the ball, then move to the backhand side and play a controlled drive. Recover immediately after the stroke. The feeder should vary pace and placement, but keep the early rounds manageable so that technique remains intact.

Add a recovery target, such as touching a cone near the middle before the next feed. This reflects match conditions, where a good backhand is valuable only if you are ready for the opponent’s reply. In Sydney clubs and school programs, this drill works well in pairs because one player feeds while the other gets a high number of repetitions in a short session.

Develop Defensive And Attacking Options

A complete backhand has more than one purpose. From deep in the court, prioritise height and length to regain time. Under pressure near a side wall, use a safer trajectory and accept that the ideal shot may be a solid defensive return. When you receive a loose ball, a firmer, lower drive can put your opponent under pressure.

Practise three calls during a feeding session: “deep”, “low” and “high”. The feeder gives a predictable ball, and you choose the appropriate response based on its position. For a deep ball, create space and drive towards the back of the court. For a ball that traps you near the wall, lift it safely. For a short opportunity, step in and strike through the target.

Relaxation helps in all three situations. A tense grip restricts racket speed and often causes the ball to die short. Hold the racket securely enough to control it, but allow the hand and forearm to remain supple. Players who include general mobility work may find a short mobility routine useful before court drills, particularly for the shoulders, hips and upper back.

Australian conditions can influence preparation. In Brisbane or northern Queensland, heat and humidity may make the ball feel livelier and increase fatigue, so schedule technical work earlier in the day and take regular water breaks. In Adelaide or Perth, a dry environment may encourage longer outdoor sessions, but warm up properly if the court surface feels firm and fast.

Transfer Practice Into Match Play

Technique becomes reliable when it survives pressure. Finish your training with a backhand-only game in which both players must direct every return to the backhand side. Start with cooperative rallies, then award a point whenever a player forces a weak reply through depth, accuracy or a change of pace.

A second option is the three-zone game. Mark deep, middle and short targets and award different scores for landing the ball in each zone. A deep backhand might earn two points, while a low attacking ball earns three if it stays within the court. This creates a reason to choose placement rather than chase maximum power.

Record a few simple statistics: successful backhands, errors into the net, balls left short and shots played while off balance. These figures reveal patterns that a general impression can miss. If most errors occur when moving backwards, practise early preparation and a higher defensive return. If the ball is accurate but lacks length, focus on bodyweight transfer and contact in front.

Make the drills practical for the way Australian clubs operate. A fortnightly session at a local school court, a holiday clinic or a regional tournament can provide match exposure, while short solo sessions maintain the stroke between fixtures. Bring a mate to feed balls, rotate roles and keep the work competitive without turning every practice into a full match.

Turn Repetition Into Match Confidence

Use a simple weekly structure: one technical session for swing shape and wall targets, one movement session with a feeder and one pressure session with scoring. Keep each practice focused on a small number of outcomes. Ten excellent backhands are more useful than fifty rushed swings that reinforce poor habits.

Before playing, complete a dynamic warm-up, practise several gentle backhands and then increase pace gradually. During a match, choose a reliable target first. A deep, controlled backhand that gives you time is usually the right foundation for adding attacking variations later.

The Rugby Fives Association’s competitions, coaching opportunities, school activities and club network can help players turn individual practice into regular competition. Seek out a local session, book a court and use the drills above as a repeatable training block. With consistent footwork, clean contact and purposeful placement, your backhand can become a dependable weapon in every rally.

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What is Fives?

A handball sport with deep roots

Rugby Fives is a fast, skilful handball game played in an enclosed court with walls. It takes its name from Rugby School, where the modern game developed. The RFA provides resources and an introductory video for newcomers eager to understand the rules and spirit of the sport.

Discover the game

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Where to Play

Courts across the country

Rugby Fives is played at schools, universities and clubs throughout the UK. Whether you are a seasoned competitor or picking up a glove for the first time, the RFA can help connect you with local venues and fellow players.

Find a court

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Rankings

Tracking the best in the game

The RFA maintains official player rankings, including a dedicated Women's rankings list and end-of-season standings. A comprehensive record book of tournament winners stretches back to 1925, preserving nearly a century of competitive history.

View rankings

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Fixtures & Tournaments

The competitive calendar

The RFA calendar includes championships, open tournaments, and school and university matches. Major events have included the National Open Singles, the South West Open, the London Open, the Scottish Open, and the Owers Trophy — alongside representative fixtures against schools and clubs.

See fixtures

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