Double "D" ruck

In defence, the first player to the tackle situation can determine whether the ball is “quick” or “slow”. He may also get a chance to turn over the ball. This session works on the defence winning the ball back by reacting in pairs, the double “D” of the title (“D” is for defence).

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 10-15
Warm down time: 5-8

What to think about

The tackler, once he is back on his feet, can enter the tackle from any angle. He is defined as the player who has made the tackle and gone down on at least one knee. Any other player must come through the “gate”. This means arriving at the tackle from behind the back foot of a team mate and with their backsides to their own posts. The key to whether a player is acting legally at the tackle situation is the referee’s perception. Throughout this session, you must referee the game situation as the referee would see it. Maybe, be even more pedantic than the toughest referee. If your players can practice well under the strictest conditions, then they should be fine in the game.

set-up

1. Get the ball carrier to ground quickly.
2. Get over the ball, with your hands underneath it.
3. Pull the ball up and away, without lingering.

What you get your players to do

Put five ball carriers inside a box with two defenders. Give each attacker a number. On your signal, the defenders have a minute to tackle and pick up the ball from each attacker in numerical order, starting from 1 (so they don’t go for the easiest player first). For the first 30 seconds the ball carriers can run around the box. After 30 seconds, they can only walk. The ball carrier must release the ball when he is tackled as in the normal game. The defenders can retrieve the ball from any angle.