Tackling corners

A simple session to help players work on the tackle that is something between front-on and side-on. It develops into a defensive system in which three defenders work together to prevent an overlap attack.

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

This session creates a situation in which the tackler could be making either a front-on or side-on tackle and it is only decided at the last moment. Either the ball carrier steps in or out to force the decision or the tackler shadows the ball carrier to put him in a position to make a better tackle. Adjust the distances and sizes of the boxes to suit your players because there is no point if players are missing too many tackles. Set up at least three or four boxes so lots of players can work at one time.

set-up

1. Aim to get yourself as close to the ball carrier as possible before driving into the tackle.
2. Follow the core of the ball carrier and target this area.
3. Complete the tackle.

What you get your players to do

Put an attacker and defender at the side of a 15m x 10m box at cones about 5m apart. Get the defender to throw a ball to the attacker. As the ball is in the air, you shout a cone (A, B or C) to the attacker, who has to run around that cone before running towards the try line (see picture 1). The defender runs behind the cone he passed from and then across to make a tackle (see picture 2).