Slowing the ruck

Legally slow down opposition ball at the ruck by attacking the cross point of the ruck - this is the area behind the tackle and immediately to the sides. First, the defender aims to get over the ball (knowing that he might not win it but will not give away a penalty). Second, the defender drives into and angles away any attacker over the ball – the attack will have to bring in another player.

Warm up time: 5
Session time: 6-9
Development time: 6-9
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 7

What to think about

The cross point is the area immediately behind where the tackled player has fallen. He puts the ball into this area and this is where the attacking 9 (or other clearer) should pick up the ball. However, if the cross point is occupied by a defender, the ball is difficult to pass away from the ruck. It is the cross point because you want your defender to drive attackers away from the ball at the point of the ball, not over the tackled player. Note that the defender is not going for the ball. He is simply taking the space. This reduces the penalty count. The defender can also further disrupt by kicking the ball.

set-up

1. Win the space behind the tackled player.
2. Stay on your feet, enter the tackle through the gate, and drive low and hard over the ball, and then stop.

What you get your players to do

Put a ball carrier and a defender in the middle of a 5m square. Put another attacker holding a ruck pad and another defender at the sides of the box. Get the ball carrier to move from side to side, with the defender shadowing him. When you shout “tackle”, the ball carrier takes a tackle and goes to ground. The defender at the side runs in and has to get himself over the ball as quickly as possible, legally and without putting his hands on the ball (see picture 1, fig 1). When you shout “tackle”, the ruck pad holder tries to prevent the defender getting over the ball (see picture 1, fig 2).