Tackle recovery

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This session guarantees more turnover ball for your side this season. It works on the player making the tackle remaining active, and concentrating on completing the tackle. In particular, players need to work on landing on top of the ball carrier, so they can get to their feet quicker.

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 10-15
Development time: 6-8
Game time: 12-15
Warm down time: 5-7

What to think about

What happens once the ball has been won in the tackle? This session works on winning the ball back, but not on what happens next. The situation is dynamic because we don’t know the level of support for the ball carrier. If there is close support then the tackler who recovers the ball will need to grab the ball close to his body and twist his back to his own team as the support make contact. Otherwise he can either go forward or pop the ball off. The tackler’s unique right. Once the tackler has recovered his feet, he can enter the tackle from any angle. No other player can do this.

set-up

Complete the tackle by landing on top of the ball carrier and getting back to your feet quickly.
Bending at the knees and hips, get your hands on the ball quickly.

What you get your players to do

Put a ball carrier on the ground with a “tackler” on top of him. Shout “GO”. The tackler has to leap to his feet and gather the ball. Once the technique has been perfected, race players to see who can get the ball off the ground and above their heads the fastest. Finally, have the tackler and ball carrier on their knees next to each other. Shout “GO”. The tackler has to make the tackle, before repeating the rest of the exercise as before.

The tackler gets the feel for the completed tackle and the “recovery position” needed to win the ball.

Development

A player drags a bag along the ground. The tackler runs at the bag to make a side on tackle. The tackler should stay on his feet as he makes the tackle, before landing on top of the bag. Develop the exercise further by rolling in a ball so the tackler then has to return to his feet to grab it.

Related Files

Advanced-182-tackle-recovery.pdfPDF, 336 KB

The tackler tackles a moving bag, aiming to land on top of it, before recovering the ball.

Game situation

Place a defender in the middle of one end of the box and two ball carriers at the opposite corners. The first ball carrier runs diagonally across the box, aiming to score in the corner. The defender tackles him, completing the tackle by grabbing the ball and throwing it behind him. He then returns to his starting point, at which point the next ball carrier goes forward like the first ball carrier. Repeat the exercise either for a set number of repetitions or on a time limit. You can set up more than one exercise to work all the players at once.

The defender tackles the first ball carrier, recovers and throws out the ball, before returning to the line to make the next tackle.

What to call out

“Hands on the ball as you regain your feet”
“Bounce up and off the ball carrier”
“Twist your body as you land to stay on top”

Dan Cottrell

Dan is a practising RFU Level 3 coach and coach educator. He coaches with the Bristol Bears DPP programme, is head coach of Bristol Schools U18s and the Rugby Performance coach for Bristol Grammar School.

He was head coach of Swansea Schools U15, Young Ospreys Academy, assistant coach with the Wales Women's Team for the 2010 World Cup, director of rugby for Cranleigh School, Surrey. He played for Bath, Bristol, Esher and Clifton, South West division, Gloucestershire and Surrey.

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