The tackle that never has to be lost

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You must win the ball back from the tackle to keep possession and exert pressure. Many of these tackles will be in the close-quarter areas around the fringes of rucks. These tackles must never be lost. This session gives your players the confidence to make the “hard yards” in congested areas and win the tackle contest every time.

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 8-10
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 5-7

What to think about

The higher up the game you go, the more teams play multi-phase rugby against organised defences. Even with sophisticated patterns of play, your ball carriers will have to drive through a tight defence a number of times. This session is relatively basic in its purpose: go forward and set a target for the team. It puts a player on the spot and asks him to deal with an organised defence. Each player will need to weigh up the relative strengths of their opponent. A key factor will be winning the fight for the last metre before contact. If the ball carrier can go forward, aggressively but balanced, he has the chance to beat the defender and win the tackle contest.

set-up

Accelerate on to the pass.
Look to change the angle of the run without losing momentum.
Be strong in the contact by driving forward, not exposing the ribs.
Win your gain line battle!

What you get your players to do

Set up four cones to represent a ruck and put three ruck pad holders to one side acting as defenders. Have a player pass a ball from the ruck to an attacking player who has to run through the gaps in the pads as they come forward. Attack the other side of the ruck, change the gaps between the pads and width of the pass from the base of the ruck. Develop further by removing the pads from the holders and also allowing the passer to pick and run before passing.

The attacker receives a pass from the ruck, to drive through the pad holders. He can either start static or run on to the ball.

Development

Set up four cones as a ruck in the middle of the box, with a defender behind the ruck and one on either side. Put a 9 and two attackers at the back of the box. Have the 9 run forward and pass in the direction you indicate, to an attacker against two defenders. Use full contact. See how far the receiver can progress before being tackled to ground. Develop by allowing the other attackers and defender join in to see if the attacking side can retain the ball.

Related Files

Advanced-265-the-tackle-that-never-has-to-be-lost.pdfPDF, 148 KB

9 runs forward and passes in the direction indicated by you. That runner progresses up the box against two defenders.

Game situation

Put three defenders in the middle column and one each in the other two. Put four attackers in the middle column – a ball carrier, clearer, 9 and a runner. This will restrict how far the attackers will progress upfield. Two defenders tackle him and compete for the ball, with the clearer supporting the ball carrier. Once a ruck forms, 9 feeds the runner. When the pass is made, all the players compete across all three columns.

Two attackers use the middle column only of three to force a tackle from two defenders. Once made, all players become active across the entire area.

What to call out

“Dip just before contact.”
“Don’t dance before contact, keep going forward.”
“Don’t turn through contact, keep driving hips and shoulders up the pitch.”
“Run in an “L” shape line to change angles.”

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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