Be first, square & ready

WHY USE IT

More tacklers these days are leaping to their feet to steal the ball, sometimes illegally. Stop them by making your support players quicker to the ball. They also need to arrive square to keep themselves onside and strong.

SET UP

A box of around 10m by 5m, a ball.

HOW TO PLAY

Put three attackers on the cones lettered A to C. They pass a ball up and down the line. Place a defender at the side of the box. Either shout “Play!” or a letter. The player on that lettered cone receives the ball and jogs forward. The defender comes across to tackle them. Immediately after the tackle, the defender gets to their feet to win the ball. At any stage, shout “Go!” and the other attackers now aim to support the tackled player. Rotate the players and repeat.

Developments: Have two tacklers; make the box wider, so the attackers have to travel further.

Coaching points

• The tackled player must fight to the ground and present the ball toward their own try line.
• The first arriving support player must get square, with their hips and shoulders up the pitch.