Safe, effective tackles

• A line of players wait to take their turn
• A tackler starts only one step away from the tackle. They tackle, recover and then take over as tube-holder
• Look for: flat back, leg drive, tight grip

EXERCISE 2 - DEFENSIVE FOOTWORK: ALIGNMENT TO BALL CARRIER

Each player has bibs or cones held under their armpits, encouraging them to keep their arms and elbows tight to the body. Two players start as defenders in the middle of a box. The attackers run across the box, aiming to beat the defenders. The attacker becomes a defender if the defenders get a shoulder contact on the attacker. This ensures that the defender is getting their shoulder, hip and knee centred to the attacker.

EXERCISE 3 - DEFENSIVE FOOTWORK: STEALING BIBS/TAGS

Each player has two bibs positioned on their hips, in their shorts (tags can be used). The object of this game is to accumulate bibs; the winner has the most. All players start at the same time to run and snatch as many bibs as possible. You must have at least one bib on the hip to keep playing. Stolen bibs are kept in the hands.

• The defender has cones under their arms to promote better footwork
• Each player has a bib on each hip. As long as the player has a bib, they can gather other bibs

MAKE PASSIVE TACKLES POSITIVE

We need to promote the ’long tackle’, which is a form of the passive tackle. This is a technically correct tackle that leaves the ball carrier prone, long over the shoulder of the tackler. 

We can still encourage aggression, impact and leg drive to unbalance and disrupt the ball carrier. With a long tackle, the ball carrier ends up behind the tackler. In the meantime, the next defender is in over the ball straight away. 

• A low, passive tackle with the ball carrier going over the shoulder of the tackler
• A quick defender can be over the ball
• The ball carrier is now nearer the defence than their own support