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LOGINSetting up a tackle club
It’s actually lots of little clubs within one team. Each tackle club allows you to work with players who need similar sorts of attention.
You can improve your team’s tackling in small stages by using the concept of different ’clubs’ to suit the needs of your players.
As the season progresses, you might move players around the clubs, but don’t let a club become too big.
How it works
Each club has no more than six players and they work for no more than five minutes.
The clubs work away from the main session. So you could be doing a game or activity with the main group, with one or two tackle clubs working separately.
What happens in tackle club?
The club works on one aspect of tackling only. Depending on the session, it can be low, medium or high impact.
In five minutes, there has to be a minimum of three and half minutes of activity. Finish with feedback on one key point.
Note how many times one player repeats the technique/skill. Look for accuracy over aggression.
How to develop tackle club
There are two different approaches, which can be mixed:
- Have a programme for a number of weeks. Each week, work on one aspect.
- React to the needs of the players, either by identifying weaknesses or for them to suggest weaknesses.
- Footwork: Tackler gets to correct position to make a tackle
- Grip: Tackler, from a standing position, grips a ball carrier
- Head position: Tackler, from a standing position, puts their head in the right place to tackle a walking ball carrier
Related Files
- Footwork: Tackler gets to correct position to leg drive in tackle, probably into a ruck pad-holder
- Grip: Tackler finishes a tackle
- Shoulder impact: Tackler works on weak shoulder
- Turnover/bounce: Finish a tackle and either compete for the ball or bounce out into the defensive line
- Footwork: Line speed, or drift defence, with a tackle at the end
- Grip: Start and finish a tackle
- Head position/shoulder impact: Working on weak and good shoulder
- Turnover: Full-on ball stealing
Dan Cottrell
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