New tackle height drills: sidestep and tackle low

• Put a ruck-pad hold and tackler beside at the side of the box, about 2m apart.
• When you say "go" (or when the ruck-pad player moves), both into the box and to cones which are about 5m apart, facing each other.
• When you or a player at the side touches a ball in front of them, the ruck-pad holder moves forward.
• At the same time, the tackler moves forward, aiming to make a low contact on the pad before that player reaches the "gainline".
• Your gainline can be marked by cones, or a line on the pitch. You can change this depending on the level and progression of your players.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• Line up inside or outside pad.
• Start square.
• Go fast, then go high to low late.
• Check for correct head position.

When the tackler gets into position they should line up either slightly inside or slightly outside the attacker. This depends on whether you want your players to go in-to-out or out-to-in.

The tackler should be square. That means they go up balanced and able to adjust easily at the pad holder moves inside or outside.

The tackler moves quickly forward, then goes from high to low on the last two steps before contact.

Make sure the tackler doesn’t go across the pad so their head in the wrong position.

PROGRESSIONS

• Add in another defender. Can the players make a double-low tackle?
• Start from slightly different points.
• Move the "ball carrier", and the set up.
• Take away the pad.