Rugby coaching tips to get players stealing the ball at the tackle

Step one - coaching players to get on top

The tackle must be made so the tackler ends up on top or beside the ball carrier. It's almost impossible to steal the ball if the tackler ends up under the tackled player. Give your players lots of live practice so they can recognise the situations where they can steal the ball.

Step two - coaching players to get to their feet

As soon as the ball carrier is brought to ground, the tackler has to get back on his feet. Remember, a good tip to tell your players is that the tackler does not need to come through the tackle gate to challenge for the ball.

Coach your tacklers to use the ball carrier to help them get up. By placing their hands on the tackled player to get the leverage to get up quickly, they are also stopping him getting back to his feet.

Step three - coaching player to get the ball

The tackler, now back on his feet, gets low, gets his hands on the ball and picks it up. All this must happen immediately and before any of the tackled player's team-mates arrive at the tackle situation and it turns into a ruck.

The tackler must be aware of the situation and listen to the referee. If he hears a call of "RUCK" or "HANDS OFF", he must let go immediately.

If the tackled player on the ground holds on to the ball, the tackler needs to make it clear to the referee that he is on his feet and the ball is legally his.

Step four - coaching the player to get the pass away

Once your side has won the turnover, they should pass the ball away from the tackle situation as quickly as possible. The tackle situation will be the focus of arriving players from both teams, so there is often space to be found and exploited out wide.