Rugby coaching tips for tackling preparation

However, you might not know this, but players learn most in the very first part of any session (and the very last part). If you skimp on proper tackle preparation before you go into the full tackle session, your players may miss out on the key things they must know.

Tackle preparation done well will improve player understanding and make them better tacklers. Here is a guide to tackling preparation.

The session

What you tell your players the session is about:

1. Understanding the tackle law – a tackle occurs when the ball carrier is held by one or more opponents and is brought to ground.
2. How to fall safely, both as a tackler and tackled player.

What you tell your players to do:

1. Use your knees, hips and shoulders to impact on the ground, not the arms.
2. Progress slowly, increasing the level of contact.
3. Remember that the ball carrier needs to know how to fall as much as the tackler needs to know how to tackle.

What you get your players to do:

• Use contact warm-up drills.
• Slowly increase the level of intensity.
• Make sure every player practises with a ball held in both hands.
• Make sure all players fall to the ground correctly – with no hands out to break the fall.

Example contact warm-up drills are:

• Forward rolls.
• Parachute falls.
• Wrestling.

Practise falling to the ground. The order of contact with the ground is:

1. Knees.
2. Hips.
3. Shoulders.

The static tackle – a practice involving the middle and end sections of a full tackle.

One player puts one foot in front of the other (heel to toes) while holding the ball in two hands. Another player is then shown the ideal tackling position and grip. He takes up this position.

The tackle for this advanced position is made, ideally onto a mat or pad. Check that both players have fallen properly.

What to think about

What are the types of tackling you should be coaching your players?

Passive and aggressive tackles: Passive tackles are ones where the tackler uses the body weight and momentum of the tackled player to bring them to the ground, such as front-on and rear tackles.

Aggressive tackles are where the tackler pushes the tackled player in another direction, such as side-on tackles.

This article is from my Everything You Need For Coaching Rugby manual, specially created for coaching core skills.