Help your players relish tackling by making a competition of it. Not only will this improve the team’s defence as they become incentivised to tackle more, it can change the mindset of players from “have to tackle” to “want to tackle”.
Help your players relish tackling by making a competition of it. Not only will this improve the team’s defence as they become incentivised to tackle more, it can change the mindset of players from “have to tackle” to “want to tackle”.
Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 8-10
Game time: 12-15
Warm down time: 5-7
What to think about
Individual pride in tackling needs to be developed in individuals within a team. You need to put as much emphasis on praising good tackling and defence as you do on good attacking play.
Encourage players to congratulate each other during games for making big hits and crucial tackles. Praise individuals for their efforts in training and games. Aim to increase the kudos of making good tackles within your squad as a whole.
Tackling games, where the defensive team receives rewards, increases the collective feel for defence.
set-up
Select the correct tackle for each situation.
Execute the tackle effectively, making sure the ball carrier goes to ground before you do.
Work hard to get back to your feet for the next tackle.
What you get your players to do
Split into groups of five, each in a 5m square. Make one player the tackler and give the other four a ball. The tackler has to make as many tackles as he can in 30 seconds, then swap over.
Start at walking pace and gradually increase the speed of the players’ movement. Encourage the tackler to use both shoulders and make a variety of tackles. Do not allow the ball carriers to hand off to start with.
Challenge each tackler to beat the last tackler’s record. This competitiveness will increase the session’s intensity.
Development
Corner score: Split into pairs. Place a ball in one corner of the square, and defender on the opposite corner. On your call of “1” or “2” the ball carrier has to try to score on the relevant line and the defender has to make the tackle. Change the length of the scoring lines to make the exercise easier or harder for the tackler.
Related Files
Core-126-tackle-count.pdfPDF, 186 KB
The ball carrier and defender start opposite each other five metres apart. You shout which try line to attack.
Game situation
A pair of defenders works for one minute against two pairs of attacking players. On your call the first pair attack trying to score on the opposite side of the square. If they score or are stopped call “RESET”. The defenders then have to realign to defend the other way. On your call of “GO”, the second pair of attackers try to score. You can change the working time and the size of the square to vary the difficulty.
Work the two defenders hard for one minute and then swap them over. Challenge each pair to be the most successful defenders.
What to call out
“Get close to the ball carrier”
“Look at the target and hit it with your shoulder”
“Stay on your feet, driving for as long as possible”
“Get back to your feet and back in the game quickly”
Dan is a practising RFU Level 3 coach and coach educator. He coaches with the Bristol Bears DPP programme, is the assistant coach with University of Bristol Women's team and is a coach mentor for Broad Plain RFC mini and juniors section.
He was Head Coach of Swansea Schools U15 and has previously held coaching roles with the Young Ospreys Academy and as Assistant Coach with the Wales Women's Team for the 2010 World Cup. He was director of rugby for Cranleigh School, Surrey. P...
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