Lots of tackles are made close to the ruck as the ball carrier runs with a low body position at defenders. Develop your tacklers‘ability to twist the ball carrier and win back the ball. Then, work on playing the turnover ball away.
Lots of tackles are made close to the ruck as the ball carrier runs with a low body position at defenders. Develop your tacklers‘ability to twist the ball carrier and win back the ball. Then, work on playing the turnover ball away.
Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 10-15
Warm down time: 5-8
What to think about
The specific tackle technique used here, the twist tackle, will not cover all the tackles needed at the side of the ruck. Therefore, practise it in isolation first and then put it into situations where it could be used.
Your session could go further than the game situation in pictures 2 and 3, and work on a narrow channel game (say 5-7m wide) with five-a-side.
Players might use a variety of tackles including the twist. Give points for scoring tries and extra points for any turnover balls.
set-up
- Defender: Soak up the ball carrier as he dips before contact, then grab him under the armpit and by the hip, twist him over with his momentum so he lands on the ground with you over him.
- Release the ball carrier on the ground and then go for the ball.
What you get your players to do
Get players to work in pairs (or threes, with one player acting as a coach).
Start with the final hold. The tackler should have one arm under the armpit of the ball carrier and the other hand on his hip.
The ball carrier takes one step forward and the tackler twists him (left arm under ball carrier’s left armpit, right hand on right hip - see picture 1 - or vice versa). Now twist the ball carrier clockwise.
Once players are comfortable, build up from a walk to a jog. The ball carrier should always dip before contact, like he would be when running close to a ruck.
Practising the twist and shake. The ball carrier goes low. The tackler goes low, slides his arm under the armpit and other hand over the hip and twists him over before going for the ball.
Development
Once players are comfortable with the tackle, work on the tackler retrieving the ball legally. He must release the tackled player and be on his feet before he can put his hands on the ball. A successful twist and shake tackle will leave him on his feet anyway.
A ball carrier drives low in the 3m channel.
Game situation
Set up a 10m square as shown in picture with three attackers and four defenders as in picture 2.
Get a ball carrier to run low into the first defender. The defender must twist and shake the ball carrier, win the ball and then release the other players (see picture 3).
The defenders now counter attack, with full contact in the 10m x 7m box, with all players involved.
The defender twists and shakes him and the ball is released to the counter attackers, with all the players playing full contact through the 7m channel.
What to call out
- “Dip with the ball carrier”
- “Drive the legs to aid the twist”
- “Quick and clear release before playing the ball”