Get your attackers making decisions about how many players are needed to exploit an attacking situation.
Mark out a 15m x 10m area and divide it into three 5m channels. Number the channels 1, 2 and 3.
Put five defenders on the line facing channel 2 and five attackers with a ball on the opposite line facing channel 1.
You call out how many defenders are needed, in this case “two”, and that number run into channel 1.
Attackers then need to communicate with each other and decide how many players they need to score a try at the far end of the channel. That many attackers then enter the channel and attempt to score. Defenders use full tackling to defend their line.
After five seconds, shout “change” and the attackers run to the start of channel 2 – you then shout a new number of defenders needed and they enter channel 2 and the drill repeats.
You will need
A 15m x 10m area split into three 10m x 5m channels
1 ball
Cones
Bibs
Got more players?
Set up another 15m x 10m area and run another game alongside
What to tell your players
“Use passing and offloads if there are low numbers of defenders.
“In contact, look to clear out the threats”
A simple session to start with, but very intense, “pressure contact” works on reacting quickly to different contact situations and making good contacts.
The players need to be secure in their body positions in contact, so it works well after a technical session on body profiling in contact. MORE
Use this session to build players’ understanding of how to keep going forward in the tackle.
Collapsing in the tackle gives the defence more opportunity to steal or slow down the ball because it is more difficult for support players to get in behind the ball carrier. MORE
Improve the players’ mauling skills so that can keep going forward in contact and still retain the ball if they are held by a defender.
In contact, the ball carrier needs to stay on their feet because they will have to give up the ball if they go to ground. They also need to drive forward to make it easier for supporting players to drive in and support them. MORE
Attacking the space between two defenders in a close proximity means a good chance of a double tackle. Instead, attack one defender and beat just them.
In a tight defence, though the space between the defenders seems more attractive, it means that those two players step in to double team the ball carrier.
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"With the return to rugby, I’m really worried that my team (U13s) will have forgotten lots of things about rugby. In particular, I’m trying to work out when and how to introduce contact and tackling."
This question came from a coach in Gloucester and is typical of lots of concerns around this area of the game.
It is true that the players will have "forgotten" lots of skills.
Here's how I would approach this situation. On the next page are two tackling exercises to support training.
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