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Check your players' technique
Set up a rugby coaching drill with one player with a hit shield and one player 3m back, who runs up and clears out the hit shield man for 2m or 3m.
As your players do this, look at how many times they change the shoulder they hit with. Do they have a more effective or preferred hitting shoulder?
Develop drill skills
Develop the drill by asking the hit shields to push forward, hard into contact, and to resist the push without spinning out of it.
Many players are likely to step with the left foot into contact, but hit with the right shoulder (or vice versa). This has the effect of placing less weight behind, and transferring less power through the shoulder.
A tell-tale sign of a poor body position is when the player clearing out hits the contact, but their body and backside spin out of line. This is because most of the players' weight is going through the plant leg side and not the hit shoulder.
A clever and dynamic opponent at a ruck can spin out and continue to contest the ball, especially if the bind is non-existent or poor.
Correcting the "spins"
Set up the same rugby coaching drill as before, but this time place a ball immediately in front of the hit shield. Ask the clearing player to step over the ball with their left foot and hit with their left shoulder. They must repeat the drill with the right foot and right shoulder.
Aim to get the clearing player to step as close to the opposition player as they can. They should aim to step beyond their leading foot. Care should be taken so players do not to touch the ball.
With the extra body weight being channelled through the hit shoulder, the body should stay in line with the hit. This results in a more efficient and effective clear out, especially if combined with a tight bind and quick, short, explosive footwork. Exactly the same principles apply to the tackle.
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