The contact triangle

set-up

A 5m triangle, ball and ruck pads.

How to do it

Activity: Put three pad-holders in a 5m triangle, one on each corner. 

A ball carrier runs with a support player at the front pad-holder. Using footwork and a fend, they go left or right. 

They then go into the next pad, using leg drive and offload, or present the ball. 

The support player takes the pass or clears the threat (pad).

Developments: Progress this by having a ruck pad at the front of the triangle, with the two other players in tackle suits, who will use a low tackle or a chest-high tackle.

The support player either takes the offload (on the low tackle) or latches onto the ball carrier (high-tackle scenario). Alternatively, try having a pad one side (clean out) and tackle suit (offload) the other. 

Finally, put tacklers on the back two corners, add two ruck pads about 2m behind the tacklers and two support players with the ball carrier. 

When the ball carrier beats the first pad, call ’0”, “1” or “2” to decide how many defenders enter the ruck once the ball carrier goes into the tackle. Support players must decide how to deal with the different numbers and defensive threats. You can make these ruck pad-holders into suit wearers.

TECHNIQUE

• Use spin, footwork or fend to get to the edge of the tackler.
• Fight to the ground before presenting the ball.
• Go over ball when clearing out the threat.

ACTIVITY

1. Player 1 passes to player 2, who uses footwork, fend and/or spin to beat the first pad-holder

2. Player 2 then takes on the second pad-holder, looking to offload or go to ground. Player 3 supports

DEVELOPMENT

1. Add in two tacklers, with the ruck pad-holders behind the triangle

2. Repeat as above

3. Call out "0", "1" or "2" for the pad-holders to come forward after a tackle is made