Players should fix their eyes on a target area that is roughly the attacker’s core and midline as the point to position their shoulder contact.

The chin should be off the chest to maintain balance. There is a misconception that arms and shoulder are the drivers. The legs execute and finish off the tackle.

Five key points to completing the tackle effectively:

01 – The tackler must look to hit beyond the point of contact. This ensures they do not fall short and their momentum impacts the ball carrier on the tackler’s terms.

02 – Ensure the back is straight. The tackle height is maximised by sinking at the knees.

03 – With shoulder planted, chin off the chest and head to the side of the attacker, the tackler should be in close enough to use their arms and hands to grab around legs and waist for a vice-like grip.

04 – Leg drive is the most important aspect of tackle completion. The power from the legs propels the tackler and ensures the technical positioning of the head, shoulder, arms and spine alignment work efficiently. If effective, the ball carrier can be unbalanced, reducing their ability to offload the ball.

05 – Bringing the attacker to ground completes the tackle but must be done on the tackler’s terms. Safety is important here, especially landing to the side or on top of the tackled player. Encourage the tackler to keep their head tight the ball carrrier.

The tackler must look to get to their feet quickly (see Surfer’s Jump, page 5) to play the ball or take the space at the developing tackle contest.