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LOGINPukka rucker
You need to make sure that players arrive at the right angle, height and speed at rucks. This activity will concentrate on getting the angle of contact just right as a support player.
WHY USE IT
The key is that players use an L-shaped running line to make sure they turn sharply then square up and go through to support the ball carrier. That’s because most support does not come from behind the ball but from the sides. Therefore, the supporting player has to change their line of run.
Set up
Two tackle tubes (or ruck pads), one ruck pad, a ball, 3-5 players.
HOW TO DO IT
A ball carrier (A) waits on his front just behind a ball placed 2m in front of a 1m tube gate. There is a ruck pad holder on the other side and a support player (B), also on their front, to the side of the gate (see picture 1).
A picks up the ball and goes through the gate into the ruck pad holder. B follows just behind, having made an L-shaped run. On contact, A goes to ground and presents the ball and B clears out the ruck pad holder (see picture 2).
Develop by adding an extra support player and another defender without a ruck pad who tries to steal the ball (see picture 3). Change the start points of the support players to make sure they are running straight-on.
TECHNIQUE
- The support player drives hard off their outside foot on the point of the L.
- The support player can touch the ground before they go through the gate to help them maintain their height.
- Put one player on the ground facing the gate
- Put a support player to the side
- Put a defender with a pad behind the gate
- The gate can be poles, pads or cones. Also you can put a pole across the top of the tubes to check height
Related Files
- Player A picks up the ball, runs through the gate and goes into the pad to present the ball on the ground
- The pad player leans over the ball carrier to challenge the clearing player to drive low-to-high
- Support player B makes an L-shaped run to go through the gate and drive out the pad
- Develop by adding another support player
- The support players can be placed at different angles
- Note, we normally don’t encourage the ball carrier to run straight into the ruck pad
- Add another defender, who has come from an onside position to challenge for the ball
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