Use the spider crawl to create better body profiles at the ruck. It keeps the players low and able to drive up as the opposition threats arrive.
If the player is spider crawling, they are able to bounce up and meet the opposition. When they stop moving forward, they have to come up off their hands to show they are supporting their own bodyweight with their feet.
Put a ball next to a cone and a player on his front near the ball.
When you say go, he gets up and spider crawls over the ball and then the cone before getting onto two feet.
Repeat with players lying at different angles.
Then have two players competing against each other from a lying down position.
Use two uneven columns of players to fill in the next pair so there’s a chance to work against different players.
Finally, put a player on each corner of the box and a ball in the middle.
Shout out which two players will compete for the ball and they race to win the space over the ball using the best technique.
TECHNIQUE
Hips pointing up the pitch as they crawl forward.
Light on the hands.
Drive up when there’s contact.
NOTE: The tackle gate is the back foot of the tackle. A player must approach the tackle from behind the ball, and behind the player closest to his goal line.
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