WHY USE IT

This puts emphasis on taking responsibility for tackling. You can run this as a full tackling session or just “grab” tackling.

set up

A 10m square containing a 1m square, one ball per group of four or six.

how to do it

• Put a ball in the 1m square and two players at each end of the 10m square. The colour you call attacks and both sets of players come forward (see picture 1).
• One attacker goes to the ball and crouches over it. The other attacker goes to one side. One defender stands outside the box opposite the ball carrier, and the other marks the other attacker (see picture 2).
• The attacker over the ball can either pick and go themselves OR pass to their team mate. Once they touch the ball, the game is live. Stop and swap if a tackle is completed or the attackers run backwards, out of the side of the box or score a try.
• Develop by adding another player to each group (see picture 3).

TECHNIQUE

• Call to say who you are marking.
• A low but balanced position in defence so you can come forward but still move from side to side.