Even the top teams recognise they don’t practise side-on tackling enough.
Use this session to work on quick-to-ground tackling, against a dynamic attacker.
TECHNIQUE START
Before you start, walk through the correct technique, emphasising the safety point of keeping the head behind the ball carrier.
ACTIVITY
In the 5m x 2m channel, the tackler starts the game by passing to the attacker who attempts to score.
The tackler must make a side-on tackle before a try is scored.
Set up work stations next to each other to accommodate more players
DEVELOPMENT
Add a support player and another defender starting behind the ball carrier and first tackler.
The ball carrier can now offload after the tackle and the second defender has to contest to win the ball. They can only move once the first tackle has been made.
GAME SITUATION
Start four attackers at one side with four defenders at one corner.
Defenders must decide who is going to tackle who.
On “GO”, the attackers try to score on the opposite side of the square, the defenders try to stop the attack.
Encourage defenders to communicate when their man has passed the ball.
Change the sides regularly so players tackle with both shoulders.
TECHNIQUE
Ball carrier: Follow through to the target.
Ball carrier: Scan the defence before passing.
Ball carrier: Pass as close to the defender as you dare.
Middle attacker: Shout for the ball to fix the defender.
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Use parent stations to allow you to run lots of activities with a parent overseeing each activity.
It requires one parent, minimal setup and minimal instructions. Each station runs for two to three minutes before the players move to another station. MORE
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Create attacking shape, where forwards understand where they are supposed to run to support the next phase of play. The groups of forwards are called pods and need to work together. MORE
Should an attack be successful at a 2 v 1 every time? At the top level, most of the time you would have thought, yet you would be surprised how often they fail.
Add in another attacker and defender, or even two attackers and one defender, and that ratio of success drops very quickly.
But it is still a golden opportunity to make ground and even score. So, you need to increase the success rate, and you do this by creating as many scenarios as you can. MORE
