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Noddy and Big Ears
Focus tacklers on getting their ears tight to the shorts of the ball carrier. This helps them engage their shoulder, keep their eyes open and use the right footwork.
CHALLENGE
Where the head goes, shoulders follow. If the player keeps their eyes open in contact, they are likely to keep their head in the right place and impact with the shoulder first. This can be done by making them focus on putting their ear on the shorts of the ball carrier.
SET UP
A tackle tube (or post protector), balls, cones.
HOW TO DO IT
- Hold a tackle tube or post protector. Put a tackler in front of it. Pull it left or right and then let go so it falls that way. The tackler has to step forward and put their ear tight into the tube. In doing so, they must engage with the shoulder and grab the tube (see picture 1).
- Develop by putting attackers (“Noddys”) in two lines at one end of a 5x3m box and a tackler (“Big Ears”) in the middle. The first Noddy comes forward staying on the line and the tackler puts their ear tight into the shorts. They can grab but does not need to make a full tackle (see picture 2). Then another Noddy comes forward.
- Develop further by scoring points if “Big Ears” can drive the “Noddy” into a 1m channel around the box or tackle him to ground (see picture 3).
technique
- Eyes open
- Foot close to ball carrier
- Tight grip
- Head tight to the shorts
- Hold a tackle tube (or post protector), with a player less than one pace away
- Drop the tube away to the left or right. The player steps forward to get their head tight into the tube. Their ear presses hard against the tube.
Related Files
- Develop by having a defender (Big Ears) in the middle. Ball carriers (Noddy) walk down the line
- Big Ears comes across to put their head tight into the shorts of Noddy – no need to put them on the ground
- Develop by scoring points for effective tackles
- Give Big Ears two points for a full tackle
- Give Big Ears one point for driving Noddy out of the narrow corridor, with their head tight to the shorts (no pushing with the arms)
Dan Cottrell
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