Front-on and side-on low tackles can bring down ball carriers quickly. In this tackle template, here’s what the defender should do to complete the tackle effectively.
Most tackles are neutral or passive. That means that the tackler concedes some ground after the impact. That’s not a bad thing, as long as the tackle is completed and the ball carrier goes to ground quickly.
Even at the top level, unless there are two tacklers to one ball carrier, most tackles are aimed at bringing the ball carrier down fast.
When you see the best players in action, their technique is pretty much the same:
Head up and eyes open.
Body active and ready to drive forward.
Impact with their shoulder.
Finish with a tight grip between their arms, shoulders, body and head.
For activities and techniques to improve precision in the tackle try out…
If the tackler can win the first part of the impact, they can manipulate the ball carrier – slowing down possession or even winning the ball back. Here are four ways to make a bigger impact… MORE
Use these two activities to work on the tackle impact and grip for a front-on and side-on tackle. They’re good exercises to use before more intense tackle work and can form part of your warm-up. MORE
Sometimes, a play from a ruck finishes behind the original ruck. Help your players understand their roles and reactions to reset and attack again with this scenario activity. MORE
Challenge your forwards to run into carry-and-support positions after a lineout. As part of your unit skills session, this activity will help them understand their roles and responsibilities. MORE
Use these four set-ups to work on good technique by isolating players in overloaded situations. Trained in a controlled environment, these live practices will put scrum fundamentals under pressure. MORE
Draw defenders out of position and then use short passing for the support player to run onto. Use this activity to get the timing right and then put into a game situation. MORE
Not all rucks form when a team is going forward. Sometimes, you have to regroup to win the next ruck which is behind the play. This activity recreates these scenarios by first ensuring that the players reload for the next ruck quickly and effectively. This is an ideal warm-up activity for all the players. ... MORE
