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Up fast, drift square
Cut down the space in front of the attack and then cover across if they have an overlap without exposing the inside shoulder. Here’s how to do it.
CHALLENGE
The first movement of any defence must be forward. If there is an attacking overload on the outside, then defenders need to shift with the pass but not turn their shoulder more than 30 degrees, otherwise they expose their inside (weak) shoulder.
SET UP
Three 3x2m coned off boxes, three ruck pads, a ball.
HOW TO DO IT
- Put three defenders in the coned off boxes with three ruck pad holders to their right around 6m away.
- When you say “GO”, the defenders run through the boxes quickly, then turn and drive their outside shoulder into the advancing ruck pad holder (see picture 1).
- Develop this by repeating the exercise, but indicating which one of the pads can step inside at the last moment. This ensures that the defenders do not turn too much and that particular defender has to tackle with the inside shoulder (see picture 2).
- Put into a live scenario where a feeder can run or pass from the base of a ruck pad, with three supporting attackers and three defenders (see picture 3).
technique
- Keep the spacing and integrity of the line – communication.
- Run up fast before drifting.
- Keep the inside arm cocked and ready just in case the attackers step in.
- Don’t turn more than 30 degrees out when drifting.
- Three ruck pad holders come forward
- The defenders come forward quickly then drift out
- The tackler aims to drive their right shoulder into the pad, leading with their right foot
Related Files
- Indicate which “attacker” with the pad can step inside. This keeps the defenders from turning their shoulders too much
- The angle of the shoulders must be no more be no more than 30 degrees out. Otherwise the inside shoulder is too weak. Also the tackler must keep their inside arm cocked
game situation
- Set up a feeder and three attackers
- The feeder can run or pass, keeping the inside defender in place to start with
- Using a minimum of grab tackling, three defenders have to prevent the attack from scoring (no rucks or kicking)
Dan Cottrell
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