Martin's Rugby Coaching Forum

Hi Martin,

Can you advice me on the best technique for the defender to use when playing the ball in the tackle.
Are there any drills you could suggest for this.

Also can you tell me how I can train my players to tackle while staying on thier feet (this would make it easy for them to play the ball in the
tackle).

many thanks,

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Dummy

In top rugby you see more high tackles. This is to smother the ball in the tackle and thus to prevent quick ball for the opposition.

Interesting was Scotland this season against England: the focus of the first tackle was to bring the man down, second tackler was to go for the ball.
This is something that you should try to organise for your team:

Focus on the low tackle
Focus the next defender on getting to the ball and try yo rob it.


How to organise the second defender? This is what I do and it is based on the league principles.

Tackle inside out: make tackles on your outside shoulder
Defenders are one - on - one. Tackler A against Attacker A etc.
Once Attacker A has passed to B the Tackler A shifts his attention to Attacker be. Tackler A moves to the inside of defender B (not behind him!)
If Attacker B comes outside: Tackler B tackles with outside shoulder Low
If Attacker B comes inside: Tackler A tackles with outside shoulder Low and Tackler B with his inside shoulder High (smother the ball)

This is the Gang Tackle. Tackler A can be the Marker next to the Maul / Ruck.

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Martin, Rugbyhead

Hi Martin,

Thanks for your reply. Some pretty good advice there.

Actually over the last month I have been training my players to play the ball in the tackle, or the closest man to the tackle to play the ball. They seem to be picking up pretty quicly.

A good drill I use is having a a ball placed behind the tackle bag get the first player to tackle and the closest man to play the ball, but also encourage the tackler to get on his feetn and double up with the man who played the ball into a mauling pad which is place a meter behind the tackle bag.

Many thanks again for the help,

Bilal

That is good: did exactly that with my last training session. I used three tacklebags however and when the defenders started running (HOLD - HOLD - GO!) I placed the ball on / behind one of the three.
Tacklers have to shift outwards and become the Inside Tackler of my previous post.

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Martin, Rugbyhead