Tackle Situation

The tackle must surely be at the top of many players' lists of why they play rugby. Whether tackling is all "in the mind" or you only want only seven of your players to make 80% of the tackles in a game, winning the tackle situation and the contact contest are vital.

Rugby drills using tackle bags - This man-sized tube provides you with a chance to improve your players' tackling skills. Follow these tips and drills to make sure you're getting the most out of your tackle bags.

Coaching tips to get your rugby players tackling more effectively - Work out your players' tackling mindsets so that rugby training drills and practice sessions can be directed more strategically at their weak points.

Rugby coaching tips and drills to improve tackling - Whatever your defensive system, your rugby players need to be able to tackle. Here are some rugby coaching drills and tips to help improve your defence with better tackling skills.

Rocket ball rugby drill for contact - This rugby drill is ideal for coaching your players to drive through contact situations.

Rugby coaching tips for winning turnovers - A rugby training session to get your players to tackle and win turnovers.

Overload attack game - Challenge your players' individual and unit defensive abilities with this fun rugby skills game.

Rugby coaching tips for falling over - How your rugby players fall makes a big difference to how well the side keeps the ball.

Try savers, try scorers - Rugby coaching tips for preventing and scoring tries close to the try line.

Focus on rugby tackling technique -
You can help improve your players' tackling technique with the "eyes, shoulder, arms" system.

Three tips for better match day tackling - How to get new rugby players tackling and experienced players tackling better.

How to tackle the legs to win more turnovers - Tackling the ball carrier's legs is one of the simplest ways of winning back the ball from the opposition.

Five ways to improve tackling - Most players, whatever their age, experience and skill level, can improve in their rugby tackling skills.

Power step into contact rugby drill - Use these rugby coaching drills and tips to put the would-be tackler on the back foot.

Coach correct stance to win the breakdowns contest - The breakdown contest is a key part of the rugby game. Getting your players to adopt the right stance to win these contests is crucial.

Tackle rugby drills - Use Colin Ireland's "T for Tackle" rugby drill to help your players learn the best tackle to use.

Rugby drill tips to get back in the game after a tackle - A player on the ground can't play rugby. So how do you go about getting up and back into the game?

Coach the defensive front on tackle - Use these rugby coaching tips and drills to teach the defensive front-on tackle.

Side on tackle variations - A great Ford Academy rugby training tip. Please search the site for more clips of rugby coaching drills in action.

Tackle technique rugby drill - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action.

Continuous defence and tackle technique tips - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action.

Long place fitness rugby drill - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action.

The Baysie rugby training drill - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of coaching drills in action

Identify the threat rugby drill - A great Western Force Drill of the Week. Please search the site for more clips of rugby coaching drills in action

Preventing pest players stealing the ball - Strategies to derail "pest" players (the ones who always seem to steal the ball and stop your side producing quick and clean ball).

Rugby drills to prevent big players dominating games - Colin Ireland offers a rugby training drill aimed at helping children build the belief to overcome bigger players.

Drills focusing on depth principles - If you've ever seen your players receiving the ball while standing still and being knocked back in the tackle, check out these tips and drills to solve the problem.

Game to improve tackle technique -
Use this 10-second game in training drills to boost your players' rugby tackling skills, in particular, "jackling" which is where the tackling player regains his feet and wins the ball, or the next defender in wins the ball.

Rugby coaching drills to improve aggressive tackling - This is an intensive tackling session that rugby coaches can use to improve a team's poor defensive performance. The rugby drills involved concentrate on three main types of tackle.

Rugby coaching tips for a dynamic power step - In this version of the power step, the ball carrier must first fix the defender and attack the space to one side of them. The ball carrier's next step is to get their inside foot outside the defender.

Rugby drill tips for the two man tackle - If you can get two tacklers in the tackle, you will increase your chances of winning turnover ball. You're both more likely to win the contact contest and more able to compete for the ball. Use the following drills and coaching tips to help advance your players' skills.

Front on rugby tackling drills - Tackling for younger and inexperienced players mainly consists of front on tackles, which is the focus of the following rugby drills and coaching tips. This is a particularly good way to build confidence in your players, as it encourages the tackler to use the ball carrier's own momentum to bring them to the ground.

Rugby drill for jackknife control of the ball - The "jackknife" is a method of presenting the ball when tackled. It involves a fast, dynamic movement designed to get the ball back towards your own team and away from the defenders. The following rugby drill illustrates the move.

Rugby drill to coach head on tackles -
Coach players to make head-on rugby tackles on players running straight at them with the help of these rugby drills and games. The key requirement for this type of tackle is to prevent the opponent breaking through the defensive line.

Rugby drill to improve technique and timing of a tackle from behind -
Use the following rugby drill and 1v1 game to work on your players' tackling from behind skills. Improving your players' technique will also have the added benefit of boosting their confidence.

Rugby coaching tips and drills for clearing and parking -
To prevent your players losing the ball in a rugby tackle or ruck, use these rugby coaching tips and drills to teach them "clearing and parking" tactics.

Build rugby skills by adding chasing games to training sessions -
Children's chasing games are a useful tool for your rugby coaching sessions. They're fast, fun to do and will give your players a head-start on the rugby pitch.

Rugby coaching tips for contact skills -
These five rugby coaching tips reveal the skills and techniques your players need to stop the ball being turned over and are vital to help your team maintain continuity.

Rugby drill to coach tacklers to get into the correct position - This rugby drill session gets your tacklers producing the correct "high, low, high" body positions in the lead up to, and during, a tackle.

Rugby coaching tips to get players stealing the ball at the tackle - "Stealing" the ball from the attacking team at the tackle situation is a great skill. It also requires agility and bravery. It is a skill which requires timing, so it may take longer for your players to understand and get to grips with this.

Rugby coaching tips to get players powering into contact - Rugby coaches may find it useful to look at the American Football technique for tackling and conditioning as a way of improving their rugby defences.

Rugby coaching session to develop a power step into contact - The "power" step into contact will greatly enhance your rugby players' transfer of power. You need to get them to use it instinctively, however. This rugby coaching session will help players step correctly into the contact situation so they stay on their feet and make a powerful drive.

Rugby coaching session to practise tackling from behind - Use the following rugby coaching drill to work on your players' tackling-from-behind skills. Improving the players' tackle technique will have the added benefit of boosting their confidence.

Rugby coaching groundwork session to help tackled players - With 150 or so tackles sometimes made in a rugby game, a tackled player's actions can make the difference between winning and losing. Trying to offload in the wrong situation is extremely risky, but so is holding or placing the ball.

Rugby coaching London Irish video for continuous breakdowns drill - This rugby coaching video clip shows a rugby drill in which five players line up at the start of the channel, ready to create three continuous breakdowns down the channel. On completion of the tackle, the tackler must get to his feet and contest for the ball.

Rugby coaching London Irish video for the Jackal wrap up - This rugby coaching video clip shows a training exercise from the London Irish, designed to teach the Jackal wrap up. The rugby drill focuses on the tackler's ability to get to his feet and attack the ball.

Rugby coaching London Irish video to develop offloading skills -
This rugby coaching video clip shows a training drill from the London Irish in which the ball carrier aims to dominate the defender by fending and offloading. The defender in the drill looks to put pressure on the attacker by getting their hands on the ball and preventing the offload.

This rugby drill can be progressed with the addition of a second defender. When the ball carrier engages the defender, the second attacker and defender look to work themselves into a position to receive or block the offload.

Rugby coaching session to improve tackle recovery -
This rugby coaching session guarantees more turnover ball for your side. It works because the player who makes the tackle remains active.

Mismatch offload rugby coaching session for core skills -
Mismatch offload brings together many of the basic rugby skills a player needs in close contact. These skills include scanning to see mismatches, communication to alert team mates, rugby passing skills, footwork and power to go beyond the defender.

Double trouble rugby coaching session -
This is a great rugby coaching session to work on converting double tackles into turnover ball.

Challenging for the tackle ball -
If you want your rugby players to play free-flowing rugby, you need to dominate play around the tackle area. And if you can win the opposition ball – even better. The jargon for the defender on his feet challenging for the tackle ball is the "jackal" or "jackler" and these rugby coaching tips will help your players get to grips with this.

Rugby coaching tips for one on one match day tackles -
All players at some time are faced with a situation where they have to make a one-on-one tackle to stop a try. Here are the five key rugby coaching tips to successfully making these tackles.

Rugby coaching tips to get players back to their feet after a tackle -
Completing a tackle involves competing for the ball on the ground once the tackle has been made. To do this and have a chance of winning the ball, the tackler must get back to his feet as quickly as possible. Use this rugby drill to coach the skill.

Rugby coaching session to get players practising the rear tackle -
Use this rugby coaching session to get your players practising the rear tackle.

Improve rugby footwork for front-on tackles -
The key to an effective front-on tackle is to get into the right position to make the hit.

Rugby coaching session to encourage team tackling -
Here is a great training session to help your rugby players improve their skills in a competitive environment. This coaching session is about encouraging "team tackling" of man and ball.

Use this rugby drill to improve confidence in the tackle -
Help your players to gain more confidence in the rugby tackle by getting them to make better selections of which tackle to use. Here is a simple rugby drill to use with four players in a small area.