HOME Rugby Drills Contact Skills

Rugby: Simple tackle

Your tips and session ideas have really brought some interest back...

Eifion, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

Both players jog out at the same time.

When the players meet the red player tackle the white player and then both players get back to their feet and jog to the back of their lines before the drill continues.

COACHING POINTS

Start off slow and increase speed as players prove they can tackle safely, correctly and effectively.

READ MORE

READ LESS

OFTEN USED WITH...

Offloads:

One group starts with the ball.

Player with the ball forwards towards the player with the pad.

The player hits pad with their right shoulder and ?pops? the ball off to the 1st player in the other group, who is running to receive the ball.

The next player hits pad with their left shoulder and ?pops? the ball off to the next player form the other group, who is running to receive the ball.

Drill continues until all players have carried out the drill from both sides.

Contact Skills

2 x Hit then pass:

Set up the practice as shown inside a 30m x 30m Grid.

6 Shields and 1 Ball.

Player 1 carries the ball before passing the ball to player 2 who bursts through the shields. Once through the other side, 2 passes to 3 and receives a return pass before bursting through the next set of shields

Once they are through the last two players with shields can move and try and block the runners. Player 2 has the option to pass to either player or go it alone.

Off Loads

1 vs 1 get to feet:

Pass gets given to the attacker who has to run down the grid. When the tackle comes in the player with the ball has to present the ball.

Tackler has to get to feet quickly to get the ball and pass it back the the initial passer of the practice . Next two player go.

After each go the players swap sides.

Contact Skills

Continuous layoff:

Player with the ball runs into contact and passes the ball out to the supporting player whom inturn passes it to the other side of the grid for the practice to repeat on the other side.

Contact Skills

35824

1009

SIGN UP NOW FOR FREE

search our library of 1100+ rugby drills
create professional rugby coaching plans
or access our tried and tested rugby plans

Rugby

STAY CONNECTED

in more ways than one

sportplan_netball

MORE Contact Skills

/drills/ Rugby/ Contact-Skills /categoryDrills_21.jsp

JOIN SPORTPLAN FOR FREE

search our library of 1100+ rugby drills
create your own professional coaching plans
or access our tried and tested plans

STAY CONNECTED

in more ways than one

sportplan_rugby

LATEST COACHING TRENDS

Rugby Rugby Trends The Community Tackle Height Law Is Live: Retraining Your Tacklers for 2026/27

The Community Tackle Height Law Is Live: Retraining Your Tacklers for 2026/27

World Rugby's lower tackle height is no longer a trial. It is law in community rugby from this season, and unions choose waist or base of the sternum. Here is how to retrain your defence.

August 2026

Sportplan Coaching

Rugby Rugby Trends Lower Tackles, Faster Rucks: Adapting Your Breakdown to the New Law

Lower Tackles, Faster Rucks: Adapting Your Breakdown to the New Law

Lower tackle heights leave the ball free for longer and change the breakdown contest. If your ruck work has not been updated this pre-season, you are coaching last season's game.

August 2026

Sportplan Coaching

Rugby Rugby Trends Rugby-Specific Pre-Season Conditioning: Fitness That Actually Transfers

Rugby-Specific Pre-Season Conditioning: Fitness That Actually Transfers

Long, lonely runs build lungs, not rugby players. Here's how to build a pre-season that puts fitness where the game needs it - with a ball in hand and a decision to make.

July 2026

Sportplan Coaching

VIEW ALL COACHING TRENDS