Rugby: Running side tackle

Get your players thinking their way through this session, focussing on Drift Defence when the opposition have an overlap on the outside.

Refresh your junior players' tackling technique before the season starts to help them grow in confidence and prevent injuries in your team!

The first player moves forwards, makes contact with the tackle bag and retreats diagonally to the line of cones.

The next player joins the line and both the players move forward and hit the tackle bag or shield before retreating back to the line again.

The third player then joins the line and all three players go out to meet the tackle bag, shield or fall on the ball.

Drill continues with all players involved.

Players stand 5 metres apart, only the attacking player moves in this drill, the tackler remains still as their partner approaches.

As the player gets close the tackler should keep their head up and engage the runner with either their left or right shoulder.

Holding around their knees tightly and driving with their shoulder they should allow the player to fall over their shoulder to floor.

The group is split in half.

The coach is positioned behind the defenders and instructs the movement of the attackers, who are holding tackle shields.

Defenders must mirror the movement of the attackers.

If the coach indicates right, the attackers move right.

If the coach raises his hands in the air, the attackers move forwards and the defenders move up in a line to meet the tackle shields.

The two lines then retreat and the drill continues.

Players 3m apart – slightly crouched

One of pair nominated as tackler

On balls of feet, with feet shoulder width apart the coach calls either Right or Left.