HOME Rugby Drills Tackling

Rugby: Tackle technique- Hook and Grip

What a fantastic tool. I've found a few drills that are unfamiliar,...

Wes, Rugby Coach

DESCRIPTION

Groups of 2

Players get in partners and stand opposite eahcother.

They use footwork to get within eahcother

the aim of the game is to get a hook under the opposingplayers arms and lift them off the floor.

COACHING POINTS

- once you have good a good body postion and good foot position.

-Its about geting a good grip, ring of steel.

- foot work - think triangles and on your toes

- after they have got the hook and grab - must pull tight in and lift.

READ MORE

READ LESS

OFTEN USED WITH...

Tackle Touch Game:

2 Teams
Ball
Bibs

Tackle touch is a contact game that focuses on technique rather than the power of the contact.

The game is a normal game of touch, however when a touch is made, both ball carrier and defender put their chests to the floor.

They then bounce back up, for the defender to make a low chop tackle.

This takes out alot of the power of the colision and means the defender can focus more on technique.

Tackling

Tackle Technique 3/5 -leg drive:

Groups of 2
Tackle Bag

An attacker holds a bag 2m away from a defender.

Defender hold hands behind his back, while bagholder stands in split stance.

The Defender then does continuous steps and shoulder impacts off each shoulder one after the other.

Tackling

Tackling (static).:

Tackler to stand in a squat position.

Player with ball standing (static).

Tackler hitting the player with the ball low with their shoulder and driving through.

The player with the ball thinking about their own body position, landing on their back and presenting the ball.

Tackling

Tackle technique 4/5 -boxer hands:

Groups of 2
Ball

Hands and arms are introduced.

The attacker holds hands behind his back with the ball.

The Defender does a shoulder hit, and starts to drive his legs (previous 2 stages).

Then there arms from being in tight to there chest (boxer) explode around the attacker, aiming to dislodge the ball.

This will add impact and explosivenesss to the hit.

Tackling

2028315

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 Tackling DRILLS

/drills/ Rugby/ Tackling /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