Players keep spilling the ball in the tackle, any drills?

Players keep spilling the ball in the tackle, any drills?

Players keep spilling the ball in the tackle, any drills for protecting the ball? Have tried the usual falling drills and tackling drills but in games the ball keeps being spilled forward in contact.

Rugby CoachCoach
ANSWERS
Rugby CoachCoach

It's often good to work hard and often on getting the ball carriers to do these 4 phases; 1) Just before meeting the tackler/tackle shield depending on how you practice, the ball carrier steps hard to one side or the other (player decides), and put the ball under that arm (i.e step left = ball under left arm) so that the ball is well away from the defender. 2) On meeting the tackler, the ball carrier uses the other shoulder, and arm/elbow to try to bump the defender off balance. 3) As he is tackled, he goes to ground through thighs, hips, and side, so that the ball is away from the defender. 4) The ball carrier then plants and pushes the ball back, and at the same time raises and thrusts his/her hips back at the defender, so that the ball is more difficult for the tackler/jackal to reach. Do these 4 phases (both left and right) slowly (even walking) and with great care to detail, and hopefully it will soon become second nature for the players to avoid frontal confrontation, and thus enable them to protect the ball more. We did this every time we practised for a couple of months, and our small team became very good at keeping possession.

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