Sportplan rugby has played a large role in my team's love for the game!
what is the best way to coach the front on takle? i fell it would be effective for some of the larger forwards and backs to use it.%3A)
Our U12 fly half is a talented yet small player but only seems to tackle when a player has already gone by and he uses his pace to takle from behind/side. Is there a drill to improve his confidence tackling face on.
tackling under 9s fear
My team of 10 yr olds are great at rucking whilst in posesion but have not grasped the idea of counter rucking. they seem to make the takle and then stand off and not counter ruck. any suggestions on drills that might encourage them to counter ruck?
is anyone else experiencing referee issues with the new not targeting lower limbs in the ruck or opposition not being taught the new laws correctly
Some of my U9s players, who are experiencing contact for their first season, are showing reticence in tackling - how do you coach or get through the fear factor/element?
I coach under 9`s rugby and a lot of the kids have a bad fear of tackling, they lack the confidence to get stuck in. What is the best thing to help them overcome this?
I'm coaching and reffing U11 rugby and one of my players is the definitive 'big lad'. His 'strength' is his size and his power, but last weekend he didn't seem to get reffed fairly. The opposition couldn't tackle him down, one on one and when another two joined in to make a mini maul, that didn't slow him down much either. The ref then let other people join in the (one sided) struggle to tackle him down, which seemed very unfair as A) it's outside the laws of U11 rugby,, B) it makes it nigh on impossible for him to offload, C) when he is brought to ground, he has 4-5 players all over him and he got pinged for 'holding on'. He is a recent arrival to rugby and it was our first game for a couple of months, so the situation hadn't reared his head before. We are keen that he learns all of the core skills of rugby and doesn't get used as a battering ram, but after seeing a pack of hyenas trying to pull down the big fella, something just didn't seem right to me.I'd be grateful for any thoughts and opinions.
Lift leg in tackle
How can I overcome my son's fear of tackling. He's 10 and shaping up to be a useful player in other areas but is very reluctant to engage other players in contact. What drills might help overcome this?
I've a few players who genuinely do not like tackling but love the game in every other facet. Does anybody have experience indealing with this predicament. We have practiced the basic techniques repeatedly but when it comes to game time these kidsjust won't engage with the shoulder but use outstretched arms in a feeble attempt to tackle.It can be very frustrating ....
In a last ditch attempt to save a try I ankle tapped the opposition ball carrier. I was subsequently penalized by the ref for an illegal tackle. I have seen ankle taps in many international games and have never seen a penalty from it. Is the ankle tap a legal form of tackle? Have the laws changed in regards to ankle taps?
in more ways than one
The teams winning in 2026 aren't taking risks - they're grinding out territory with relentless pick-and-go phases. Here's how to coach it.
Player safety technology has arrived at every level of rugby. Here's what coaches need to know about smart mouthguards, concussion protocols, and training safely.
From France's collision dominance to England's folding defence - what grassroots coaches can learn from the 2026 Six Nations.
Coaches from around the world look to Sportplan for coaching confidence.