wing tackling

Question
Hello, I am a 15 year old 5'11", 135 lbs or so winger. I am new to the sport of rugby and had a question concerning tackling. I have read your past tackling answers and hoped to possibly get mroe information. When playing it seems that there are big breaks for the other team and, I am the only guy there to tackle for my team (mostly when playing weak)I am able to tackle when the player first gets the ball or so, but when he is running fuill speed it is difficult for me. I am having trouble reacting to the player and being able to go in for the tackle. I tend to go in too soon and the player ends up dodging me. is there a way i can work on coming in for the tackle later or not being dodged?

Thanks
Andrew

Answer
Sir,

I sincerely apologize for taking so long to answer your question.

It is personally an important question since twice failed open field tackles resulted in me having a knee arthroscopy.

All the other basic tackling fundamentals are important and I will provide a review at the end.

For the open field tackle, some important considerations:

-close the space!  You cannot let the opposition player run into you while you are flat footed and not ready to make contact.  Your opposition will also have less time to react to you.

-come in under control.  There are a couple of negative tendencies when coming into a tackle that need to be minimized.  Keep your eyes open as long as possible prior to actual contact.  It is natural to close them, but try to keep them open.  Watch your body position.  It is also natural to be leaning too far forward when coming into the tackle.  This makes you unbalanced and more likely to lose control if immediate contact is not made.  A good rule of thumb is to keep your shoulders/chest behind your knees for as long as possible prior to contact.  This will ensure that you are better balanced.

-forgot the head, watch both the hips (body must go where the hips go) and if possible the eyes (very few rugby players will make a turn without a quick glance to the direction they are turning), this will make you less suspectable to a fake movement.

-low is good in the tackle.  Even hitting a player running at pace will often knock him/her off balance.  A good wrap at the legs and low tackle will often bring down even the largest fastest players

-slow down the opposition.  I used to tell my smaller rugby players, if they can not make the tackle, at least be a speed bump.  Often the second or two necessary to break a tackle is sufficient for your own support to show up.  

Some points on tackling:

1. When being tackled, do not put hand out to break the fall. Roll along the arm, shoulder, and side where the upper body will make contact first. Do not make contact with the shoulder point (region of the Deltoid muscles) but with the shoulder blade (scapula). For the lower body, roll along the outside of the leg, to the hip, and to the torso.

2. When tackling remember to keep your eyes open, head outside, or behind, and wrap the legs tightly. There is no such penalty as 揾igh tackle.?The proper call is dangerous tackle. Generally, any tackle over the armpits is considered dangerous. All tackles must include the wrap, arms tightly wrapped around the opponent. If need be, actually grip your wrist. Do not leave your feet when making the tackle.

3. When coming into a tackle, center the tip of your shoulder on your opponent's midsection and have the arms raised with the elbows out and up. This will ensure that the head will be on the outside of the tackle and that the shoulder is protected.

4. When coming into rucks, mauls, and tackles maintain good body position. Come in low, close enough to touch the ground, and come up. Tense the shoulders and neck, and keep the head up. Bind immediately with the either, or both, the opposition and your teammates. When pushing, keep the buttocks lower then the shoulder, and keep the spine in a straight line from head to rear (spine in line). Come into the ruck/maul/tackle under control.

5. You tackle does not stop at contact. You must continue the effort through the opposition to a point about a meter behind him.

6. Try not to tackle by purely grabbing the opposition. Your fingers are just not strong enough. You must get in close and make the wrap.

7. As a big man, you must remember to get low by bending at the knees and lowering the butt. Keep your head up. Do not get low by bending at the waist. That is dangerous and ineffective.

8. Try to keep your eyes open as long as possible.

I hope this is of use and good luck

First off, I apologize for being slow with this. I just returned from my honeymoon.

Tackling is combination of heart and technique. If you have great technique, but are timid about closing in on your opponent you will not succeed. If you have the heart of a lion, but cannot get those arms around the opposing runner, again you will not succeed.

Review of the basics.

1. When tackling remember to keep your eyes open, head outside, or behind, and wrap the legs tightly. There is no such penalty as 揾igh tackle? The proper call is dangerous tackle. Generally, any tackle over the armpits is considered dangerous.

2. All tackles must include the wrap, arms tightly wrapped around the opponent.

3. Do not leave your feet when initially making the tackle. American football players tend to leap into tackles. This is not good for a rugby tackle.

Tackling techniques

1. When coming into a tackle, center the tip of your shoulder on your opponent's midsection and have the arms raised, with the elbows out and up. This will ensure that the head will be on the outside of the tackle and that the shoulder is protected.

2. Generally when you tackle try to hit the softer parts of the opponent's body such as the torso above the hips or mid-thigh (watch for the knees). As a smaller player, you should always focus on taking the opponent's legs out from him. It is true- the bigger they are the harder they fall.

3. When you come in for the tackle, imagine that you are trying tackle beyond the runner and that you need to go through him. Often when contact is made, the tackler stops his forward momentum.

4. Obviously a "head on" tackle at the torso is not always going to be successful if the opponent is larger than you are. In this situation the best things to consider-
a. Come from the side
b. Hit him at the thighs, and close the arms, thus binding the legs. Hint- when you wrap your arms around the thighs, grab you own wrists and push your arms out. When you push your arms out, your elbows come together making a tighter bind.
c. Allow his forward momentum and bound legs to cause him to fall.

5. Remember that rugby is a possession sport, not a yardage sport like American football. While everybody likes to see, and honestly, make, the hard stand up tackle, it is not necessary unless you are within a few meters of your try line. The important thing is to get the runner to ground so that the ball most be released. That is your best chance to regain possession. Why this is important for the smaller player is that 搃f you cannot make the tackle, be a speed bump? Often at youth level, good solid contact can be just as disruptive as a solid tackle, and a good wrap that slows down the runner so that support can complete the tackle or strip the ball can be just as good as a tackle.

Deane Shephard
Stuttgart RFC