going into a tackle

Question
I attended a rugby camp over the summer (I am a high school flanker, 6ft 180lbs), and they taught that when entering contact, you should step on the tackler's foot, grab the breast and try to fight them off with a forearm. What do you think of this technique and is there the possibility of getting sinbinned for this type of agressive play?

Thanks

Answer
Paul,

What you described is a modification of the old technique of going into contact using the 揃aseball Bat?

With this technique prior to making contact,
-Rotate your body
-Plant your forward foot
-Lean back a little on your rear foot
-Bend your knees (crouch)
-Essentially establishing a solid 揵ase?br>
Next, you protect the ball by placing it in the valley formed between the upper thigh and waist when you crouch and putting your rear forearm and hand over the ball to secure it.  This is where the 揵all?comes in.

Now that you have established the base and are protecting the ball, you are ready for contact.  You extend your free arm forward with the hand up and fingers extended (do not ever make a fist).  You attempt to make contact with your hand on to your opponent's inside chest or shoulder, thus knocking him off balance.  The old English term for hitting someone is to 揵at?him.  This is how this technique came to known as the 搕he Baseball bat?  It is generally a static technique that knocks the opponent off balance, preventing a tackle.

The first modification, generally for smaller players who want to hold off the opposing player is to actually grab his jersey, allowing the elbow to bend a little to take the shock.  Generally, even the smallest player maintaining a stable base can hold off the opposition for a couple seconds allowing teammates to come in for support.

What you are describing is modification number 2, generally used by the front row and to a lesser extent the second row and eight man.  Instead of holding the opposition off, you are making him unbalanced in order to run over him.  Once you have made contact and grabbed your opponent's jersey, you bring him forward into your forearm.  This where you must be very careful in the placement of your arm.  The forearm must make contact first and must be across the chest.  Bringing the forearm across the neck or face, or having the elbow make first contact are considered, and rightly so, dangerous play (law 10.4 (a)).  Once the forearm makes contact, you continue to push forward.  This is a dynamic use of the static technique of 揵aseball bat?  I think this is viable technique and use it myself.

I am concerned though that a youth camp is promoting an illegal move, which purposely stepping on an opponent's foot is.  It is my view that this would fall under 揝tamping (foul play: illegal use of boot)? law 10.4(b).

With your height you may find this is not a good technique since your shoulders should be at the level of your opponents armpits.   This is required in order both maximize the push from your base (legs) and to prevent your forearm from making contact with your opponent's neck.  Like almost all rugby push/contact techniques, you go from low to high.

With your height, it would generally be better to use a "power step" or open handed stiff arm to the shoulder when going into contact.

I hope this what you asking about.

Deane Shephard
Stuttgart RFC