When to tackle high...

Question
QUESTION: We are a social club with a real mix of abilitieis and experience.  A lot of our less experienced guys have a tendency to tackle too high, use arms rather than shoulders and generally not be positive enough - all of which we try and remedy.  What I struggle to explain is when and how to use the chest high tackle with some simple rules which restrict the times they should use it - ie when do you try to prevent release, when is it least risk, etc?  Please help!

ANSWER: As a social team do you have a practice session or tackle bags? let me know and Ill give you some training tips.The high tackle is good if you want to stop the ball being off loaded to a player running through or if you are trying to stop forward momentum, apart from that it has negative effect on play because it keeps your defensive player tied up under a player, the tackle around the legs or ankles frees the defensive player to get up and attempt to retrieve the ball and attack. Here is something you could try start by splitting your team in half and one half getting down on
on their knees and the other team (one at a time) walking past them, the players on the knees have to tackle (remember head to the opposite side of the tackle) start by walking then a fast walk until they get the idea after you have done that a few time times get one half crouching and the other attacking again slow at first. ( aim to get players wrapping both arms around legs everytime). Get all payers to stand split the team into forwards and backs and tech them this defense pattern. If an opponent is running towards the #12 and #13 they both have to tackle (1 high and 1 low 12 high 13 low) if they are running towards #10 & #12 (10 is low 12 is high) basically your getting to players tackling one player all the time but in different positions....try to run this patten in a game and you will notice that no one wants to let the other player down by being the one that lets the attacking player through, reward them if it works etc...hope that helps..let me know it goes.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, thanks for speedy response!  We do have training (not best attended but the guys that do need to be there largely are!) and we do have tackle bags.  I think high tackles are great when well executed and I like your doubling up exercise - my problem comes when our less confident players 'hide behind high tackles' and get palmed off too easily in 1 on 1 situations.  Cheers

Answer
thanks, start them the less confident with tackle bags. Create a square and have 4 bigs held up (dependent on players) and cones in line with bags a couple of meters away.

The players are lined to the left of the cones and 1 at a time they run around the cone and up to the bag tackle it to the ground get up run backwards to the next cone and then attack the cone again. When they have moved to the next cone the next player joins and they attack at the same time. Then the next player joins in etc etc. the focus is getting them moving up together and tackling the bag. every time they tackle to high the do 5 press ups etc.

Add 2 players together and repeat the drill, one going high  the other low...they must always wrap arms around the bag and take it to ground.

Next drill similar drill as the first but with a ball behind the tackle bag, they tackle the bag, go to ground get up step over bag pick up ball and place it down and run backwards to the next cone and bag.

Next drill play a game of rats and rabbits. divide into 2 teams both teams lie on ground (feet touching each other so they are in pairs). name one team rats the other rabbits. yell out "rats" the rats have to run away and the rabbits have to catch and tackle them. Make sure its always low tackles with arms wrapped around, anyone who doesn't that team has to do 10 push ups etc.

Hope that helps