Rugby League Coaching Manuals

.....the hips and a strong fend could do for an defending player who came in too low to tackle the champion centre.  "The beltline down to the knees was the traditional area target zone in the past for a ‘side on' tackle, but a player still has movement there, they can open their body up or they can swivel their hips and beat you with a fend if a defender is committed to that lower target area."

Footwork is another really key part of being a good defender; it can be underestimated in tackling.

Although some great players could launch at a tackle with two feet planted firmly on the ground it has been proven that this is not the footwork technique used commonly in the modern game.

John Dixon Wales Celtic Crusaders coach continues, "Many tackles are missed because players don't use their feet ‘to get to the tackle'.

"Players will plant their feet or place their feet wide apart and waiting for the ball carrier to come to them, this is not good technique.

"As a general rule the best defenders are on the balls of their feet and have their feet fairly close together and have one foot up and one-foot back.

"A defender is normally at the mercy of the ball carrier if the defender plants his feet too early. The defender can get bumped, run over, have no drive or cannot
move laterally.

"This is where the ‘jumper grabbers' come from, or the tackle is only shoulder contact with no leg drive or an arm outstretched attempting to implement a tackle, rather than moving the defenders whole body into the tackle.

"The defender should take short steps to the tackle, so that if the ball runner does shift, the defender can take his feet to where he wants to go".

"Don't over emphasise which leg the defender should have forward in the tackle, whether it is same leg/same shoulder or opposite leg and shoulder.

"The key is to get the front foot in close to the ball carrier. Weight distribution is needed through the leg drive, so if it is the near leg or the off leg it does't make much difference to us."

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