how do i gain confidence to tackle

Rugby CoachCoach

if you find your not confident when tackling its worth taken the advice i try to set in the minds of our under 9s who are all very weary of being flattened by the bigger kids. we tell them not to take the tackle on full frontal and to just step out just a little and latch on to the ball carrier from the side. by doing this you will find as soon as the carrier is along side you your arms are locked around their waist and they are pulling your weight so you can easily slide down to a lower position until their legs are locked and they have to fall to the ground. by doing this you will find you wont take any knocks and you get bring them down no matter how big or fast they are but you have to be alert that they dont get the chance to step away from the tackle so make sure you open your trap and force them in close to you. once you start getting them to the ground you will get that buzz and you will soon have the confidence to tackle anyone, and remember, if a tackle i carried out correctly and with confidence you wont get hurt. hope this helps a bit

Rugby CoachCoach

just relax by not going down when the ball carrier is far, when he reaches near you step ahead and and go down by locking his knees.practice this always by playing pack game to perfect your tackles and to gain bravery in the game.

Gary BlackCoach, Wales

If you are lacking the confidence to tackle, it is important you inform your coach of your concerns. The coach should work with you and start from the very basics, as is done with under 9's, ensuring you are adopting the correct technique. The intensity will be built up and you will soon be confident and relishing making the tackle. You will soon learn that you work for each other in defence and you are not on your own. Defence has become the most important aspect of todays game and any isolated defender will be targeted by the attacking side. This makes it even more important for the coach to ensure that every one of his players are happy and confident with their defensive responsibilities. Try to enjoy your defensive responsibilities and pressure the oppostion into mistakes before they have a chance to build up a head of steam. Remeber the old adage 'the best form of defence is attack'.