2. Tackling
Tackling is one of the five most important skills in rugby because one missed tackle could lose a game. Professional rugby players, whether they are small or large, should be able to tackle any player; even if a huge forward is running at a small back, a tackle has to be executed or a try could be made. Most top rugby players will do a normal tackle by grappling a player’s leg low down so they can no longer run and they drop to the floor, other tackles include a grapple (forwards trying to steal the ball or set up a maul) and also a tap tackle (if a player is running after a man with the ball they can trip them up by tapping their ankle). If a bad tackle is made or if a runner pushes a player off the tackle then he could easily score a try, tackling is the most important factor of a defence because of this. Here is a picture of Josh Lewsey playing for London Wasps tackling another player from the side.
From this photo it is very difficult to criticise Josh Lewsey’s tackle. He has wrapped the player’s legs up from a very low position and the player will drop to the ground instantly, there is no way this player can escape the tackle. Another reason why this tackle is so good is because the tackler should not do any harm to himself, he will just fall on top of the other player. Injuries can be caused from bad tackles, tackling from the wrong side and the man falling on the tackler’s head could cause a lot of harm. A dangerous type of tackle includes the dump tackle, this is when the tackler, instead of driving sideways drives up and lifts the man, then drops him from a higher position onto his side. This type of tackle is legal unless the ball carrier is dropped vertically onto his head/neck.
The most used type of tackle used in a game situation is the side tackle but other tackles are also used which are tap tackles and grapples. Tap tackles are normally only used when one player is chasing another and the tackler is not fast enough to catch up and do a normal tackle, the tap tackle is achieved by the runner’s leg being tapped across the other making him trip on his own leg and stumbling to the ground, this cannot be done with the foot, the player’s leg can only be tapped with a hand or it is a foul and a possible sending off can occur as it is dangerous.
It is quite difficult to do a tap tackle because the timing has to be perfect to hit the player’s leg as it is behind him so it clashes with his other leg to trip him up.
The Grapple is often used in close tackling situations, when a tackler is next to a man with the ball but does not have time to reach down to tackle his legs or neither players are running then the tackler might just grab the carrier to make a maul or just to try and steal the ball.
This type of tackle can be very effective as the player is wrapped and would find it difficult to distribute the ball to any of his team-mates, the main reason for this tackle is to either rip the ball off the player or cause a maul to be made, if the tackler is successful then he will win the ball because the other team cannot get the ball back or drive the maul. This is a great technique to achieve a turn-over. When the tackler has grabbed the man then his forwards will help him by driving him forward and trying to help secure or rip the ball, the job of the opposition forwards is to either drive the two players forward so that they can retrieve the ball for scrum put in if the maul collapses or they will try and rip the ball back so the opposition do not get it.
My tackling is generally quite strong, I am normally quite confident when going into a tackle and there are only a few things that I would need to do to change it. Sometimes I do not get low enough, which prevents me from tackling the man around the legs; when I tackle I sometimes go a bit too high and end up trying to tackle at waist height which can often work given the amount of force put into the tackle but the player can sometimes break free from this because their legs are not wrapped. A professional rugby player will have to tackle a player by the legs to get him down and if this is not done then it is possible for the attacker to escape the challenge and break free on a run to the try-line, every tackle is important and a missed one can be a vital changing point within a game.
Some common weaknesses include the footwork into the tackle; often when going into tackles players can get off balanced and end up making a weak challenge causing the attacker to break free. The technique of a tackle including the leg drive, arm lock, head position, and height of hit are the most vital parts of the tackle; these are often the main reasons for a bad tackle, a player may have a brilliant driving force into the tackle and great arm lock and head position but may still fail because he was too high. Another may have perfect height and drive but did not grab correctly or strongly enough so the tackler could break his arms off him and run free. An elite performer would be much better at this than me because he would be stronger, quicker and more powerful. The strength will help him bring the man down to the ground easier, speed would help him get to the player quicker, and power helps smash the man as hard as possible for the best impact.
3. Mauling
The maul is essentially a moving ruck, but the ball is off the ground. A maul is usually formed when opposing players have hold of the ball or when a grappled player is being driven from both sides. This part of the game usually only includes the forwards because it needs strong big people to drive the maul as far and hard as possible. There are a few things that need to be done for the maul to be successful; this includes getting as low as possible and driving it forward. A professional forward rugby player will need to be very low leaning on the player in front of him pumping his legs and driving himself and his team-mates as far as they can. If the ball is at the back of the maul then the players will still drive as far as possible hopefully reaching the try-line so a score can be gained. The man with the ball has to be secured first so that the opposition cannot reach it, this would be done by the first men going for the ball carrier and ball, then players going either side of them to prevent any opposition players grabbing from the side. Here is a good maul example of Argentinean players securing the ball and preventing the opposing side from reaching it.
This is a very good maul because there is no chance for the opposition to reach the ball; the men are protecting the ball carrier in the middle so he cannot even be touched. The men in on the side are preventing other players grappling from the side and they are driving the maul forward in a very low position. The ball carrier is facing his men so they can help him secure it and stop the opposing team ripping it off him.
A maul can also be made from a lineout, sometimes the team that caught the ball in the lineout want to make a maul so the opposition cannot get it, their plan would be to drive them backwards as far as possible so they gain territory, this could be very effective if near the try line because then if they drive over the line an easy try can be scored.
From this picture it is quite difficult to see but the number 2 in the front of the photo had thrown the ball into the lineout, the man higher than anyone else has caught the ball and is on his way down with it. His other forwards are now gathering around to secure the ball and turn it into a maul. The ball catcher needs to turn his body along with the ball in the direction of his team-mates so that they can support him. Each forward would have a specific job, the two men either side of the jumper would grab hold of him on each side so no opposing men can get through, a man just outside of the lifters will then go straight and secure the ball so it cannot be got at, the hooker/thrower along with the other forwards will try and create a big pushing force and barrier either side and behind of these players to both push them forward and prevent the other team breaking through. If the plan fails and the opposition is pushing the team with the ball back then they will have to give it to their scrum-half to send out to the backs.
Just like my tackling I do not get very low in mauls, apart from this my mauling is good. I need to get into a lower position so that when I drive it forward it is easier for me and harder for the opposition to drive back, especially if they are upright. I normally secure the ball well and often rip the ball off other players but I seem to do this as a one man part; as well as getting low I need to grab hold of my team mates and drive with more than just myself, this will help me and the team to push other men backwards, when I do it myself the drive is much weaker and less effective than it could be. I need to get tighter with my team mates so that it is much harder for me to be driven backwards or split up; it is much harder to break a maul with 8 men locked together than 8 men pushing separately. My job as a prop forward this season during a lineout was to lift the man, then grab him afterwards on one side to prevent the opposition getting near the ball. If I were to compare myself to a professional player such as Phil Vickery then there would be many criticisms within my mauling. Things that help professional forwards include their size and strength; Phil Vickery is a very large strong man and because of this it is much harder for players to drive him or rip the ball from him. Also his size and strength makes it easier for him to lift in a lineout. I could do the job of lifting and grabbing hold of the man from the lineout well, but when it comes to driving or protecting, my job would not be done as well as Phil’s.
4. Rucking
Rucking is not dissimilar from mauling, only the ball is on the ground. A ruck is usually formed from when a tackled player hits the floor and puts the ball on the ground, the tackler and his team will then try and get the ball off him by bending over and stealing it or driving over it, the tackled players team-mates will then try and get the opposition away from the ball by driving them off it and taking it back, this is almost like a scrummage. This is a very important skill because once your player is tackled the ball needs to be kept in possession and the only way of doing this is rucking. Again this part of the game usually consists of only the forward players but can often involve other players if they are the only ones nearby where the tackle is made. A professional rugby player in a rucking situation would get as low as possible grappling with the opposition player and driving him off the ball. If a ruck is set and a player is upright then he would be driven off the ball instantly as he would be off balance, a low player would be balanced driving forward into the other man. If a ruck has been won then it should be easy for the scrum-half to pick up the ball and pass, with no pressure of other players grabbing him, this can be done by the last man protecting the ball by standing over it.
Seeing as the scrumhalf has got the ball we can say that this ruck was successful. We can see that there are players driving over the tackled player to get hold of the ball and a couple of men securing it by creating a barrier over the top where the scrum-half can pick it from the bottom easily, there are no threats for the scrum-half because there is no way for an opposition player getting through this defence. The technique of getting low is very important for this because it is very difficult to push a man off if he is in a low strong position; once again like in a maul if a man is standing upright he will be wiped off the ball with ease.
For me this is just like the maul, I can drive people and secure the ball but I have a problem with getting low, in a lot of rucks I am pushed off the ball because I do not get low enough. I need to practice getting as low as possible and into a perfect strong position to help me in these situations. A professional player would have to be lower than the opposition to win the ball, it is much easier to drive an opponent up and off instead of just pushing them. As well as being low, I need a wider stance, this would give me a solid base, which is much harder to push or move. When I go into a ruck I need to go in with strength and power, it is no good walking into the ruck and trying to push it, I need to make a bigger impact to help me drive it. Speed to the breakdown needs to be improved also, if too much time is given when your player is tackled then the ball can easily be turned over. Sometimes it is a good idea not to go into a ruck; if there are already a fair number of players in the ruck would I be more useful standing out in the line ready to tackle an opponent, or should I just get into the ruck and push it, this is another thing I need to think about before going into the ruck. An elite forward such as Phil Vickery would have to practice and work on all of these things to make his technique perfect. He would have to work on his body position (how low he is and where his feet are) along with his speed and strength into the ruck. To do this he would focus on his fitness so he can be at every breakdown, and his strength, so when he gets to the ruck he can make an impact. For me to improve I need to practice getting as low as possible, I also need to improve my general fitness so I can be at every ruck and I need to get stronger so I can smash into the ruck and drive opposition players off.
5. Running with the ball
When running with the ball there are many things you can do to outsmart your opponent. Depending on the position of the player will most probably change the type of runner he is; for example wingers are renowned for being very quick and strong runners whereas forwards, particularly front row forwards, are very large and powerful runners but are generally quite slow. The main aim of any player in the team with the ball would be to break through the back line and score a try, but it is not so easy; as the forward runners are quite slow then it would not be easy to run straight past a player without being tackled, so the main aim of a forward would more likely be to make some yards and then set up a ruck so the ball can be passed out to the backs. When forwards get the ball it is probably from either being passed from one of the half-backs so they can try and smash through or create yards and a ruck or it could be picked up from open play or stolen after a tackle; the only way a forward would be running at pace when he receives the ball is if he is passed to by one of the half-backs. There are certain things which forwards can do to help them get even further when they are running with the ball such as handing off or spinning in the tackle. When a man is not running at pace then it is much easier to tackle him and this is why a forward will generally not break an opposition line. When a ruck is formed and the ball is let out to the backs then this is when the most important runners are used. Different moves and skilful passes are normally thought up during training which are then used in a game to try and confuse the defending side and make gaps in the defence so tries can be scored. Individual moves such as up and under kicks, dummies, side steps, spins and swerves are also beneficial when trying to get past a defender. When a back player receives the ball he should be running at pace already and never be static, this gives them a head start and makes it much more difficult to be tackled. Here is a picture of a forward runner; the techniques and running positions are explained.
When a forward is running he needs to be running as fast and as powerful as possible to prevent the tackler from making an easy tackle.
To help break a tackle, the runner can hand-off; to do this he simply puts his spare arm out in front of him so he can either push the tackler away or he could rip the hands of the tackler away from him. Another way of breaking these tackles would be to run in a very low position, if the runner is very low then there is less to grab onto and the tackler cannot get near the ball. Protecting the ball is the most important part of running. If the ball is out in front of the player when he is running then it can be ripped off him without even tackling the player, also if he is tackled then he is more likely to drop it when hitting the ground, as it is not secure. To secure the ball when running, the player must place it underneath the arm that is on the opposite side to the oncoming tackler such as in the picture above. When being tackled a forward will do anything to break it, this includes spinning; when the runner spins round when a man has hold of him then it is possible that he will no longer hold on, spinning prevents tacklers from grabbing players and often runners can just bounce off the tackler.
Moves such as dummies, side steps and swerving can be done by any player in the team but are generally more effective from the backs because they are lighter, more agile and generally faster.
Here is the process of a dummy, the idea is to make the tackler think you are going to throw a pass to your team mate so he starts to move towards him but then he does not pass and he changes direction quickly towards the gap left open by the tackler and runs free.
The side step is similar to the dummy but instead of pretending to pass the ball, the runner makes the tackler think that he is going to run in a certain direction. For a dummy to be successful a sharp movement needs to be made in the opposite direction through the gap, this is a side step. Basically the runner is going in one direction and the tackler is following this movement but then the runner switches onto the other foot and accelerates past him in on the opposite side. This can be done by any player but is often more effective when done by a fast agile back as they can switch onto the other foot quicker. They also have better acceleration so they can run straight past defenders without giving them enough time to realise their mistakes and tackling the runner. As the tackler is unbalanced on his other foot, he has no chance of and tackling the runner.
A swerve is similar to the side step but is less extreme and is good for when the tackler is close to making a tackle.
The swerve is different because the runner going straight towards his opponent and then changing his movement by swerving around him; it is not a sharp change of direction like the side step but the footwork still needs to be quick and timing is essential. The runner has to make the tackler commit to the tackle and then when the runner changes direction the tackler does not have enough time to readjust his positioning and follow the runner, especially when he is off balance.
Other than individual moves like this there are moves used which are predetermined by the backs, they include the switches, miss passes and loops. These moves are practised before games so when they are carried out each player knows exactly what to do so hopefully no mistakes are made in the process.
As a forward I am not usually a part in most of the running moves in the backs, the most moves I do are individual ones such as the spins, hand-offs and side steps. Although I have been playing as a prop forward and they are known to be the huge slow strong runners, I am actually quite fast and agile on my feet. When I run I always run very hard and powerfully with pace and I can often break through lines and tackles but there are some things in my running which I could improve, this includes my body position and my running direction. Often when I pick up the ball I will run straight at the opposition as fast as I can, but this sometimes creates problems; as I would be in an upright position it is quite easy for me to be tackled, it is also harder for me to break through tackles. I can also be wrapped up in this position, which can lead to the possibility of losing the ball. The other problem with my running is I can sometimes run sideways across the pitch instead of running at the opposition, the bad thing about this is I would be running away from my other forwards who I might need if I was tackled. Also I would not be gaining yards but risking losing some, especially if I was tackled or driven backwards.
