Breakdown - Competing For The Ball

A great drill with explanations and supporting theory to help coaches improve their players accuracy and legality at the breakdown

Turnover session - Competing for the ball

To ensure players consider the best options at the moment they win turnover ball.

The easy option may be to go straight back into contact, but this gives the opposition time to organise a defence.

Encourage players to move the ball away from contact and attack the space wide

Breakdown - How to ensure quick ball

An exercise to promote quick recycling at the breakdown. Coaches can use a variety of conditions to make this exercise harder or more intense

Junior Tackle and Breakdown

Good tackle technique leads into being effective at the breakdown, this clip provides advice on how to coach the tackle combined with the next phase of getting to your feet and competing for the space or ball

Breakdown Touch

This is a game which can be used to introduce contact gradually into pre-season training. With each touch, one player from each side must compete at a controlled breakdown situation. It is important for players to maintain good technique when they are fatigued, and for the coach to manage this.

Sevens - Uncovered - The Breakdown Specialists

The breakdown has become a significant area for coaches and players to focus on. All players now need the technical skills and the intensity to compete at the tackle area and if players are poor in this area teams will be exposed. Some teams will select a specialist in this area and combine his skills with tackle technique from other players so that they work in units to turn over possesion

Breakdown - Duck and Clean

Body position is crucial to compete at the breakdown, "Duck & Clean" is about ensuring that the players hips are lower than his opponents, this enables the player to get lower and clean in a "Low to high" movement which is both safe and effective

Coaching the Breakdown

The battle for the breakdown can decide matches. There are many elements that make up a solid breakdown, including ball presentation, speed of support and effective rucking technique. Log in to RugbyCoachingDrills to see video tutorials from top coaches and players.

The Importance of Basic Breakdown Skills

Continuously we see that the best teams are those that perform the basic skills better than their opponents. Basic skills such as passing, catching, running, tackling, and rucking. The breakdown is an essential element to the game as teams look to control momentum. Mastering the basic rucking and clearing techniques gives many teams the edge, and the quick ball that is required to enable their attack.