Shoulder to shield
A tackle warm-up for U9 and up, with where the cones go, how it runs and what to say when it is not working.
Free to read with no account. It works at a pitch with no signal too.
- Age grades
- U9, U10, U11, U12
- Time
- 7 minutes
- Players
- 6 to 20
- Space
- 10 x 10 m
- Kit
- 1 tackle shield per pair
- Pitch
- Wants a forgiving surface
- Indoors
- Fits a small space
Setting it up
Pairs of similar size. One holds a shield low, the other kneels in front of it.
How it runs
From the knees, put your shoulder into the shield and wrap both arms round it. Squeeze, hold for a second, let go. Ten each. Then stand up and do it from a crouch, walking in. Never faster than a walk here. This is the shape you want burnt in before anyone runs at anything.
What to watch for
- Head to the side of the shield, never into it
- Eyes open and looking at the target
- Both arms wrap and grip. A shove is not a tackle
Make it easier
- Stay on the knees for the whole thing
Make it harder
- Shield holder takes one step forward as you go in
What it looks like when it is going wrong
What you can see from the touchline, then the one thing to say about it.
- The head going into the shield rather than past it
- Head to the side. Ear to the shield, never the crown
- Arms shoving instead of wrapping
- Wrap and grip. It is a hug
Safety. Match by size, not by age. Shield holders brace and absorb, they never drive back. Contact stays below the chest. Stop the moment technique starts falling apart from tiredness.
The RFU's Headcase is where to go for what to do after a bang on the head. It is theirs rather than ours.
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The grades that can do it
What U9 rugby allows is the rule this sits under. Regulation 15 is reissued every summer, so the RFU's own rules of play are the ones to read for this season rather than a copy on somebody else's website. Ours included. Read against the RFU's 2026/27 appendices in August 2026.