U12 rugby tackling drills
19 tackle drills a U12 squad is allowed to do, each with the set up, the coaching points and what it looks like from the touchline when it is going wrong.
Free to read with no account. They work at a pitch with no signal too.
What U12 is allowed here
Tackle arrives at U9, so a U12 squad has had it for a while. Nothing below that grade sees any of these, in the app or on this site. What U12 rugby allows is the rest of it.
The drills
Under each one is what it looks like when that drill is going wrong.
- Down and up 6 min · 6+ players · 10 x 10 m Landing flat on the front or straight onto the back
- Shoulder to shield 7 min · 6 to 20 players · 10 x 10 m The head going into the shield rather than past it
- Jog and place 6 min · 6+ players · 15 m channel Landing chest first with the arms underneath
- Roll and reset 5 min · 4+ players · 10 x 10 m The head going back towards the floor
- Back to back wrestle 6 min · 6 to 20 players · 10 x 10 m One of them up on their feet driving down at the other
- Offload in the tackle 10 min · 6 to 18 players · 15 x 15 m Going to ground first and then trying to pass
- Cheek to cheek 12 min · 6 to 20 players · 10 x 10 m Head going in front of the carrier rather than past their hip
- Long placement 10 min · 6 to 18 players · 10 x 15 m Landing chest first with both arms trapped underneath
- Tackle and get up 10 min · 6 to 18 players · 10 x 10 m Pushing up off their front, which takes about three seconds
- Side on tackle 11 min · 6 to 20 players · 10 x 10 m Aiming at where the carrier is instead of where they are going
- Front on tackle 12 min · 6 to 20 players · 10 x 10 m Head coming up and the eyes shutting at contact
- Two tackle shuttle 10 min · 8 to 20 players · 15 x 10 m The second tackle made from further away, arms first
- Tackle then compete 12 min · 8 to 18 players · 15 x 15 m Both of them lying on the floor watching the ball
- Defend your channel 11 min · 8 to 20 players · 20 x 20 m Lunging from two metres and grabbing a shirt
- Double tackle 11 min · 9 to 21 players · 15 x 15 m Both going low, so nobody has the ball
- Tackle when tired 10 min · 8 to 18 players · 20 x 15 m The head dropping in front once they are blowing
- Stop the offload 10 min · 8 to 18 players · 15 x 15 m Both defenders going for the ball, so the carrier stays up
- Hold them up 10 min · 8 to 18 players · 15 x 15 m Dragging the carrier to the floor out of habit
- Track them down 10 min · 6 to 20 players · 10 x 10 m The tackler running at the carrier's back and arriving behind them
What else U12 can work on
- U12 rugby passing drills
- U12 rugby evasion drills
- U12 rugby ruck drills
- U12 rugby scrum drills
- U12 rugby kicking drills
- U12 rugby game sense drills
The same at other grades
Every U12 drill is the whole grade rather than one theme. Rugby drills by age group is all six grades.