Defending
More than Meets the eye - it's not just tackling
There’s a lot more to good defending than the ability to put in a decent tackle.
If you get the fundamentals right, you won’t actually need to tackle most of the time. But when you do, don’t dive in (ever… unless you have to… then it’s okay).
How to do it
Will John explains everything you need to know.
- Get pressure on the ball
- Take a good defensive stance
- Force the attacker one way
- Pick your moment and use your body
How not to do it
A demonstration of how not to do it.
- Diving in
- Poor body position – too upright or square-on
- Sticking a foot out – lunging for the ball.
How to tackle
Close the gap, keep close to the ground and light on your feet. Then, one of:
- Barge tackle
- Chop tackle
- Cut-out tackle