The Tackle
A Short Summary of the Tackle
Purpose: To Understand …
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Basic aspects of a tackle.
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Responsibility of the players.
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Your role as a referee.
Definitions
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Tackle: Occurs when the ball carrier is held by one or more opponents
and is brought to ground.
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Tackled Player: Player brought to ground while carrying the ball.
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Tackler: Player who goes to ground while tackling the ball carrier.
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A ball carrier who is not held is NOT a tackled player and a tackle has
not taken place.
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A player who brings the ball carrier to ground, but does not go to
ground, is NOT a tackler … but has completed a tackle.
Tackle Participants
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Tackler has to release the tackled player immediately, and move away
or get to their feet.
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Once on their feet, the tackler can play the ball from any direction.
Tackled player has to exercise their options immediately.
–
If opposition players who are on their feet attempt to play the ball, the tackled
player must release the ball
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Players who participated in the tackle but remained on their feet, must
release the player and the ball, and then may play the ball as an
arriving player.
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Players that slow the ball down should be penalized immediately.
Arriving Players
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Are to enter the tackle on their feet and through the Gate.
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May not bind/grasp the tackler/tackled player who is on the ground.
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May not intentionally go to ground, i.e. dive over or go to ground head
first.
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May go to ground IF in process of removing opposition player; may
not obstruct ball.
–
Teammates may bind onto player.
Referee
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Get to tackle as quickly as possible.
Know where the ball is at all times.
Create a presence at the breakdown.
Facilitate fair contest for possession.
Set standard, be consistent, & enable quick ball if attacker desire.
Communicate expectations to players.
Play penalty advantage for infringements.
Near the try-line, move to in-goal or the defensive line.
Maintain high work rate.
Discussion:
Are All Tackles Equal?
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Tackler Not Releasing v The Tackled Player’s Intentions.
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Example: Off of a banger mid field compared to Open field near the
Try line.
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How do you manage each?
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Any other questions?
General Game Management
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KNOW THE LEVEL OF THE MATCH.
Understand the environment.
Manage players in such a way as to get them to play to the best of their
ability.
Be consistent.
Proactively prevent offenses.
– Use verbal and non-verbal means of communication.
– Identify potential flash points and deal with them effectively.
– Attempt to resolve problems w/o continually penalizing for the same
offense.
– Manage persistent infringements effectively; apply appropriate sanctions.
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Reward Positive Rugby
Sources
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IRB Laws of the Game Rugby Union, 2010
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IRB Ruling #1:2010, dated March 10, 2010.

Rugby Refereeing in Practice, a guide for rugby referees – by David
Fryer
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Game Management Guidelines, 2010
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USA Rugby Referee Grading Manual, version 3.2, December 6 2003
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www.RugbyRefs.com