You can help improve your players’ tackling technique with the “eyes, shoulder, arms” system.

Tackles are missed in games for a number of reasons. Fear is one, but more often it is poor technique due to a lack of focus.

Eyes: The tackler must stay focussed on the target. The eyes must be kept open right through the contact.

Shoulder: The tackler’s shoulder must be the first point of the attack. It must hit the target first, and then hard.

Arms: The tackler’s arms must wrap around the target and lock the two players together.

It helps for players to call out “eyes, shoulder, arms” in training, until they get the system right. With only these things to think about, the player can then concentrate on the matter in hand and make a more successful attempt at a tackle.