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KS2 · Physical education · Year 6

Create and apply defensive tactics

Invasion games: scenarios, tactics and power play through tag rugby

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Your learning goal

I can apply basic defensive tactics and formations to prevent the attacking team from scoring a try.

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Create and apply defensive tactics: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.

What you’ll learn

I can apply basic defensive tactics and formations to prevent the attacking team from scoring a try.

Key learning points

  • Move: once a tag has been made, we quickly step back and adopt our next position to prevent a further attacking move.
  • Move: when defending we reduce the space the attackers have by applying pressure, preventing them scoring.
  • Think: reflecting on our defensive tactics improves our ability to stop our opponents scoring a try.
  • Feel: when taking on the role of a referee, it is important to implement the rules fairly and be a good role model.
  • Connect: communicating with our teammates is important when applying defensive tactics to help improve our performance.

Words to know

defender
the player or person responsible for preventing the opposition (attackers) from scoring
tactics
a carefully planned set of actions that are used by a team or an individual to achieve a certain goal
offside
when a player is in front of the player passing the ball when the play restarts after a tag

Common mistakes

Defenders believe they can, or they try to, take the ball when they tag an opponent.

Remind pupils that the primary objective is to remove a tag from the ball carrier to stop their progress, rather than trying to take the ball.

For parents, carers and teachers
  • Highlight to pupils that, although tactics can be really beneficial, this does not mean that they will work every single time.
IllumED Slides adapts “Create and apply defensive tactics”, Physical education, by Oak National Academy ↗. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Slides and recall practice adapted by IlluminatED; no publisher endorsement. Restricted lessons have listing information only.