KS4 · Physical education · Year 11
Forming a tackle triangle and getting onside in defence
Invasion games: problem solving with tactics and strategies through T1 rugby
Learn it. Recall it. Make it stick.
IllumED Slides
IllumED · 1/10
Your learning goal
I can form a tackle triangle at the breakdown and get onside in defence.
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Forming a tackle triangle and getting onside in defence: 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 form a tackle triangle at the breakdown and get onside in defence.
Key learning points
- Move: stepping quickly into a triangle with 2 other teammates after a tag/touch helps to slow down the attack.
- Move: moving quickly onside, behind the tackle triangle, stops gaps forming in the defensive line.
- Think: 2 defenders must place a hand on the tagger to set the offside line from the back foot of the triangle.
- Feel: feeling organised in defence builds confidence to press and stop forward momentum.
- Connect: communicating clearly in the tackle triangle lets the tagger know you are there to support them.
Words to know
- offside
- if a player is in front of the last point of contact (the back foot of the tackle triangle)
- tackle triangle
- a defensive shape formed around the ball carrier after they have been tagged by 3 defenders
- phase
- a continuous sequence of play that starts after a player is tagged or touched, and continues until the ball is passed, dropped or the play is stopped (e.g. tagged)
Common mistakes
Pupils think that just the tagger remains at the breakdown in T1 rugby.
After a tag/touch, 2 other defenders need to join the the tager to form a triangle at every breakdown.
For parents, carers and teachers
- If pupils are already fairly expeirenced with rugby, you may wish to incorporate some contact into the game to make a simplied version of full contact rugby.

