Rugby League Tactics Board

Six-Tackle Structure

Every set of six tackles in rugby league should be a planned sequence. Coaches diagram the six tackles as a progression:

• Tackles 1–3 (territory phase) — use the first three tackles to gain ground and reset field position; show the carry lanes for each carry and the dummy-half's position after each play-the-ball.
• Tackles 4–5 (attack build) — set up the attacking opportunity with a structured move — a wide carry, a dummy-half run, or a backline attack — on tackle 4, with the 5th tackle setting the platform for the kick.
• Tackle 6 (kick game) — the grubber, chip, or bomb on the last tackle; diagram the kick type, the target zone, and the four chasing players' sprint lanes.

Dummy-Half Plays

The dummy-half (the player who picks up the ball from the play-the-ball) has two options: distribute immediately or run. Dummy-half runs are most effective when the defense is out of line or the dummy-half has a clear gap to the side of the ruck. Show on CourtDraw the defensive trigger that creates the run opportunity and the lane the dummy-half should target.

The dummy-half play on tackle 3 or 4 is especially effective when the defense has settled into a flat line and the gap is between the marker and the first defender. Diagram this as a two-phase play: the carry into contact on tackle 3, the dummy-half spotting the gap, and the run on the resulting play-the-ball.

Kick Game

The kick on the last tackle is the most analysed decision in professional rugby league. Three main options:

• Grubber — low-bouncing kick along the ground; aimed at the corner or the space behind the defensive line; diagram the target zone and the two chasers' sprint lines.
• Bomb (up-and-under) — high kick into a contest zone; most effective in the rain or against teams with weak aerial ability; show the target landing zone and the two contesters' approach paths.
• Chip over the line — short kick over the first line of defense for a chasing player to regather; diagram the trajectory and the chasing player's starting position relative to the kick.

Defensive Line Spacing

Rugby league defense is a line — 13 players closing the width of the field in coordination. Show the standard defensive alignment (one marker, two flanking the ruck, line defense across the width) and the communication protocols when the line must shift for a wide attack. The most common defensive error — gaps forming between adjacent defenders — is corrected more effectively with a visual diagram than with verbal instruction.