The Contest

The breakdown is a race — win the ball on your feet as a jackal, or beat the jackal there with fast low support and keep it.

Rugby union
U11
60 min
12–24 players
2 coaches
Effort 3/5
Half pitch
breakdown
jackal
ruck
support play
contest

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 12 balls, 26 cones, 3 tackle shields, 2 ruck pads, bibs

Warm-up10 min

Up and Over

Setup: A 15×15m square, a ball on the ground every few metres. As always, check this season's age-grade laws for what the breakdown contest looks like at your grade.

How it works: Players jog and, on your call, drop to the ground, do a quick press-up or roll, spring up and sprint to the nearest ball to arrive over it in a strong low position with a flat back. The point is the get-up: at the breakdown the quickest player off the floor and onto their feet wins the ball. Reset and repeat, mixing in a shout of 'jackal' for over the ball and 'clear' for driving past it. Reward the fast, tidy, on-the-feet arrivals.

What to say

“Tell them: 'first to your feet wins the breakdown — do not stay on the floor.'”
“Tell them: 'arrive low with a flat back, not bent over from the waist.'”
“Tell them: 'eyes up as you arrive so you can see the ball and the picture.'”

Easier

Walk between calls and just get set over the ball, learning the low shape without the sprint.

Harder

Race a partner to the same ball so the get-up becomes competitive.

Activity12 min

The Jackal

Setup: Pairs, one placed ball on the ground per pair. A shield spare for a soft version.

How it works: Teach the legal steal. The jackal arrives through the gate, on their feet, gets a low strong position over the ball with a wide base, grips the ball with both hands and lifts, supporting their own weight on their legs, not leaning on the tackled player. If they are strong and quick they win it clean. Walk the shape first — feet wide, hips low, back flat, hands on — then add a gentle tug of the ball. The whole skill lives or dies on staying on the feet: a jackal off their feet is a penalty and, worse, is how heads meet the ground.

What to say

“Tell them: 'on your feet, wide base, back flat like a table — never leaning on a player.'”
“Tell them: 'grip with two hands and lift with your legs, not your back.'”
“Tell them: 'if you are strong over it, hold on — if you are not, let go and defend.'”
“Stop any jackal who drops onto the tackled player or leads with the head.”

Easier

Jackal over a ball on top of a soft shield, so the position is learned with no person underneath.

Harder

A supporter jogs in to clear the jackal, who must decide in a heartbeat to hold on or release and stay safe.

Activity14 min

Race to the Ball

Setup: A 12×10m grid. A carrier and a soft tackler, plus one support runner for the carrier and the tackler themselves as the would-be jackal. A scrum-half receiver to the side.

How it works: Live and simple: the carrier is tackled low and safe and places long. Now it is a race — the tackler releases, gets to their feet and tries to jackal, while the carrier's support sprints through the gate to clear the jackal off the ball and secure it for the scrum-half. Either the jackal wins it or the support wins it, decided by who is faster and lower. One contest, then reset and swap roles so everyone learns both jobs. Keep the clear-outs low, through the gate, and on the feet.

What to say

“Tell them: 'support, sprint the instant the tackle happens — late support loses the ball.'”
“Tell them: 'clear through the gate and stay on your feet — drive the jackal up and off.'”
“Tell them: 'jackal, if the support beats you there, release and get back in the line.'”
“Referee the release and the on-feet rule every rep — safety and legality are the same thing here.”

Easier

Give the support a head start so they usually win, building the habit of protecting the ball before adding the full race.

Harder

Add a second defender who can either jackal or defend the scrum-half's pass, so the attack must read the threat.

The rest of this session is free — along with 3 more this week.

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