Being Tackled the Right Way

Uses:

Being tackled is never a good time. It is not on your terms, and it is the end of whatever fantastic play you were just apart of.

You are man-handled, whipped around and thrown to the ground. Worst of all, you have to give up the ball.

But, as with most things, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about being tackled. Do it the right way, you will come out with maybe a few bruises and retain possession of the ball.

Do it the wrong way and you might break something, or cause damage to your head.

How to:

Step 1

Hold the rugby ball close to you. If you aren't holding a ball, and for some strange reason are still being tackled, fold your arms over your chest to prevent trying to catch yourself while falling, a risk for a broken wrist.

Step 2:

Your body should hit the ground in a sequence: calves, hips, shoulders and then your head. Basically, working your way up to the head.

Step 3:

Place the ball in front of you to make it available for your teammates.

Step 4:

Get up and out of there as soon as possible to rejoin play. If, however, you can't, use your newly freed hands to cover your head.

In a game of rugby, chances are, there will be some kind of action going on over you, and you will need all the protection you can get.

Advice

"Usually caused by a blow to the head, concussions don't always involve a loss of consciousness. In fact, most people who have concussions never black out. Many people have had concussions and not realized it... They can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination."