Breakdown drill
The 360 Roll
Buy yourself time and space after a loose tackle by rolling with the ball.
- Time
- 12 minutes
- Players
- 1 to 8 players
- Intensity
- Medium
- Equipment
- Ball
- Space
- 10m x 10m
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
One ball on soft grass. Works solo, and better with a partner making a passive tackle.
How to run it
- From a jog, go to ground landing on the ball with both hands on it and your body wrapped around it.
- Roll a full 360 degrees in one continuous motion with the ball held tight to your chest, then finish the roll by jackknifing into a long placement pointing back towards your own line, and get straight to your feet.
- Roll away from where the defender is, never towards them.
- Do 6 each direction across 3 sets.
- Use this only after a loose tackle or when the tackler has released - if you are still held, jackknife instead, because rolling while a contest is live is exactly the multiple movement the law prohibits.
Coaching cues
- Land on the ball, both hands on it
- One continuous roll, then jackknife into a long placement
- Loose tackle only - if you're held, jackknife
Common mistakes
- Rolling towards the defender rather than away, which hands them the ball
- Rolling when you are still held, which is a penalty for multiple movements
Related drills
- Low to High Clean-Out PatterningGroove the body height and leg drive of a legal clean-out against a bag.
- Tackle and Jackal TransitionExecute the full legal sequence from making the tackle to winning the ball - the highest-value pair rep in rugby.
- Shoulder Battle JackalLearn to survive a clean-out and stay on the ball, and to clear a jackal legally.
- Bounce and CompeteWin the race from the floor to a legal position over the ball.
- First Man at the RuckWin the race to the contact area and clear the threat rather than just arriving.
- Floor Seal Clear PickDrill the three breakdown roles as a reactive sequence rather than a set piece.