HIGH-TACKLING.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 294, 18 June 1907, Page 4

HIGH-TACKLING.

It is considered 'low" in this age of politeness to tackle low. Therefore few men will stoop to conquer nowadays. They believe that an opponent's legs are beneath their dignity, and therefore they study the top of his jersey when they desire to arrest his progress. The study is harmless. There is an entertaining flourish of arms, which tickle the man with the ball, and he pursues his way smilingly. It is a common spectacle, this display of wild arms grabbing handfuls of air near a man who is on the 'run. Sometimes, when his engines are only half out, he can easily steam through a whole team that tries to bring him low by high-handed, quixotic, windmill tactics. Generally he evades the clutches that are extended for his neck, jersey, shoulders, ears, back hair, whiskers, and other parts of his top hamper, but sometimes the fingers make fast on one of the features mentioned. But the ball is forgotten by the aggressor. The man in possession merely wriggles, sheds a little bit of his jersey perhaps, and is off again. If the modern players will persist in high tackling they should go for the ball rather than the man. There is often no great advantage in stopping a runner if he is permitted to comfortably pass to a supporter. It is the simplest thing in the world to knock the ball out from the crook of a man's arm. A sharp thrust vertically, upward, or downward, preferably downward, is all that is required. It is so long since collaring low | has been in general practice that ' there are probably many who hardly know what the words mean. They would be charmingly surprised by the delight of bringing a man down by the legs if they would only give this style a trial. The best way is to get close tip to the runner, but to refrain from tackling him on the front. This would only invite a bump on the lip or eye or a buffet in the epigastrium. It is advisable to dive at the runner on the flank, just when he is skipping past. The tackler's arms should encircle the hips, clap legs together and calmly await developments. They are not long coming. The man with the ball sinks rapidly to earth, and his bump on the ground is emphasised by the burden which he has been obliged to carry. This is a very legitimate hard tackle. The fleer is not hurt, but he is convinced that he has been brought down. The oollarer, however, is quite fresh. He has fallen on a nice cushion, and is able to pay attention to the ball, in which the former carrier has lost interest temporarily.