Defender and attacker face off in a channel. Defender must delay the attacker, force them to one side, and win the ball cleanly. The single most important defensive skill.
• Approach in a curve — don\'t straight-line it
• Low stance, knees bent, weight on the balls of the feet
• Show the attacker onto their weaker foot
• Don\'t dive in — wait for the heavy touch or the moment they look down
• Win the ball cleanly — no two-footed tackles
Progression: tighter channel. Defender must win the ball within 6 seconds. Add a mini-goal at each end.
Regression: larger channel, attacker walks first time.