Page 2 - William Brown 2017

Rugby Jackal

Why is the breakdown so important?

In rugby the breakdown area is becoming very competitive and is the area which gives the opposition the
best chance of turning the ball over. The technique in order to achieve a turn over, is called a ‘j ackal’. The
jackal refers to a low, wide base body position with the player trying to grab the ball off the opp onent
player who is trying to present the ball back to their team. The problem in training is that not ev eryone in a
rugby team can perfect the technique or just isn’t strong enough to hold the unique position. Existing Products
Design Brief On the market currently, there is only one product designed
Therefore, I have decided to create a specific training equipment to aid players to work on their j ackal specifically for jackal technique practice. However, this
technique, as well as strengthening the particular muscle groups that are at work whilst jackaling, so that product doesn’t aid technique at all. All it does is
injury is prevented in game situations. substitute a real person for a tackle bag with a ball pouch,
allowing the player to practice the technique on their own
User Group grounds with nothing testing their resistance.

This product will be directed at rugby players. Initially, I aim to market this The ‘jackal bag’ (left)
product towards rugby product retailers such as Lovell Rugby, Pro-Direct
Rugby etc so that rugby players can buy through those big retailers as they Price- £136.99
have a wide customer base. Every player on a rugby pitch will benefit from this
product, as a jackal is an essential attribute for player’s to have and is used in Dimensions
every match. This product will be beneficial to all levels of player’s, from 36cm (wide)
Beginners to Professionals. 36cm (depth)
150cm (High)

Key criteria Product description-

 The jackal technique enhancer should test the player’s resistance from a variety of angles in order to replicate a clear out in a game situation. ‘The jackal range is designed to
encourage coaches and players alike to
 It should be easy to set up and use, so that player’s find it simple to use in a training session. commit more to, and develop better
 The technique enhance should cater for all sizes, as rugby players vary from small to very large bo dy sizes (height, weight and width) skills, in and around the most crucial
 The enhancer should be robust, so the materials used in making the product should be tough, yet fle xible to allow a full range of movement from the area of the modern game -The Collision.
user.
 The enhancer should be safe to use, there should be no sharp edges or loose parts that could break easily. This is important so that it prevents injury The jackal bag is a revolutionary piece
to the user.
 The cost of the product should provide a competitive price to existing products on the market, but not too expensive that it puts off potential of equipment that enables the coach to
place a rugby ball in the side of the bag.
consumers.
The tackler then hits the bag and is
encouraged to get to his feet as quickly
Marketing as possible, thus becoming the “jackal”,

The breakdown area is highly competitive in the modern game of rugby. Statistics from the 2015 Supe r Rugby competition show that on average there is and attempts to rip the ball from the
180 breakdowns per game and the team in possession of the ball will successfully hold onto the ball through 94% of its breakdowns. 7% of tries scored are bag. The beauty of the bag is that the
a result of a turnover at the breakdown. 35% of all tries scored are from three or more phases (mea ning three or more breakdowns). 29% of breakdowns tackler can only guess which side of the
occur within the attacking team's 22m area. The breakdown accounts for the plurality of penalties w ithin a rugby game with the average rate being just less bag the ball will land, thus encouraging
than 50% (47%). Therefore, focussing on perfecting the jackal technique in training, this will tran sfer onto the pitch and aid to the team’s success in the players to react as quickly as possible.’
breakdown area.
Not only will the product help improve technique but it will also provide strength training, especi ally on the necessary joint areas such as the knee, hip and
shoulder joints and this will help to prevent injuries.

This is why the proposed design product will hopefully be a huge success globally, with approximate ly just over 5 million registered players world wide.
Rugby Sevens was introduced for the first time in the 2016 Rio Olympics, which has raised rugby’s p rofile on a much larger scale than ever before. Again, in
Sevens the breakdown is the most important area on the pitch because it is one of the key deciding factors on wether the team in possession retains the
ball or loses it. With that in mind, this product will be a ‘must have’ for players, coaches and te ams who are looking to improve on that specific key area in
the game. 1
William Brown