Tackle efficiency measures how often a defending player or team completes the tackle attempt. In international rugby union, 85-88% is considered average; above 90% is elite defensive performance. Missing tackles is directly correlated with tries conceded — teams that miss fewer tackles per match have significantly better defensive records across a season. The metric is tracked by Opta and Rugby Vision in Premiership and international rugby. Certain positions (flankers, centres) typically have higher tackle counts and slightly lower efficiency due to the nature of their roles.
Key points
- Tackles made / (made + missed) × 100
- 85-88% = international average
- Above 90% = elite
- Missing tackles directly correlates with tries conceded
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