Last updated: 4 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
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.
- Tackles made / (made + missed) × 100
- 85-88% = international average
- Above 90% = elite
- Missing tackles directly correlates with tries conceded
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Tackle efficiency (completed tackles divided by total tackle attempts) measures a defender's reliability at actually bringing down the ball-carrier once committed to the attempt — a player with many tackle attempts but low efficiency (frequently missing) can actually be creating defensive liability despite a high raw tackle count, which is why coaches weight efficiency alongside volume when evaluating defensive performance.
FAQ
What's considered a good tackle efficiency in rugby or similar sports?
Above 85-90% is generally considered strong defensive reliability, with elite defenders sometimes maintaining tackle efficiency above 95% across a season.
Why does tackle efficiency matter more than raw tackle count alone?
A high volume of tackle attempts combined with a low completion rate indicates a player frequently misses tackles, which can create defensive gaps and liability despite an impressive-looking total tackle count.