Park footy players and juniors will not be allowed to tackle above the waist after World Rugby confirmed it could trial a change in the legal height at community level in all countries around the world.
The Rugby Football Union [RFU] recently announced the change would be rolled out for amateur players of all ages from July 1.
While Rugby Australia has previously said it has no intentions of applying the same legalities to the game down under, the global governing body appears set to force Aussie players to adhere to the new restrictions.
A lazy arm or a tackle that slips off the ball and results in contact with the shoulders or higher, like this one by Danny Care of England on Wallaby Jordan Petaia could result in red cards
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin told the Sydney Morning Herald that World Rugby would follow the lead of the RFU with a trial of no tackling above the waist at amateur level in a global law trial from January 1, 2024.
Under the proposal, there would be a certain amount of leeway applied with warnings to be issued, however shots around the torso would attract yellow cards and high shots would illicit and automatic red card.
‘Yes, we’re looking to make sure that we are implementing a lower tackle height across all parts of the game,’ Gilpin said.
‘How that’s actually implemented is slightly different in the community game to the elite game.’
While the decision will apply to all levels of amateur rugby, professional grades including international Tests will not be impacted.
Arms around the waist tackles will become common, like this attempted tackle by former Wallaby Nathan Sharpe on Sonny Bill Williams
Gilpin said the lack of medical professionals available at amateur level necessitated the move.
‘You’re in a slightly different environment, for a number of reasons, in the elite part of the game, particularly at an international level, because the level of — for example — medical provision, diagnostic ability etc, is very different,’ he said.
‘We obviously have television match officials, head injury assessment, the ability for immediate pitch-side care in all elite-level rugby that you don’t have in the community game.
‘We’ve got to recognise that they’re not the same sport.’
Textbook tackles like this will become questionable at amateur and junior level and could result in a yellow card
Rugby fans are not impressed by the move to wrap cotton wool around players and argued that increased numbers of tackles around the legs would result in further injuries.
‘Any rugby player can get themselves into a dangerous position at any height they tackle an opponent,’ one fan argues.
‘I predict referees giving penalties randomly to alter the momentum of international Rugby and to give favoured nations a leg up. This rule change could see more broken bones.’
Another argues that: ‘It’s not to prevent injuries. There will still be injuries, and maybe MORE knee injuries than ever.’
Mitchell has questioned how the new tackling rules will work and called the RFU’s move as ‘dramatic’ before World Rugby expanded the tackling limits to the entire world
Previously, Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell had voice his objections to the rule change making its way to Australia.
‘I think it’s a little bit dramatic. A few years ago the nipple height was introduced and quickly thrown out. I get what they’re trying to do … but I think this one is wide of the mark and going too far,’ he said.
‘There’s got to be flow-on effects, too. If you can’t tackle anyone above the waist and every single attacking player has hands free during every single run … whilst trying to eliminate one thing, we open up something else.’
Sexton loves to tackle and be tackled and does not agree with the new limitations, saying more players will be hurt being hit in the head by errant knees
Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton has also argued against the rule change, saying increased leg tackles would actually raise the occurrence of concussions.
‘You can get a knee in the head. You can get a hip in the head. Most concussions they come from those,’ he said.
‘There was a study done a few years ago and there were a lot of red cards given for high tackles and 100 per cent we need to get them out the game but none of them resulted in concussions, whereas a lot of them came from knees to the head and hips to the head.
‘I am not sure who puts these rules in place but I don’t agree with them, especially for a taller man like myself who likes to tackle hard.’
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