WRU are following NZRFU, FFR and RFU, and encouraged by WR, and lowering the height of the tackle in the community game (the pro.s will probably follow suit post RWC) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64512476
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is introducing a restriction on the height of the tackle allowed in the community game in Wales in a two-year trial.
A similar move announced in England last month was met with opposition and led to an apology from the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
The aim is to increase safety at community levels of the game.
From Saturday, 1 July tackles for male and female players older than under-12s must be below the sternum.
Anything between sternum and shoulder will result in a penalty and tackles above that area will result in the same sanctions as before, often a red card. ... ARTICLE CONTINUES
It might stop some of the tackles that ride up to the head I suppose, although still most of the serious injuries seem to happen around the ruck where this is a moot point as if someone is bent double where is their sternum? It wuold make any tackle illegal wouldn't it?
Serious injuries may happen more at the ruck than the tackle (I dunno, but it certainly seems a reasonable theory), but concussions (serious or otherwise) are more in the tackle (usually the tackler themself). Having said that, I still detest the comparative free-for-all around joining a ruck at an opponent's head.
If someone is bent double, then they're at low speed, making it comparatively safer; and if someone is bent double, the safest place to put your head as a tackler is where the ball carrier's head isn't - so tackle much more upright - which this trial seems to allow for.
The purpose isn't "thou shalt tackle lower" as an end in itself it's "we need to keep ball carrier's head and tackler's head apart from each other"
ETA: from the article:
"With the "pick and go" teams employ close to the try line as tackles are seen to be of low speed and force - such tackles above the sternum will be permitted, albeit with an element of discretion from match officials.
There is an emphasis on the ball carrier not "suddenly dropping" their height prior to contact, a scenario which could result in head-on-head collisions."
It leaves open the question of when a pick and go becomes open play - for which the usual rule of thumb is about 2m, which sounds right for this
Which Tyler wrote: ↑Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:03 am
Serious injuries may happen more at the ruck than the tackle (I dunno, but it certainly seems a reasonable theory), but concussions (serious or otherwise) are more in the tackle (usually the tackler themself). Having said that, I still detest the comparative free-for-all around joining a ruck at an opponent's head.
If someone is bent double, then they're at low speed, making it comparatively safer; and if someone is bent double, the safest place to put your head as a tackler is where the ball carrier's head isn't - so tackle much more upright - which this trial seems to allow for.
The purpose isn't "thou shalt tackle lower" as an end in itself it's "we need to keep ball carrier's head and tackler's head apart from each other"
ETA: from the article: "With the "pick and go" teams employ close to the try line as tackles are seen to be of low speed and force - such tackles above the sternum will be permitted, albeit with an element of discretion from match officials.
There is an emphasis on the ball carrier not "suddenly dropping" their height prior to contact, a scenario which could result in head-on-head collisions."
It leaves open the question of when a pick and go becomes open play - for which the usual rule of thumb is about 2m, which sounds right for this
I would contend that as latching means there's twice the body weight at least going through the player at the front, they need to ban latching altogether.
Which Tyler wrote: ↑Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:03 am
Serious injuries may happen more at the ruck than the tackle (I dunno, but it certainly seems a reasonable theory), but concussions (serious or otherwise) are more in the tackle (usually the tackler themself). Having said that, I still detest the comparative free-for-all around joining a ruck at an opponent's head.
If someone is bent double, then they're at low speed, making it comparatively safer; and if someone is bent double, the safest place to put your head as a tackler is where the ball carrier's head isn't - so tackle much more upright - which this trial seems to allow for.
The purpose isn't "thou shalt tackle lower" as an end in itself it's "we need to keep ball carrier's head and tackler's head apart from each other"
ETA: from the article: "With the "pick and go" teams employ close to the try line as tackles are seen to be of low speed and force - such tackles above the sternum will be permitted, albeit with an element of discretion from match officials.
There is an emphasis on the ball carrier not "suddenly dropping" their height prior to contact, a scenario which could result in head-on-head collisions."
It leaves open the question of when a pick and go becomes open play - for which the usual rule of thumb is about 2m, which sounds right for this
I would contend that as latching means there's twice the body weight at least going through the player at the front, they need to ban latching altogether.
Which Tyler wrote: ↑Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:03 am
Serious injuries may happen more at the ruck than the tackle (I dunno, but it certainly seems a reasonable theory), but concussions (serious or otherwise) are more in the tackle (usually the tackler themself). Having said that, I still detest the comparative free-for-all around joining a ruck at an opponent's head.
If someone is bent double, then they're at low speed, making it comparatively safer; and if someone is bent double, the safest place to put your head as a tackler is where the ball carrier's head isn't - so tackle much more upright - which this trial seems to allow for.
The purpose isn't "thou shalt tackle lower" as an end in itself it's "we need to keep ball carrier's head and tackler's head apart from each other"
ETA: from the article: "With the "pick and go" teams employ close to the try line as tackles are seen to be of low speed and force - such tackles above the sternum will be permitted, albeit with an element of discretion from match officials.
There is an emphasis on the ball carrier not "suddenly dropping" their height prior to contact, a scenario which could result in head-on-head collisions."
It leaves open the question of when a pick and go becomes open play - for which the usual rule of thumb is about 2m, which sounds right for this
I would contend that as latching means there's twice the body weight at least going through the player at the front, they need to ban latching altogether.
I would contend that as latching means there's twice the body weight at least going through the player at the front, they need to ban latching altogether.
If they are doing it then it should be across the board and not just community level imho. The top level is where the problems are with massive athletes crashing into each other. Not only game time but also in training. This is where the concussions come from and not Joe Average tackling S O Else playing for Pontllanfraith 2nd XV v The Plume of Feathers 3rds.... total cop out from world rugby. box ticking exercise
Tuco Ramirez wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2023 1:03 pm
If they are doing it then it should be across the board and not just community level imho. The top level is where the problems are with massive athletes crashing into each other. Not only game time but also in training. This is where the concussions come from and not Joe Average tackling S O Else playing for Pontllanfraith 2nd XV v The Plume of Feathers 3rds.... total cop out from world rugby. box ticking exercise
I heavily suspect it'll be rolled out at the top level in 2024. They needed to be doing this to head off future lawsuits about them not acting when they knew they should, but they didn't want to wreck the RWC by bringing in new laws immediately beforehand. Therefore this bodge job.
Wales rugby legend JPR Williams has called on the sport's chiefs to pay more attention to the links between concussion and the impact on players.
The 1970s star and surgeon spoke as researchers found a link between repeat rugby concussions and reduced blood and oxygen flow to the brain in later life.
The study said it may show why memory, thought processes and co-ordination declined in some ex-players tested.
World Rugby has said it welcomes new research into players' welfare.
Williams, a British and Irish Lion renowned for his toughness on the field in the Welsh game's 1970s golden era, said governing bodies must take more notice of research.
I'm pretty sure this is the study itself: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37423736/
Includes this conclusion "Retired rugby union players with history of multiple concussions may be characterised by impaired molecular, cerebral haemodynamic and cognitive function compared to non-concussed, non-contact controls. "
I know that it fails to achieve statistical significance, but Fig. 1D in that paper shows quite a large increase in serum neurofilament light chain (NFL).....this is a prognostic marker for ALS/MND...that is a disturbing finding.
