How lowering the legal tackle height could affect community rugby in England

By ITV News Multimedia Producer James Gray

English rugby's governing body has announced the legal tackle height will be lowered to the waist across community rugby from the 2023/24 season.

The move has been unanimously approved by Rugby Football Union (RFU) Council members in an attempt to support player welfare, notably reducing head impact exposure.

Clubs, schools, colleges and universities at both age-grade and adult levels will be affected by the rule change, covering the National One division and below in the men's game and Championship One and below in the women's game.

"Designed to improve player safety and informed by data, this change aims to reduce head impact exposure and concussion risk in the tackle for both the ball carrier and tackler," the RFU said, in a statement.

"Evidence from studies has consistently demonstrated that higher contact on the ball-carrier and closer proximity of the ball-carrier and tacklers' heads are associated with larger head impacts [as measured by smart mouthguards] and an increased risk of concussion.

"Lowering the height of the tackle and encouraging the tackler to bend more at the waist will minimise the risk of this occurring, while maintaining the tackle as an integral part of the game."

RFU President Nigel Gillingham added: "Players' welfare must always be at the centre of decisions we make about how we play the game of rugby.

"Evidence from our own research and from around the world clearly shows that lowering the tackle height will reduce head impact exposure and the risk of concussion."

World Rugby has also thrown its weight behind the RFU announcement, which comes into effect from July 1.

However, the decision has not been without its critics, with some questioning how the RFU came to its final decision.

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Vinnie Berrington, head coach of Old Priorian RFC - a community club in west London - told ITV News the decision was "completely understandable" from a player safety point of view, but argued it is "not backed by clear, sufficient evidence".

He eluded to the results of a lower tackle height trial - conducted by the RFU in 2019 - which was prematurely cut short due to an increase in the number of player concussions.

The trial, which took place in the Championship Cup - English rugby's second tier - ruled that players could not tackle above the armpit.

Officials found that although the change did succeed in lowering tackle heights, it also led to an increase in concussions among players tackling opponents who were bent at the waist carrying the ball.

Justifying its decision, the RFU said it was made "based on extensive research and evaluations of law changes in England, South Africa, France and New Zealand", and the findings of the Orchid mouthguard study carried out in Otago, New Zealand.

It also referenced a similar rule change introduced to the domestic game in France four-years-ago, which reported a 63% reduction in head-on-head contacts.

Meanwhile, separate concerns have been raised about the practicalities of rolling out the new tackle height and how it could impact participation levels.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is among those from the professional game to speak out, saying it is "absolutely crucial" coaching methods are adapted to reflect the law change.

Farrell, who is a former England player and coach, said: "I think it's super important that what has to come with that is the correct coaching and the correct way, the correct technique.

"If you're just saying to a kid that you need to tackle lower, then you become even more vulnerable in my opinion. If you're just sitting there with your arms in front trying to wrap with your head down, you're a sitting duck waiting to happen.

"So the coaching and the technique of how it's applied to tackling below the waist is absolutely crucial - otherwise we're going to have a serious problem."

Farrell's view is one that is supported by coaches involved at the grassroots level of English rugby, including Andy Jones, founder of the Lions Sports Academy.

Speaking to ITV News, Mr Jones said he felt the RFU's decision was "well intentioned", but questioned whether it had given enough consideration to how it would be introduced across all levels of community rugby.

He said: "I think it's all done for the right reasons. Personally, I struggle to see how such a radical change has been brought in without, it seems like, the consultation of players from all different stages of the game, from professional to semi-pro to amateur to coaches."

Asked what impacts he felt the new rule could have on community rugby, he listed concerns over a drop-off in participation levels for veteran age groups, who could struggle to physically tackle at a lower height, and referees, feeling underprepared to enforce the changes to tackling.

"A lot of these veterans play a few times a year and they might not be able to get down and tackle that low," he added.

"We're asking people to change habits of a lifetime on a specific date. I just see it as being quite unrealistic."

The RFU has said that by announcing its decision now it had "demonstrated its continued commitment to player welfare and recognised the importance of giving coaches, match officials and players time to prepare".

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To help with the transition it has insisted that a range of training and support will be put in place for players, coaches and referees, such as face-to-face workshops, webinars, e-learning and video guidance.

Elsewhere, an online petition, calling on the RFU to reconsider its proposal, has already gained more than 70,000 signatures.

Citing some of the concerns raised by Mr Jones, it also warned of local clubs going "to the wall" as they "won't get the footfall through the club to keep the revenue going", while querying if the lower tackle height could lead to an increase in 'knee-to-head' collisions.

Writing on Twitter, England test cricket captain Ben Stokes echoed fears of the latter, saying: "My Dad's professional career got ended earlier due to a broken neck from a knee to the head whilst tackling.

"Would you rather concussion or broken neck?"

Mr Jones said while there is no "silver bullet" to solving the issue around player safety, he suggested stakeholders could develop alternative solutions by evaluating the technical delivery of rugby across the country and growing game-wide discussions.

He said: "Are we set up and do we have the guidelines and infrastructure in place to provide the support to coaches and players, from the grassroots right the way up to the senior game, to be able to deliver the tackle safely, deliver it effectively and ultimately keep more people playing the game."