‘In the best interests of the game’: Rugby Australia to lower legal tackle height

Rugby Australia has announced it will introduce a two-year trial to lower the legal tackle height from below the shoulders to below the sternum across the community game from February next year.

The change in the law will apply to all competitions below Super Rugby level and will commence on or after February 10 until the end of 2025, encompassing all premier grades, school competitions, and pathway competitions.

RA chief executive Phil Waugh said the new law was designed to make the game safer but would need a period of adjustment for players and officials.

“Research from around the world has clearly identified safety as the No.1 issue preventing fans and potential players from taking up the game,” Waugh said.

“Obviously, it is impossible to remove all risk from the game. However, we firmly believe that promoting safer tackle techniques, and reducing the risk of head contact and concussion will lead to an even safer game. I am confident our players and coaches at all levels of the game will continue to work on safe and effective tackle technique.

“This is firmly in the best interests of the game. However, there may be an adjustment period for players and match officials, and I would ask for patience and respect between all parties as we embark on this journey.”

RA joins France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa in lowering tackling laws across the community game.Credit: PA

The move comes after World Rugby undertook a research trial in March to look at making the game safer by introducing lower tackle heights.

World Rugby, the English Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union are currently facing a legal claim brought by more than 200 former rugby union players, including 66 amateur athletes who are alleging they suffered brain injuries during their careers in rugby.

In January, the RFU faced extensive criticism from community rugby figures for originally proposing to lower the legal tackle height to the waist without consulting the grassroots game. Some argued that tackling below the waist increases the risk of concussions from accidental knee contact. The RFU backed down from their original proposal in April after the community backlash and instead changed the legal tackle height to the base of the sternum.

RA joins other major unions globally who have now introduced lower tackling laws across the community game, including France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa. Initial reports from the French trial, which utilised tackling below waist height, reported a 64 per cent reduction in head-on-head contact and a 23 per cent reduction in concussion.

Tackles across community rugby in Australia must be below the sternum from February.Credit: Getty

The new law will see dangerous tackling now deemed to include, but not be limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the sternum.

Match officials will focus on players in possession of the ball who “dip” into contact, leaving the tackler in a potentially vulnerable position. They will also conduct an extended briefing on the new law before community games.

Players moving from Super Rugby to Shute Shield will have to adapt to the change in the law, but Wallaroos and Waratahs captain Piper Duck is confident that players will be able to move between competitions without having to dramatically change their defence.

“With me moving into Super Rugby, I don’t want to tackle that high anyway [above the sternum], because I don’t want to put myself at risk of a yellow or red card,” Duck said. “For me, my tackle technique actually wouldn’t change at all, moving from Super Rugby into Shute Shield or the Jack Scott Cup.”

Former Wallaby and current Brumbies Super W coach Scott Fava said that the law will not only enhance safety for players, but also has the potential to make it a more entertaining spectacle for fans.

“We’re looking at trying to make sure that we’re creating a product that works for participation,” Fava said. “And for entertainment value. Now there’s stats that show [following the introduction of lower tackle laws in New Zealand] that there’s 64 per cent more offloads.

“So if we adopt that, and we see more offloads, we’ve seen the entertainment factor of the game actually increase as a consequence of these law changes, why not?”

Discussions about the trial between RA and the Sydney Rugby Union were first held six weeks ago.

Sources familiar with the discussions, who requested anonymity to speak freely, said there were initial talks about not implementing the lower tackle height at Shute Shield level, to assist with movement between the competition and Super Rugby.

But the SRU board voted by majority to adopt the trial at first-grade level, given there is more movement between grades than to Super Rugby level, and that changing tackle heights was a matter of when, not if; with trials already running across the world.

However, Shute Shield coaches were not informed about the changes for next season until it was announced on Friday. Randwick coach Stephen Hoiles, who led the Galloping Greens to the Shute Shield this year, said it would take some adjustment.

“I understand the trial and coaches obviously support efforts to reduce concussion,” Hoiles said. “We are two weeks into the preseason and you would have thought they would consult with us in some way. It will be all about effective technique coaching. No one is coaching to go high.”

Hoiles turned Randwick into the Shute Shield’s best defensive side in 2023, using a two-man tackle strategy that focuses on the waist and torso, and “controlled line speed”.

“Teams that have really quick line speed will have the biggest adjustments to make. The faster you go in, the less you are in control,” Hoiles said. “We worked hard at getting our style right and we had a good tackle percentage, and we had a low injury rate from a tackle point of view and a low penalty rate in that area too.”

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