By Dan Walsh
Rugby league authorities have been urged to impose restrictions on contact training sessions at all levels and focus on improved tackle technique as England prepares to lower the legal tackle height to below the armpit.
The Rugby Football League will impose a raft of rule changes aimed at reducing concussion risk in 2024, the most significant of which are capping the number of games for professional players and banning tackles above the armpit.
The change in legal tackle height will be introduced at junior and senior amateur level next season, including England’s reserve grade competition.
The RFL’s Brain and Health and Clinical Advisory Group has recommended that the new tackle height be integrated for professionals and the Super League in 2025, a move that would have a significant impact on the NRL and international fixtures.
English rugby league’s move to lower legal tackle heights comes as Rugby Australia conducts a similar two-year trial in all competitions below Super Rugby, mirroring lower tackling laws in France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa.
The NRL’s national safe play code already outlaws tackles above the armpit at under-15s level and younger.
Key changes being introduced in English rugby league
- Legal contact lowered from shoulder height (below the neck) to armpit (below the shoulder) at community and age grade levels, taking in Super League’s reserve grade competition
- Contact below the shoulder is recommended to be introduced at professional level - Super League - from 2025
- Match limits in a 12-month period to restrict possible concussion exposure
- Contact rugby league to be replaced by touch/tag progressively until 2026, when under 9s and younger will play non-tackle rugby league
Manly coach Anthony Seibold, who noted English rugby union’s brief and unsuccessful trial of a waist-high legal tackle height, said the law changes should be keenly monitored by the NRL.
“It’s something we’ll need to watch with real interest because anything that ensures the game is safer for young boys and girls to play and encourages them to play rugby league is worth a look,” Seibold said.
“There’s a lot to consider with it, how you enforce it, how you explain the rules and a big one for me too is the tackle technique you have alongside any rule changes.
“Regardless of where you make the tackling height, the emphasis still needs to be on proper technique. In my experience, you see more concussion and head knocks from poor technique from the tackler’s perspective because of poor tackle technique.
“Whether it’s their footwork – not getting close enough to make a safe tackle going into contact – or putting their head in the wrong spot.”
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou has previously argued poor tackle technique is an overwhelming factor in head knocks, urging South Sydney captain Cameron Murray to refine his approach after suffering a spate of concussions in 2022.
The RFL’s explainer video of the new laws has also polarised, with several of the examples used to show legal and illegal tackles, if anything, underlining how subjective rulings on above or below the armpit can be.
One “legal tackle” shown in the video shows three defenders all tackling a ball-carrier low with their heads in close proximity and in danger of collision.
New tackle height rule explainer being introduced in English rugby league in 2024.Credit: RFL
The RFL will also introduce a set of match limits for forwards – reportedly 2000 minutes or 25 full games – and backs – 2400 minutes or 30 games – in a 12-month period to restrict their possible exposure to concussion.
Concussion researcher Professor Alan Pearce believes a reduction in contact exposure, specifically at training rather than in games, is more effective than “lowering any tackle height by four inches”.
“We’ve just got to try and reduce the load for kids and have them coached smarter given this is the most vulnerable age to be exposed to head knocks,” Pearce said.
“You’re potentially reducing 10 years worth of exposure to CTE in a junior player. Reducing physical load and contact in training, this is more effective for me, particularly limiting contact in training like we see in the NFL.
“Changing the contact load in training has produced significant benefits.”
The NRL has previously explored capping pre-season contact training, a move supported by the likes of Demetriou and Roosters veteran Luke Keary. The NFL has imposed similar in-season practice restrictions since 2011.
NRL officials declined to comment when approached on Sunday while NSWRL chief David Trodden deferred to the NRL on any concussion measures being introduced at amateur level.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.