Ross Tucker: 'Doing nothing wasn't an option'
Ross Tucker, the respected sports scientist and research consultant for World Rugby, begins our conversation with a clear message.
We’re discussing the Rugby Football Unions’s decision to lower the tackle height limit in the community game in England to the waist. It is a decision that has been met with almost universal derision. Players, journalists and fans have rallied against the law change in a rare show of unity in an otherwise polarised sport. MPs have weighed in on the discourse with the matter raised in the House of Commons.
“The lack of communication has alienated a lot of people,” Tucker says. “Maybe they’ve [the RFU] misunderstood on how best to bring people along. It’s important you do that otherwise you’ll never get the buy-in that you need.”
Tomorrow we’ll unpack the ideological and political implications this new law may have on a sport that is seemingly tearing apart at the seams. Tucker has a lot to say on how the precise location of a ball carrier’s hip has opened up a new front in rugby’s culture war.
But first we’ll unpack the science. As Tucker says, “The data is clear. I support the decision that’s been made. They should have gone about it a little differently and they are getting blowback as a result. But the science shows that they’ve made this decision with the best intentions.”
The end goal is to reduce head injuries in rugby. At the elite level a concussion occurs roughly once every 250 to 300 tackles, or one in every five matches. According to Tucker the risk of concussion is 25 per cent lower in the community game. But, because of the sheer volume of community matches in all age groups, our perception of the problem is distorted.
“If there are a thousand community games around the country, and there’s probably more than that, you’ve got 200 concussions per weekend,” Tucker explains. “That’s astonishing and that’s why this matters. So when people ask why this has started at the amateur level, that’s why.”
Regardless of the level, ball carriers suffer 30 per cent of all concussions while tacklers, who by design must put their heads in harm’s way, experience 70 per cent. Head to head collisions are the most dangerous.
“If you were to successfully eliminate all high tackles, as the law currently stands [above the shoulder line], you’d immediately get rid of 90 per cent of the concussions experienced by the ball carrier,” Tucker says. “They might still get concussed, either through whiplash or through ground contact, but the major risk would be mitigated.”
As for the tackler, concussion rates would drop by 30% which would mean that concussions in rugby would be reduced by 40 per cent if all high tackles were to disappear.
“Doing nothing wasn’t an option,” Tucker says. “We have the data that shows the degree of risk. Sports federations constantly have to walk a tightrope between changing too much and changing too little, but in this instance they had to try and do something.”
The unions in France and New Zealand have already implemented successful trials that prove that a lowering of the tackle height reduces the risk of head injuries.
The French case is particularly pertinent where, in 2019, after four rugby related deaths across a single season, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) lowered the tackle height to the waist and placed a ban on ball carriers stooping in to contact in the amateur game.
There were teething problems at first. Penalty counts rose as illegally high tackles rose from 2.2 to 6.1 a game in the first two months of the trial. Referees were also inconsistent in how they officiated this new law.
But four months later the number of high tackles had dropped to 3.8 per match. Offloads increased, as did the number of passes. There were fewer kicks. Most crucially, the number of head-to-head contacts fell from 9.5 per match to 3.5 while the number of blue cards, brandished by referees for suspected concussions, dropped by 27 per cent.
“The French were ecstatic,” Tucker says. “Not only with the reduction in head injuries and concussions on the field but with the way the game had evolved. The reports are that the game is so much more fun. Ruck speed is so quick, the ball carrier is never wrapped up in the tackle so he can offload or place the ball to keep the game flowing.
“We’ve also seen the game become more evasive with ball carriers looking for space rather than contact. We know from studies in rugby league that when the ball carrier adopts an evasive action, in other words side-steps or spins, then the risk for both the ball carrier and the tackler drops by 80 per cent.
“Because the ball carrier can’t drop low into contact they’re forced to look for space. Why would you look for contact if you have to stay upright? As for the tackler, we know from mouthguard data that head acceleration is lower the lower you tackle. So you’ve got a tackler going low and a ball carrier staying high and being tackled around the hips. That’s the safest place to be.”
The FFR’s report, which showed 63 per cent reduction in head collisions, failed to mention contacts between the ball carriers knee or hip and the tackler’s head. Tucker doesn’t not believe that this was necessarily intellectually dishonest, but he does say that he’d be interested in that data. He believes that there would naturally be an increase in these sorts of collisions.
Critics of the RFU believe that the board has made a drastic decision without enough research behind them. But, as Tucker says, “You paralyse the whole thing by asking for the evidence because you’ll never get the evidence if you don’t make the change.
“It would be like people criticising a chicken before it’s hatched. It’s a double chicken-egg situation. And there was enough data. All the data that the RFU has used – from France, from New Zealand, from South Africa – is built of multiple studies themselves.
“The data is a little messy. They’re ecologically observational studies and not lab controlled studies. But the outcomes of those studies confirm that there is enough reason to believe the initial studies on risk, so it’s worth pursuing.
“I believe we’re facing the right direction. There is a question concerning how quickly one should move in that direction. But I don’t think you can challenge the direction we’re going.”
Part 2 of the interview will be published tomorrow…
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments