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Rugby league to follow union in lowering tackle height
Rugby league is set to follow the lead of rugby union in lowering tackle height from 2024 onwards.
The Rugby Football League (RFL) has announced significant changes to tackle height regulations, following the acceptance of 44 recommendations from the sport’s Brain Health and Clinical Advisory Group Sub-Committees.
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The new adjustments – which echo the changes made confirmed by the RFU earlier this year – will impact the Betfred Super Leagues (Men and Women) as well as community clubs.
Since 2021, the RFL collaborated with Leeds Beckett University on the TaCKLE Project, led by Professor Ben Jones, RFL’s Strategic Lead for Performance and Research. Special mouthguards, implemented since 2021, facilitated studies on head acceleration exposures, leading to research projects and law trials in the 13-man code.
Major changes include the mandated use of the latest mouthguards in professional rugby league through a partnership with Prevent Biometrics.
There are also off-field changes. There will be a mandated off-season of four weeks, match limits over a 12-month period, and the introduction of independent concussion spotters on a trial basis in 2024.
Changes to the tackle height laws in Community, Junior and Age Grade Rugby League in 2024… pic.twitter.com/fN6WUnAbgp
— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) December 8, 2023
Community rugby league and age grade rugby league will witness immediate and fundamental changes starting the 2024 season. Notably, the legal limit for contact at these levels will be lowered from shoulder height to armpit height. Contact above the armpit will result in penalties. The rule changes follow successful Laws Trials in the Under-18 Academy competition in the summer of 2023.
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Twelve of the 44 recommendations specifically address various age groups. Touch/tag rugby will replace contact rugby in a phased approach, starting with Under 6s and 7s in 2024. The changes align with the Safe Play Code established in 2019 and will be mandatory for all age groups from 2024.
Additionally, a winter break will be enforced from the third weekend in November until January across community rugby league, except for schools, colleges, and student rugby league offerings.
RFL’s Chief Executive Tony Sutton, who also chairs the Brain Health Sub-Committee, unveiled the recommendations at a media conference on December 7, emphasizing the aim to increase Rugby League’s appeal and accessibility, particularly at junior and community levels.
“In stressing the significance of these recommendations which have now been ratified by the RFL’s independent Board of Directors, we acknowledge the challenges they will pose for those at all levels of the sport,” said Sutton. “We believe they are essential, as Rugby League must respond to developments in medical and scientific knowledge to prioritise the safety of those that play; and also that they offer exciting opportunities to increase the appeal and accessibility of Rugby League, especially at junior and community levels.
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“Rugby League will remain a tough, gladiatorial and character-building team sport. But we believe the mandating of tag/touch at the introductory levels – initially Under-6s rising to Under-8s from 2026 – and the reduction in the legal tackle height at all levels from 2025 will place a new emphasis on skill and attacking play, further increasing the appeal of Rugby League both to parents, and to open-age community players.”
He also asked for the support of the rubgy league community in bringing through the changes. As with rugby union, which is lowering tackle height to below the sternum, there’s been considerable backlash against the move.
“Those discussions and explanations will continue throughout the winter ahead of the start of the 2024 season. My plea to all involved in the sport would be to recognise the fundamental importance of our match officials in introducing these changes. That was reinforced by the challenges faced by the group who were involved in the Academy Laws Trials last summer, to which they responded admirably. Next year more than ever, they will all need and deserve our support.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Big empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
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