Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

What Rob Baxter is telling his players about chest-to-chest tackles

By Ian Cameron
Charlie Ewels and Rob Baxter /PA

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter says that he is ‘driving’ home to his players the risk posed by chest-to-chest after a fresh spate of red cards has hit the sport.

ADVERTISEMENT

On the same day that the drama was playing out over in Twickenham with the sending off of England lock Charlie Ewels, Exeter were also dealing with their own early red card for a chest-high tackle at Sixways.

Exeter were hindered by the first-half sending off of centre Tom Hendrickson for a high challenge on Worcester number eight Sione Vailanu, who could not return after failing an HIA.

Video Spacer

Back in the Game – RFU

Video Spacer

Back in the Game – RFU

The sending off after just 15 minutes proved telling, with a 14-man Chiefs side struggling to defend against Steve Diamond’s Worcester.

Exeter ended up losing 35-31 to their hosts. Baxter accepted that the red card was crucial, even if his side still had their chances to come away with the win.

“Quite often you now play with 14 men but when it comes so early in the game, it’s that much harder to deal with,” said Baxter.

“So when you go down to 14 after only 15 minutes, you are happy to pick up two points, especially away from home.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The red card is what it is, it’s a rugby incident and we had a similar one in our favour at Newcastle a few weeks ago.

“We made some simple mistakes, the intercept try felt like a turnaround of 14 points and at times we slipped off tackles.

“We had a bad period with our line-out but I’m pleased at the way we regrouped in the final stages to score three tries from it to get the bonus-points.”

Related

“I can’t complain about it because there is a freeze-frame in there, where there is a chin down to the shoulder at force,” he added on the Exeter Chiefs website. “It feels awkward because they happen quite a lot in the game these. Now, those chest to chest collisions, if that are that high and they look wrong, they are leading to cards.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We had a similar one go the the other way up at Newcastle the other week, so I can’t stand here and complain that they are going one way, because they are certainly not.”

For Baxter it’s very much about getting a message to his players that upright or ‘chest-to-chest’ tackling with force is too great a risk in the current climate.

“The one thing I can say is that they are only going one way against high tacklers, so all we can do is keep driving that you can’t jump in with force at chest height because you run the risk of being carded.”

Ewels’ sending off after just 82 seconds is the latest in a number of high-profile Six Nations red cards, with the 2022 tournament seemingly picking up where the 2021 tournament left off. Italy’s Hame Faiva was red-carded for Italy in Round 3. It’s an area once again under the spotlight given the sport’s ongoing difficulties surrounding the area of concussion.

World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union are facing a lawsuit from in excess of 150 former players who are suffering from traumatic brain injury, early-onset dementia and probable CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

additional reporting PA

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model? Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?
Search