World Rugby announce new crackdown on two dangerous tackles

World Rugby have moved to outlaw two dangerous tackle techniques, with changes covering the ‘hip drop’ and ‘knee drop’ set to come into force over the coming weeks.

The governing body have confirmed that the ‘hip drop’ tackle will be explicitly added to Law 9.13, which covers dangerous play, from November 1. The offence will carry a sanction of at least a penalty.

A ‘hip drop’ occurs when a tackler uses their bodyweight to pull a ball-carrier to ground before dropping onto the player’s legs from behind. World Rugby have also issued guidance on the ‘knee drop’, where a defender drops to one or both knees before making contact.

That action is already covered by existing law prohibiting a player from making a tackle while on the ground, with the new guidance designed to reinforce how it should be officiated.

The announcement has come just days after Newcastle Knights player Phoenix Crossland was handed a four-match NRL suspension for a ‘hip drop’ tackle on Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary, who suffered a serious leg injury.

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World Rugby said their decision followed research commissioned after February’s Shape of the Game meeting, with Leeds Beckett University contributing to analysis of the tackle techniques across both sevens and fifteens.

The ‘knee drop’ guidance came into effect on October 5, while the ‘hip drop’ law amendment will follow on November 1.

World Rugby chair Brett Robinson said: “Once we looked at the evidence, it was clear the hip drop tackles whilst rare, could cause significant leg injuries. It was also clear that knee drop tackles were on the rise.

“Protecting player welfare is at the heart of everything that World Rugby does and once we’d reviewed the analysis we’ve acted quickly to ensure that dangerous tackles of this nature are removed from the game, starting this weekend.”

Former Ireland international and International Rugby Players Association representative on the World Rugby Executive Board Rob Kearney added: “While a change of this nature can be challenging to manage in the short term as players, coaches and match officials adjust, this decision has been taken to protect players from potential serious injury, and that’s the right thing to do.”