The RFU has stood firm over its ban on tackles above the waist, which its council refused to consult the wider game on before voting for.
But it’s going to change the game substantially, isn’t it? Creating a maul by holding the player up isn’t going to work any more. Just as one example. Wrapping them up so they can’t pass won’t work any more either. Quite how you defend against a pick up and drive from the base of the ruck just by the tryline isn’t obvious either.
It’s going to really, really, change the game.
I can’t see it encouraging a single new player. I can see a lot of older players ending their careers a few years earlier.
Total madness, it will kill off the grassroots game, which is already struggling for numbers at the lower levels.
Why can’t they just produce a document that details all the risks and tell clubs that everyone must sign one accepting those risks if they choose to play rugby?
And why is it imposed on junior clubs first? The relative speed/weight of collisions in the top tiers of the game are so much more than Old Lags extra B’s. I’ve not seen any real justification from the RFU for the changes other than something must be done, this is something. Almost as if the RFU are clueless wankers.
@Jimmers, my understanding is they are petrified of the oncoming raft of historic concussion court cases.
Union isn’t proper rugby anyway. Soft Southern Shandy drinking poofs, etc.
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“my understanding is they are petrified of the oncoming raft of historic concussion court cases.”
Changing the way the game tackles now isn’t going to affect their liability for how it was in the past is it?
You are all missing the point. The question is whether Mummy will let young Fred sign up for rugby. No Freds, no future.
Young Fred will be playing a version of touch/flag rugby, that’s been the case for a long time so this isn’t going to be a consideration for that age group. The fact that schools seem to think sports are a dirty word and such activities are beneath them is one of the problems in junior game
They need to enforce the current rules first.
Last game of season my 17yr son was lifted by his neck whilst his head was pinned against the opposition player’s chest. Penalty try awarded. Given that oppo player had already tackled by the neck three times it shouldn’t have got that far. If you do it three times with warnings you are not doing it accidentally. Oh and the coach of the other (school) side was completely indifferent to the risk. ‘Win at all costs’. St Paul’s by the way…. I’ve clear photos of all of the incidents.
I’ve seen worse from some Berkshire scumbags which led to my elder son’s team walking off.
Enforce the current Laws…