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Tackle Height Law Trials

Law Trials /

Article contains content republished from:
 https://scottishrugby.org/scottish-rugby-confirms-lower-tackle-height-law-trials-for-community-rugby/

Contents

Following consultation with community rugby stakeholders, Scottish Rugby’s Club Rugby Board (CRB) has approved a lower tackle height law trial for implementation across the community game, from the start of the 2023/24 season (live from July 1st 2023).

The law trial, will now see tackle height reduced from shoulder height to below the sternum, also known as ‘belly tackle’ height, in both gender categories of adult and youth rugby at the domestic level (Tennent’s Premiership and below).

The move to lower the tackle height follows World Rugby endorsed trials conducted in France and South Africa, where lowering the tackle height has been shown to reduce the number of head-on-head contacts and concussions.

Lowering the tackle height has also shown positive outcomes regarding increased ball-in-play time and offloading. The changes have also helped to increase player participation in France.

The new law trials which have been approved by the CRB are:

  • Maximum height tackle in initial contact must be below the sternum
  • The second tackler is still permitted, but the player must make initial contact below the sternum
  • There will be no change to the current laws regarding the ball carrier, but reckless play will be sanctioned (eg. leading with head) where the ball carrier put themselves or the defender at risk of a head-on-head contact

There will be no change to the current laws regarding a ‘pick and go’ scenario.

To support the implementation of the law trials, Scottish Rugby has created a ‘Tackle Height Hub’ to host a suite of video and written resources on the changes.

Tackle Height Law Trial PDF

Decision Making Framework

Head Contact Process PDF

Tackle Height Law Trials Read More »

Upcoming “Introduction to Match Officiating” course

Courses /

Interested in becoming a referee? Want to give back to the game?

The next local “Introduction to Match Officiating” course is running in a couple of weeks.
It’s free to attend, so why not sign up and give it a go?

📆 Wed 29th March
⏰ 6:00pm to 9:00pm
📍 Howe of Fife RFC
URL: https://scrums.scottishrugby.org/#/my-courses/course/465
(you will need to sign up to SCRUMS to view/book the course)

ALSO NOTE:
– some online work is required, prior to attending the practical, details given once you have signed up.
– must be minimum 15 years of age

Need more Info: https://scottishrugby.org/…/training…/match-officials/

Still need help? – Send us a message here.

Upcoming “Introduction to Match Officiating” course Read More »

Side Entry

Law Application Guidelines /

Ahead of the new season, World Rugby has released guidelines around ‘side entry’. 
See link below for full details:

https://www.world.rugby/the-game/laws/guidelines/24

Excerpt from the guidelines:
In March 2020, a Law Application was published covering the whole of the breakdown.

At its heart, the principle was established “That the breakdown is coached according to the spirit of the laws, is played in a positive and accurate manner and is refereed consistently.”

On the whole, the coaching, playing and refereeing application has seen a cleaner, safer breakdown, especially aligned with the 2021 global law trials around protecting the lower limbs of the jackler, permitting the 1-man latch but outlawing the flying wedge of 2+ players pre-latched which have now been moved into full law.

However, feedback from players and coaches suggests one element needs renewed focus – side entry by both attacking and defending players.

There still remains injuries to the lower limbs due to the angles and speed of arriving players and there has also been a range of subtle, yet potentially dangerous injury when it comes to players being tipped within the breakdown.

We are therefore asking officials across the game to have a stricter focus and application of current guidelines and law with regards to direction and angle of arriving players at the breakdown, ruck and maul.

The key message is that players “square up” to enter the breakdown/ruck.

Side Entry Read More »