World Rugby set to lower tackle height in pro rugby
The world governing body of rugby union plans to introduce a global law trial from January 2024.
World Rugby is reportedly planning to follow the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) lead and lower the legal tackle height across all levels of elite rugby.
Chief executive Alan Gilpin confirmed in interviews with the Telegraph and Daily Mail that World Rugby planned to roll out one of the biggest changes to the elite levels of the game since rugby went professional.
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This is despite the RFU coming under immense pressure for lowering the legal tackle height to the waist and below at age grade and senior amateur level in England. The decision has been widely criticised by several clubs, players, coaches and officials in the country, while RFU CEO Bill Sweeney reportedly faces a vote of no confidence from 208 clubs for the radical call.
Gilpin told the Telegraph that a global law trial is set to be put in place initially at amateur level from January 2024, so any change to the legal tackle height at the elite level will only come into place from the 2024-25 season.
“Yes, we’re looking to make sure that we are implementing a lower tackle height across all parts of the game,” Gilpin said.
“How that’s actually implemented is slightly different in the community game to the elite game,” he added, hinting the new legal tackle height would not be as low as the waist.
“We know, from all of the research and science and medicine, that lowering the tackle height is a really important part of making the game safer.”
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