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Tackle height lowered in community game by RFU.

I'd be interested to see the unequivocal evidence to support this statement.

Anecdotally, a relative of mine has played most of his rugby at level 3/4 and described a season in which he only picked up 3 concussions as "pretty good". Hopefully, medical attention is better now that awareness is much higher, but going back a few years, I saw him get up after a clash of heads then collapse again. A magic sponge later, he was allowed to play on. On another occasion, one of his teammates boasted in the local press about how he played on despite throwing up in the changing room at halftime. The latter time, the team he was playing for listed 3 team doctors on their website!
There's a couple of things there to discuss but there is a duty of care by the club but also some common sense by the players not to play if they are concussed. Their stupidity should have no reflection on the wider issue.

The statement I made was about the head on head high speed incidents that they are trying to stop. Due to the community games being slower and the players not as powerful those head on head some powerful hits just don't occur.

That's the problem statement that the RFU had and that's what they've banged on about.

Concussions in general is another issue but again community level rugby doesn't have the same issues that the professional game does.
 
For information, I went to one of the RFU tackle clinics and it's easy to see what the motivation is for all of this.

The clinic was basically propaganda for them saying that reducing the height will create a more open game with more offloads etc. more of a diverse game for more people to enjoy etc etc lots of bull ****.

The did clarify on what the ball carrier can do pre contact and how the pick and goes will be reffed which was good but it's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.
 
Prompted by this (<---that is a link)

Have played a few games under the new SRU rules. Only a couple of our players struggle with it (taller more powerful players, used to the "wrap up" tackle). Not too many penalties seen, advantage played most of the time. Referees lenient when players are dipping into contact etc.

Ripping the ball is extremely difficult now, basically gone. We did have a maul though!

It's annoying but it hasn't "ruined the game" like most (me included) thought it would.
 
The games I've played this season have been reffed just like they used to. Refs have almost ignored the changes.
 
First game under the new rules tonight. I generally hit quite high around the ball so fully expecting my first ever card this season.
 
So, after all the pearl clutching from a couple of years ago - has rugby died yet? Did all the players just leave the sport? (as opposed to especially older players finding other things to do on a Saturday during covid) and most importantly - did the law change work?
Scotland: 45% reduction in head-on-head contact
England: average number of head contacts dropped from six to three
Women: 64% reduction in tacklers making initial contact with the ball carrier's head and neck and 17% reduction in the rate of head-to-head and a 35% reduction in head-to-shoulder contacts for the tackler
This is early data; there may well be more to come (the RFU's trial explicitly says as much in the article)

I'll edit with the actual research, rather than media reporting once I've found them:
Scotland
Women


I can't find the RFU's analysis on Pubmed or BMJ - so presumably it's not actually published yet, and they're just wanting to get the good news out there early.
Not seeing anything on Pubmed from other countries yet either - but I'm sure it's coming.

Interestingly, I did also come across this: High tackle headache: implications of referee agreement for tackle height law change
 
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Sounds like some potentially good news (not that this explicitly means fewer traumatic brain injuries, either acutely or chronically...)

As an aside, while RU has taken action which may protect the sport from compensation claims, I watched a game of rugby league on the telly the other night. Their game will be wiped out when and if things get litigious. Blimey. Referee gets stroppy and awards a penalty or card seemingly at random every 15th head on head contact.
 
So, after all the pearl clutching from a couple of years ago - has rugby died yet? Did all the players just leave the sport? (as opposed to especially older players finding other things to do on a Saturday during covid) and most importantly - did the law change work?
Scotland: 45% reduction in head-on-head contact
England: average number of head contacts dropped from six to three
Women: 64% reduction in tacklers making initial contact with the ball carrier's head and neck and 17% reduction in the rate of head-to-head and a 35% reduction in head-to-shoulder contacts for the tackler
This is early data; there may well be more to come (the RFU's trial explicitly says as much in the article)

I'll edit with the actual research, rather than media reporting once I've found them:
Scotland
Women


I can't find the RFU's analysis on Pubmed or BMJ - so presumably it's not actually published yet, and they're just wanting to get the good news out there early.
Not seeing anything on Pubmed from other countries yet either - but I'm sure it's coming.

Interestingly, I did also come across this: High tackle headache: implications of referee agreement for tackle height law change
I won't for a second believe these statistics without looking into them more but from first hand experience, the refs ignored the law change.

What I saw in my season playing, tackle stayed as it always had, some refs stated they weren't going to adopt the law change, also chest hits were just left as they always were.

Maybe this has had more of an impact at high levels (not my level 7 rugby) but then we didn't need it anyway.
 
I won't for a second believe these statistics without looking into them more but from first hand experience, the refs ignored the law change.

What I saw in my season playing, tackle stayed as it always had, some refs stated they weren't going to adopt the law change, also chest hits were just left as they always were.

Maybe this has had more of an impact at high levels (not my level 7 rugby) but then we didn't need it anyway.
This has been my experience too. A couple training sessions for the new laws and then back to normal
 
I think all laws get less enforced, the further down the pyramid you drop
 


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