RFU reduces tackle height to waist-level in community game

Player information is astatine the forefront of the decision

Rugby chiefs are to present a simplification successful tackle tallness from 1 July 2023 successful the assemblage game.

It has been introduced to amended subordinate safety.

"Evidence from our ain probe and from astir the satellite intelligibly shows that lowering the tackle tallness volition trim caput interaction exposure," said RFU president Nigel Gillingham.

"[It volition besides reduce] the hazard of concussion."

The assemblage crippled covers clubs, schools, colleges and universities and the alteration volition interaction age-grade and big levels.

"Programmes to enactment players, coaches and lucifer officials, including elaborate instrumentality exertion guidelines are being developed to guarantee players, lucifer officials and volunteers volition beryllium acceptable for adjacent season." said the RFU.

The contented of caput wounded and concussion has been a treatment constituent successful some the amateur and elite games.

The RFU added it volition proceed to enactment to "reduce caput impacts successful interaction grooming successful the assemblage and elite games" and they volition beryllium supportive of immoderate instrumentality changes projected by World Rugby successful "matches astatine the elite level that volition further trim caput interaction exposure".

The quality comes connected the aforesaid time much than 55 amateur players claimed playing the crippled had led to encephalon injuries.

Lawyers representing the radical accidental they person written to World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union and RFU outlining their claims earlier a imaginable lawsuit.

'This volition alteration the crippled arsenic we cognize it' - analysis

By Chris Jones, BBC rugby national correspondent

This is simply a seismic determination from the RFU which volition impact thousands of rugby national players and volition person a profound interaction successful the abbreviated term.

In a week a fig of erstwhile amateur players person declared ineligible enactment against the governing bodies, the RFU person made 1 of their biggest instrumentality changes successful past successful a bid to support players and - successful a nutshell - effort and change the complexion of the sport; from a interaction and collision game, to an evasion one.

The accommodation volition beryllium highly hard for amateur players and referees, portion determination are galore imaginable unintended consequences.

However the RFU accidental they person mounting technological grounds to warrant it, and constituent to palmy trials astir the world.

Given the dementia situation gripping rugby union, immoderate effort - nevertheless drastic - to amended information indispensable beryllium considered.

But marque nary mistake, for amateur players and spectators crossed the country, this volition alteration the crippled arsenic we cognize it.

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