Tackle height laws

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Yet again, the law of unintended consequences will rule. For example, see this clash:

https://twitter.com/nrlphysio/status/1619308276516270081

IMO the French player should have been yellow carded for dangerous play. Carrick did nothing wrong as far as I could see.

[hookender]

Yet again, the law of unintended consequences will rule. For example, see this clash:

https://twitter.com/nrlphysio/status/1619308276516270081

IMO the French player should have been yellow carded for dangerous play. Carrick did nothing wrong as far as I could see.

My point about ball carriers at pick and go.

[InBetweenWasp]

There was a bit of a chatter about concussions (back when they were first starting to learn about how to detect them during games and the HIA/RTP protocols were put in place) and that the big impacts were being highlighted, but the regular lessor head-knocks from training overlooked/ignored but that they had a significant impact overall and in many ways to continual minor knocks had a worse, compounding effect than a one-off big knock.

[jamestaylor002]

There was a bit of a chatter about concussions (back when they were first starting to learn about how to detect them during games and the HIA/RTP protocols were put in place) and that the big impacts were being highlighted, but the regular lessor head-knocks from training overlooked/ignored but that they had a significant impact overall and in many ways to continual minor knocks had a worse, compounding effect than a one-off big knock.

Yes, I remember this. Might not necessarily be linked, but didn't Danny Care come out and say that their most recent Premiership title was, in part, thanks to the reduction of contact they did in training?

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Tackle height laws proposed for championship down now extended to elite rugby. My personal opinion - it?s a disastrous decision that could mean the game we follow becomes pretty much farcical. Lots of opinion out there. What do we think.

I'm not sure that lowering tackle height as suggested, actually answers the question that probably needs posing first. Whilst tackle impacts to the head are to be discouraged, perhaps I'd really like to know if there is a correlation between tackle height and brain injury to tackler and tackled player. Playing at decent amateur level, I suffered my worst "in the moment" brain injury when tackling 100% within proposed changes to Laws. I tackled a SR around the knees in what I hoped was a dominant tackle and suffered a knee to the head. I was examined by a player's wife who was a GP and allowed to carry on after what was a v crude HIA.

So my main question is are we sure we know what is causing the brain injuries and that are the subject of legal action - both at professional and amateur level? (Impact, the height of impact, the frequency of impact etc etc) And even if we are - is there/are there changes that would mitigate this risk and be enforceable?

There is a potential position where rugby as a game may not be "do'able". Especially if we do know (get to understand) what is causing the problems and if there isn't a viable mitigation.

I've been thinking about the bold bit for a while and also about poor Steve Thompson. I don't know what caused his injuries but he did play at a time when the front rows set up 2m apart and charged at each either to try to dominate the scrum.

Those rules have been changed and it would be interesting to know if those changes have reduced the incidence of concussion and other injuries. I suspect no research has been done.

As you say, why change something now if past changes have improved the situation? If/when further changes are made for the safety of players its really important that the results are monitored to see if they do improve player safety.

The authorities also need to be aware of risk compensation and look out for other injury patterns.

[InBetweenWasp]

There was a bit of a chatter about concussions (back when they were first starting to learn about how to detect them during games and the HIA/RTP protocols were put in place) and that the big impacts were being highlighted, but the regular lessor head-knocks from training overlooked/ignored but that they had a significant impact overall and in many ways to continual minor knocks had a worse, compounding effect than a one-off big knock.

Yes, I remember this. Might not necessarily be linked, but didn't Danny Care come out and say that their most recent Premiership title was, in part, thanks to the reduction of contact they did in training?

He did and as a consequence said they felt fresher going into games as well as reducing their overall injury rates.