RFU act to protect players with lower tackles at amateur level as game addresses concussion crisis

English rugby took an unprecedented step on Thursday to try to reduce the risk of concussion at grassroots level by lowering the height at which a player can legally tackle.

The drastic change to gameplay, which will be introduced from July 1 to all community play, but not to pros, means that a player must tackle at or below the waist.

Unanimously approved by the RFU board, the decision is designed to improve player welfare and minimize head-to-head contact between players that can lead to concussion.

Tackles to the chest will be illegal at the levels of National One and below in men’s play and Championship One and below in women’s rugby.

Nigel Gillingham, RFU chairman, said: ‘Player welfare must always be at the center of the decisions we make about how we play rugby.

‘Evidence from our own research and from around the world clearly shows that lowering the tackle height will reduce head impact exposure and the risk of concussion.

‘The RFU Council can influence how the game is played at a community level in this country and has therefore unanimously supported the decision to lower the height of the tackle to waist level.

“Tackling will continue to be the primary method of stopping the ball carrier using safe techniques that are taught from an early age.”

World Rugby, the game’s governing body, has carried out significant research on how to improve player safety in various countries in both hemispheres.

Sportsmail understand that there is a significant possibility that lowering tackle height will be a law that will be incorporated into both professional English club rugby and internationally in the future.

Much will depend on how the new law is received further down the rugby pyramid.

But England’s decision, which has been based on evidence in France, could have multiple benefits not just related to player welfare.

Lowering the tackle height should, in theory, allow players to offload better and easier on contact and improve attacking play, though time will tell if that actually comes to fruition.

World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said: “In line with our six-point plan to make rugby the most progressive sport for player welfare, World Rugby last year opened discussions with unions on reducing the tackle height in community play around the world”.

‘At those meetings, the unions were presented with the findings from trials that were carried out in France and South Africa, as well as initial data from rugby-specific studies using smart mouthguards.

‘Discussions with unions have progressed well and formal proposals that will apply globally are expected to be presented to our executive board in March.

‘We welcome the RFU to take these proactive steps. Rugby will never stop when it comes to player welfare and this is a prime example of the sport once again putting words into action.’

France has attempted to ban double tackles at point guard level, while New Zealand has also experimented with lowering the height of the contact limit.

It all rests on the broad notion that unions around the world are willing to experiment to reduce head impacts following the escalation of rugby’s concussion crisis.

Hundreds of former players, mostly at the professional level, have been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and other illnesses as a result of gambling.

Such diseases have also affected amateur players.

Gillingham added: “While this change will apply to matches in community play in England, the RFU will continue its work to reduce head impacts in contact training both in community and elite games and will support any change in law that World Rugby proposes for matches”. at the elite level which will further reduce exposure to head impact.’