English rugby league set to lower legal tackles to below the armpitMatthew Elliott among coaches to call for focus on tackle technique
Australian rugby league can maintain its “gladiatorial” quality and reduce head injuries without a reduction in the tackle height, according to senior coaches in the game, even as English rugby league and world rugby union officials outlaw contact above the armpit.
English governing body the Rugby Football League (RFL) announced on Friday it would lower the legal height for tackles to below the armpit at all levels of the sport, including professional competitions, by 2025. The changes are in response to recommendations designed to make the sport safer for its players and lower the risk of concussion. Similar moves have been announced recently in rugby union.
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