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World Rugby has banned two dangerous tackling techniques, with changes relating to ‘hip drop’ and ‘knee drop’ due to come into effect in the coming weeks.
The governing body has confirmed that from November 1, the ‘hip drop’ attack will be explicitly added to Law 9.13, which refers to dangerous play. A sanction of at least a fine will be provided for a misdemeanor.
A ‘hip drop’ occurs when the attacking player uses his body weight to pull the ball carrier to the ground before landing on the feet of the back player. World Rugby has also issued guidelines on ‘dropping the knees’, where a defender drops to one or both knees before making contact.
That action is already covered under existing law that prohibits a player from carrying out a tackle while on the ground, with new guidelines designed to strengthen how it should be judged.
The announcement came just a few days later Newcastle Knights player Phoenix Crossland has been handed a four-match NRL suspension for ‘dropping his hip’ on Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary, who suffered a serious leg injury.
World Rugby said their decision followed research commissioned following February’s Shape of the Game meeting, with Leeds Beckett University contributing to an analysis of tackling techniques for sevens and fifteens.
The ‘knee down’ guidelines came into force on 5 October, while the change to the ‘hip down’ law will follow on 1 November.
World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson said: “When we looked at the evidence, it was clear that hip tackles, although rare, can cause significant leg injuries. It was also clear that knee tackles were on the rise.
“Protecting player welfare is at the heart of everything World Rugby does and after reviewing the analysis, we have acted quickly to ensure that dangerous tackles of this nature are removed from the game, starting this weekend.”
Ex Ireland International and International Rugby Players Association representative on the World Rugby Executive Committee Rob Kearney added: “While a change of this nature can be challenging to manage in the short term as players, coaches and officials adapt, this decision has been made to protect players from potential serious injury, and it is the right thing to do.”
