World Rugby has outlawed the hip drop tackle and cracked down on the knee drop tackle, with the knee drop crackdown applying in time for the Wallabies’ Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks this weekend. The hip drop will be written into the game’s foul play law from 1 November.
The World Rugby Executive Board has approved a law amendment and a law application guideline covering the two tackle techniques, World Rugby announced on Wednesday. Both can now be penalised.
What is changing
The hip drop tackle, where a tackler uses their bodyweight to pull a player to ground and drops onto the ball carrier’s legs from behind, will be added to Law 9.13 as dangerous play. World Rugby said it will be sanctioned with at least a penalty kick.
The knee drop tackle, where a player drops to one or both knees before making a tackle, is already illegal because the laws prohibit making a tackle while on the ground. World Rugby has issued a law application guideline so referees police it consistently, and it takes effect immediately, according to RUGBY.com.au.
Why World Rugby acted
The crackdown came out of February’s Shape of the Game meeting. An expert working group, which commissioned research with Leeds Beckett University, recommended the law be clarified.
“Once we looked at the evidence, it was clear the hip drop tackles whilst rare, could cause significant leg injuries. It was also clear that knee drop tackles were on the rise,” World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said.
“Protecting player welfare is at the heart of everything that World Rugby does and once we’d reviewed the analysis we’ve acted quickly to ensure that dangerous tackles of this nature are removed from the game, starting this weekend.”
Former Ireland international Rob Kearney, the International Rugby Players Association representative on the Executive Board, backed the change. “While a change of this nature can be challenging to manage in the short term as players, coaches and match officials adjust, this decision has been taken to protect players from potential serious injury, and that’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Australian players hurt by the tackle
Australia under-20s player Treyvon Pritchard is recovering from a long-term injury after copping a hip drop tackle at the U20 World Championship, while Wallaby Max Jorgensen missed several months after one last year, RUGBY.com.au reported.
“Rugby Australia welcomes the move by World Rugby to outlaw hip drop and knee drop tackles. Both techniques pose unacceptable risks to player safety and World Rugby has acted appropriately to classify them as foul play,” Rugby Australia Director of High Performance Peter Horne said.
A hot topic in rugby league too
The hip drop has been under the microscope in the NRL as well. Newcastle hooker Phoenix Crossland was banned for four matches for the hip-drop tackle that broke Nathan Cleary’s leg in the preliminary final, ruling him out of the grand final.
The Wallabies face the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday 10 October.
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