English clubs and relevant role players have lambasted plans by the RFU to enforce tackling restrictions in amateur rugby across England.
Effective from 1 July 2023, all players at age grade and senior amateur level in the country will be required to make waistline or lower tackles.
In a report by England’s BBC Sport, several clubs, players, coaches and officials voiced their concerns, labelling the law change impracticable, slamming a lack of consultation, and dreading a mass player exodus from the sport.
Meanwhile a petition calling for the RFU to reverse its decision has amassed more than 45,000 signatures in the two days since its launch on Thursday.
“Dropping the tackle height to below the waist will make the game a farcical spectacle to watch,” said the petition founder Ed Bartlett, a player with Old Reigatian RFC in the level-six Regional South East 2.
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“I completely understand the need to make the game safer and where possible eliminate the head-on-head collisions, but no one is forcing anyone to play rugby union.”
Manchester Rugby Club, in the fifth tier of the English rugby setup, told the BBC that they have “real concerns” the move by the RFU will “kill playing numbers for next year”.
Sam Williams, captain of the amateur side of former professional club Wasps, said the feedback from his squad members had been “overwhelmingly negative, with most suggesting it will change their commitment to playing or make them retire/change sports altogether”.
Hammersmith and Fulham RFC, in the London 1 division, added: “A lot of players are angry that this decision had been taken with little-to-no consultation with amateur players themselves about what they want, and is being foisted on us in a very short time frame.
“It’s not clear if this is a version of the game that anyone will want to play, especially as many are already fed up with the way the game is being managed today.”
Photo: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency/Gallo Images
