World Rugby has decided to strengthen regulations related to player safety after approving a law amendment and new application guidelines directly affecting two relatively uncommon but potentially dangerous tackling techniques. Hip-drop and knee-drop tackles will now be subject to sanctions, in a decision aimed at establishing clearer criteria for players, coaches and referees and reducing situations that can lead to injuries during matches.
The measure follows an analysis process that began with the annual Shape of the Game meeting, where particular attention was paid to the evolution of tackling techniques and their consequences for player welfare. A specialized working group studied both movements with the support of academic research, match analysis and evidence from different rugby competitions, in both the sevens and fifteens formats, before recommending that the rules be clarified to the World Rugby Executive Board.
World Rugby adds the hip-drop tackle to the laws
The so-called hip-drop tackle occurs when a defender uses their body weight to bring down the ball carrier and drops their body onto the player’s legs from behind. Although it is an action that does not occur frequently in matches, the analysis conducted by the working group determined that it can cause significant injuries to the lower limbs. For this reason, World Rugby will amend Law 9.13 to explicitly include this technique within the definition of foul play, with a penalty as the sanction.
The investigation began after the February Shape of the Game meeting identified the need to review certain situations related to tackles. World Rugby then created a tackle-height expert group which, in addition to examining this issue, expanded its work to hip-drop tackles and subsequently knee-drop tackles. The process included a study commissioned from Leeds Beckett University, along with game analysis and evidence collected from rugby teams in different countries and formats. The findings were used to determine how the laws should be applied to these actions.
Knee-drop tackles will also face greater scrutiny
The knee-drop tackle involves a different action: the player drops to their knees before making the tackle. World Rugby considers that this conduct is already covered by the existing provisions, as the laws prohibit making a tackle while the player is on the ground. However, the organization decided to publish a Law Application Guideline to reinforce the interpretation of this provision and promote more consistent application among referees. Unlike the change concerning the hip-drop tackle, which will be formally incorporated into the laws on November 1, the guideline on knee-drop tackles came into effect on October 5.
World Rugby president Brett Robinson explained that the review identified relevant differences between the two situations: while hip-drop tackles are uncommon but can cause significant leg injuries, knee-drop tackles have shown an upward trend. From the players’ perspective, former Ireland international Rob Kearney, a member of the World Rugby Executive Board representing the International Rugby Players Association, acknowledged that adapting to the new provisions may initially create difficulties for players, coaches and referees, particularly as they become familiar with the new application criteria.
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