2023-24 Tackling Height in the Amateur Rugby Union Game

2023-24 Tackling Height in the Amateur Rugby Union Game

Started
19 January 2023
Signatures: 80,431Next Goal: 150,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Ed Bartlett

Rugby Union, a game for all shapes and sizes, has never had that phrase more challenged than now. 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.

Dropping the tackle height to below the waist will make the game a farcical spectacle to watch. Not allowing players to dip into tackles to bump tackles off is also a crazy decision in a game that is not only about speed, but power too! 

What next? Scrums, mauls - where will it stop until the game is killed off?

+ There will be penalties and yellow / red cards being handed out like confetti

+ Players will literally stop playing the game who have been taught to tackle high to stop the offload, now having to retrain old habits

+ More likely to have head on knee contact, could it cause more injury?

+ Community Clubs will struggle to fulfil sides as players give up to play less 'complicated' sports 

+ Community clubs with big overheads will go to the wall, as they won't get the footfall through the club to keep the revenue going

+ Kids will be pushed into playing other sports where the values are not what they should be

+ If Community Clubs go to the wall, where will kids go to keep themselves off the streets?

+ Kids of a certain size who are not blessed with express pace and see rugby as their way of playing a sport to a good level will give up. The temptation to play video games will be too easy and obesity levels will increase in those kids as they will be less active!

I could go on...Rugby is the bastion of playing hard, but learning the basic principles of discipline, teamwork and respect. Generations of people growing up will be lost to the game as a result and who will be left to teach the instagram generation of tomorrow how it should be, how to act appropriately amongst adults, learn the art of conversation and networking for the future?

If you agree, let's get this trending and remind the RFU to STOP ruining our game!

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Signatures: 80,431Next Goal: 150,000
Support now
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