High tackle

A '''high tackle''' is an illegal [[Tackle (football move)|tackling]] move in [[rugby football]]. A high tackle occurs when a player tackles or attempts to tackle an opponent whereby their arm makes contact with the ball carrier’s chest.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=World Rugby Laws - World Rugby's Law Education Web Site|url=https://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=9|website=laws.worldrugby.org|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Rugby League International Laws of the Game|url=http://www.rlif.com/ignite_docs/Rugby%20League%20International%20Laws%20of%20the%20Game%20-%20Oct%202017.pdf|last=|first=|date=October 2017|website=Rugby League International Federation|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> The move is dangerous due to the risk of injury to the head and neck of the player being tackled.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Protecting the rugby player's head - the paradox of tackler height and head injury|url=https://sportsscientists.com/2019/08/protecting-the-rugby-players-head-the-paradox-of-tackler-height-and-head-injury/|last=Sport|first=Ross Tucker, The Science of|date=2019-08-13|website=The Science of Sport|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref>[[File:Yellow Card - Rugby union.JPG|alt=A male referee wearing black and yellow stands on a rugby pitch and raises a yellow card in front of two male players wearing dark blue. Fans look on in the stands behind them. |thumb|A rugby union referee gives a yellow card to a player for a rule infraction. ]]

== Rugby Union ==

High tackles are illegal in all variations of [[rugby union]] play, including [[Rugby sevens|sevens variation]] and [[Rugby tens|tens variation]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=World Rugby Laws - World Rugby's Law Education Web Site|url=https://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=9&variation=2|website=laws.worldrugby.org|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=World Rugby Laws - World Rugby's Law Education Web Site|url=https://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=9&variation=3|website=laws.worldrugby.org|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> According to [[World Rugby]] laws, "a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders."<ref name=":0" /> A player may receive a range of sanctions in response to an illegal high tackle, ranging from a penalty, yellow card, or red card.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=World Rugby Laws - World Rugby's Law Education Web Site|url=https://laws.worldrugby.org/?domain=9&guideline=3&language=EN|website=laws.worldrugby.org|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> As per a 2011 World Rugby memorandum on the topic, <blockquote>"A player must not tackle (or try to tackle) an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders. A tackle around the opponent’s neck or head is dangerous play."<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>Reducing player injuries sustained from high tackles has long been a goal of World Rugby.<ref name=":2" /> In May 2019, World Rugby released [https://laws.worldrugby.org/?domain=9&guideline=13 a decision-making framework for high tackles] to assist players and referees in avoiding illegal high tackles and appropriately sanctioning players who commit this infraction.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=World Rugby Laws - World Rugby's Law Education Web Site|url=https://laws.worldrugby.org/?domain=9&guideline=13|website=laws.worldrugby.org|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> The result of the framework's implementation was a 37% reduction in the number of tackle-related concussion incidents per 1,000 player hours at the 2019 World Cup compared to the previous year, with an overall 28% reduction in concussion incidents.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Coles|first=Ben|date=2020-03-04|title=Amended high-tackle rules led to huge drop in player concussion rates at 2019 World Cup|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2020/03/04/amended-high-tackle-rules-led-huge-drop-player-concussion-rates/|access-date=2020-05-06|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

In August of 2019, World Rugby announced that reducing tackle height to waist level was one of several trial laws under consideration for implementation by the [[Rugby World Cup]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Waist-high tackling one of six laws that could be adopted at the next Rugby World Cup|url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/waist-high-tackling-one-of-six-laws-that-could-be-adopted-at-the-next-rugby-world-cup/618107|website=www.ultimaterugby.com|date=9 August 2019 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Waist-high tackling has potential to be adopted for 2023 RWC|url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/waist-high-tackling-has-potential-to-be-introduced-at-2023-rugby-world-cup/|date=2019-08-08|website=RugbyPass|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> Under the new rule, any tackle above the waist would now be considered a high tackle. The rationale for this rule change offered by World Rugby is that "forcing players to tackle lower may reduce the risk of head injuries to both the tackler and tackled player," as well as encouraging more offloads and expansive play.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Big year for player welfare law trials kicks off {{!}} www.world.rugby|url=https://www.world.rugby/news/550965?lang=en|last=world.rugby|website=www.world.rugby|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> Initial trials of this rule change from the [[French Rugby Federation|Fédération Française de Rugby]] (FFR) has had positive results, showing that reduction of permissible tackling to waist height reduces the number of head impacts and player injuries.<ref name=":4" />

== Rugby League == [[File:Rugby league sin bin.jpg|alt=A male referee in an orange shirt signals to two male players in white and red uniforms. The referee stands with his hands up and fingers spread.|thumb|A referee gives a penalty ruling to a player in a rugby league match. ]] High tackles are illegal in [[rugby league]] play. As per [[International Rugby League]] (IRL) laws, a player is guilty of misconduct if they, "when effecting or attempting to effect a tackle makes contact with the head or neck of an opponent intentionally, recklessly or carelessly."<ref name=":3" />

In 2019, the [[Australian Rugby League Commission]] (ARLC), the governing body of the [[National Rugby League]] (NRL) cracked down on 'crusher tackles', a particularly dangerous type of high tackle in which a defender forces a player’s head towards their torso in contact.<ref>{{Cite web|title=While Union seeks high tackle rulings consistency, a dirty technique is close to being outlawed in Rugby League {{!}} RugbyDump - Rugby News & Videos|url=https://www.rugbydump.com/news/while-union-seeks-high-tackle-rulings-consistency-a-dirty-technique-is-close-to-being-outlawed-in-rugby-league/|website=www.rugbydump.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=NRL to crack down on crusher tackles|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/06/26/nrl-to-crack-down-on-crusher-tackles/|date=2019-06-26|website=National Rugby League|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> Numerous similar crackdowns on types of dangerous tackles, like high tackles, have occurred in an effort to make the game safer.

A related infraction in rugby league is the [[shoulder charge]], which involves contact to the shoulder or upper arm without an attempt to tackle. A player is guilty of misconduct if they use a shoulder charge, which is defined as when "a defender, without attempting to tackle, grab or hold the ball-carrier (or any opposing player) using the arms or hands, makes direct physical contact with the shoulder or the upper arm (tucked into the side)."<ref name=":1" />

== See also ==

* [[Penalty box#Rugby football|Penalty box]] * [[Glossary of rugby league terms]] * [[Glossary of rugby union terms]] * [[Dump tackle]] * [[Spear tackle]]

== References ==  {{reflist}}

[[Category:American football terminology]] [[Category:Association football terminology]] [[Category:Australian rules football terminology]] [[Category:Rugby league terminology]] [[Category:Rugby union terminology]] [[Category:Banned sports tactics]] [[Category:Tackling sports]]