World Rugby has confirmed that it will introduce penalties for the “hip-drop” tackle from 1 November, aiming to improve player welfare. This technique involves a tackler dropping their body weight onto the lower limbs of a ball carrier from behind.
The sport's lawmakers have adopted this change after the National Football League (NFL) outlawed the technique two years ago. Research has indicated that these tackles can lead to serious leg injuries.
In addition to the “hip-drop” tackle, World Rugby will also focus on penalising the “knee-drop” tackle. This occurs when a defender drops to one or both knees before making contact with an attacker. Both tackle types were highlighted by unions at World Rugby’s annual Shape of the Game conference in February.
World Rugby chair Brett Robinson stated, “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.” He added that these changes demonstrate a global commitment to player welfare in rugby.
The new sanctions will not apply to the upcoming Bledisloe Cup matches between New Zealand and Australia, nor the WXV Global Series fixtures.