KANE PALMA- NEWPORT

EX-BATH PROP NOW AT COLOMIERS

The players know it’s the tackler who’s most likely to get knocked out. When the seatbelt tackle became prevalent, we all thought, ‘Well, that’s not actually going to change anything’. There were a few pens at first and by the end of the season it became a soft penalty. One instance stands out from last season: Danny Cipriani and Faf de Klerk both ran upright and Cipriani, the tackler, got knocked out. Lads, don’t run in upright. The danger is still with the tackler if you move tackles below the armpit. If you run hard and the tackler has got to get below the shoulders anyway and hits elbows, hip bones or knees – that’s what will knock lads clean out.

It’s people at the top of the game trying to look good, but actually if you really want to change anything tell carriers they can’t run crouched down with shoulders out; get everyone to run bolt upright so you can tackle them perfectly like you did at U9s! Referees have been fantastic with concussion. But refs don’t make rules – they’re made by people at the top. Seatbelt tackles don’t knock guys out.