Tackle laws could spell trouble for the big boys
MULTI-TASKING big beasts like Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes and Nick Isiekwe could soon become an endangered species if lower height tackle laws are introduced across the board, London Irish forwards coach George Skivington predicts.
New-age English giants Itoje, Lawes and Isiekwe have seen their value rocket on account of their versatility in covering second or back row, with most Premiership rosters now containing an array of similar, multi-functional back-five players.
However, Skivington’s Exiles have just completed a six-week trial in the Championship Cup outlawing tackling above the armpit. If those laws are rubberstamped, the effectiveness of huge lock-cum-flankers could be significantly reduced.
“These lock/6s are so athletic now and it reflects the way the game has gone,
especially in the Premiership and that sort of level,” former Wasps and Leicester lock Skivington told The Rugby Paper.
“It’s such a fast-paced game that you can’t really cater for any big, sluggish locks anymore. It just doesn’t work like that and a lot of the time with the backfives now, you can’t really pick the difference between front and back rowers.
“If you look at the South African model, sometimes they can go into games with numbers 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 all starting and being around the same size.
“Back rows have definitely got much bigger but if new tackle height laws are implemented – as they were in the Cup with us – it will be interesting to see if smaller guys will be back in business because you won’t be able to tackle above the armpit.”
With French rugby currently contemplating outlawing tackling above the waistline in the wake of recent accidents, Skivington believes that would favour smaller athletes.
Skivington added: “Even if you’re carrying the ball, being a bit smaller might be to your advantage because everyone’s going to be terrified to tackle above the waistline.
“With more leg shots, it might present more opportunities to jackal the ball and the smaller No.7s, who’ve probably been pushed out a bit, might find their way back in.”
Meanwhile, Skivington believes London Irish’s move to Brentford will aid recruitment and prevent the Exiles being a yo-yo team that constantly lose their best academy products.
With Irish due to relocate in 2020, Skivington said: “It’s a huge move for the club and having all our bases in London will have a positive effect on recruitment.
“There’s a lot of planning going on and, although we’ve still got to get promoted, we know we’ve got to be miles better in the Premiership next time. We’ve had an opportunity to reflect on what we need to do differently and part of that is around recruitment and hanging on to our best players.
“It’s a sad fact that we are watching players like Joe Cokanasiga, Johnny Williams and Alex Lewington delivering for other people, but we’re not here to train players to pass them on to someone else, so we’re determined that’s going to stop.”