Waist-high tackle law could be a game-changer

AS a coaching professional I am fascinated to see how implementation of the waist-high tackling law progresses and how it affects the development of coaching practice, playing structures and an improvement of player welfare.

Many pundits, ex professionals and current players are worried about the implementation of the waist-high tackle and a potential one-person-per-tackle rule. I am neither for nor against but I wonder how the structure of defences will change.

I think defences will have to be more reactionary to the tackle area. While a tackler is making a tackle the defensive players next to them may have to “overshoot” to prevent an effective offload.

But shooting up either side may allow an effective line break if an offload is successful because large gaps will open up either side of the tackled player. Furthermore, if this style of defensive system is adopted, would teams be looking to recycle the ball more so to counteract the newer defensive style? The recycling of the ball more often may have a knock-on effect of slowing the game down.

The recent big hits at chest height have been a spectacle of the game but no one wants to see tackles so high they could take a head off.

Referees and junior coaches need to be more assertive with the laws of the game, especially junior level, therefore embedding good tackle heights and a strong technique earlier.

Stronger tackle coaching/enforcement would potentially solve problems long term, but still have the concussion problem short term. DANIEL ARCHER New Ash Green RFC