BY JOHN DAVIDSON
Huddersfield Giants coach Ian Watson believes rugby league should not follow rugby union’s lead and reduce tackilng to the waist and below in the amateur game.
Yesterday the Rugby Football Union (RFU) controversially announced plans to ban tackling above the weight in community rugby from July in a bid to reduce head impact and the risk of concussion.
“Designed to improve player safety and informed by data, this change aims to reduce head impact exposure and concussion risk in the tackle for both the ball carrier and tackler,” the RFU statement says. Read more here.
The RFU is currently facing lawsuits from both former professional and amateur players who are suffering brain injuries allegedly caused from playing the sport, and the RFL is also facing a similar lawsuit.
Asked whether rugby league mirror union’s changes Watson, the head coach of Huddersfield and a former Welsh international hooker, feels it would not be the right thing to do.
“Looking from the outside I do see what they’re trying to do, which is protect players, but It would be interesting to know how many players have been concussed in union to league as they are too different games,” he told rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads.
“There are some similarities but just look at the ball in play time – 66 minutes in rugby league, 33 minutes in rugby union – which has an effect on fatigue/decision making for one.
“A lot of mistimed tackles when going low mean head knocks with a knee etc will happen and I’ve seen a lot of players from rugby union saying they have had more concussions by going low than tackling chest height.Â
“And from what I’ve read they have trialed this somewhere before.
“I do, however, believe to educate and teach the kids at grassroots the right techniques/actions is the right thing to do though, and the way forward for any sport.”
Watson played nearly 300 games for Salford, Swinton, Widnes, Halifax, Leigh, Oldham, Rochdale and Workington Town, as well as for Wales. The 46-year-old has coached in the Championship and in Super League, and served as an assistant coach for Great Britain.
Watson doesn’t believe the 13-man code should make the same change as union.
“As it comes down to tackle selection in game situations, education and techniques,” he said.Â
“No one deliberately tackles above shoulders in the game and intends to hurt someone.
“Our protocols have been amended and our doctors and medical staff are very good when dealing with suspected or actual head knocks during and after games to cater for the welfare of the players.Â
“Sometimes accidental head knocks happen and that will still happen by late movements when tackling low where contact is made by a hip/knee/elbow, which are very hard contact zones so where do you go from there?Â
“Everything can be over analysed and everything in life has an element of risk in it, and you have a choice to be involved or not.”
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