Rugby is a physical sport, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the tackle. In amateur and school rugby union, tackles are responsible for well over half of all match injuries, making them the single biggest source of injury risk in the game. That reality has prompted growing efforts to make tackling safer without changing the essence of rugby itself.

Our new study suggests one simple change may be making a significant impact: lowering the height of the tackle.

The study, published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, found that reducing the legal tackle height led to a substantial decline in injuries, particularly concussions. Among amateur women’s rugby players in Ireland, concussion rates fell by 63%, while male players experienced a 38% reduction. Overall injuries also declined, dropping by 30% in men’s rugby and 18% in women’s rugby.

Our findings make it clear that lowering the tackle height can make the game safer and reduce the risk of serious injury.

The rule change was introduced by the Irish........

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