New Rugby Tackle Height Law 2026

New Rugby Tackle Height Law Change: Key Updates & Impact

What is the New Rugby Tackle Height Law?

On 17^th June 2026, the World Rugby Council approved some changes to the law relating to rugby tackle height, set to officially come into effect on 1^st July 2026.

Before this, tackling or attempted tackling above the shoulders was considered ‘dangerous’, and match organisers could set this as the limit before a game. Now, according to the Law 14 – Game On adjustment, match organisers must choose whether to set tackle height at the waist or base line of the sternum.

An optional clause also enforces that a ball carrier in open play must not significantly lower their height when making dangerous contact with a tackler.

Global Trials Testing the New Rugby Tackle Height

This global change in the law’s wording follows the opt-in trial that started in May 2023, which gave unions all around the world the freedom to adapt rugby tackle height within their own jurisdiction. The trial “aimed to improve player safety by reducing the risk of head-on-head contact and therefore concussions.”

Australia, Italy, Japan, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and South Africa opted in, while France and South Africa were already undergoing similar trials.

Ireland Community Rugby: Results of the Trial

One study was conducted within Ireland’s community rugby system, which focused on real-world amateur play – grassroots rugby – not elite rugby.

The study followed over 8800 players across 7 seasons, comparing injury data before and after a tackle height rule change (lowered to the sternum) in Irish community rugby.

Using real-world surveillance data, researchers analysed match injuries and concussions per 1000 hours of play.

This change was introduced alongside education and behaviour-change programmes, based on the idea that lowering tackle height would reduce head contact and concussion risk, since tackles are the main cause of injuries in rugby.

In adult men, tackle-related concussion rates dropped by 37%, while in adult women, it dropped by a significant 63% (Guilfoyle & al., 2026).

When it came to concussions in children, there was no clear change in the rates for schoolboys.

What this Means for Concussion in Rugby in Future

With the law adaptation coming into force on 1st July 2026, World Rugby hopes the mandatory reduction in tackle height will lead to a continued decrease in head contact and concussion rates in rugby at all levels of the game.

It’s a small but positive step to address the high rates of concussion in rugby and rates of concussion in sports more generally.

Early results from community rugby are promising, but continued monitoring is needed to assess long-term impacts on player safety, including conditions such as CTE in rugby.

After all, unions will still be able to use Game On community law variations to adapt secondary laws in areas like ‘pick and go’ and ‘double tackles’.

For anyone involved in sport, this reinforces the importance of always being vigilant. This includes looking out for any detectable concussion symptoms (on and off the pitch), applying the “if in doubt, sit them out” principle always and adhering to the gradual return to play protocol to better support recovery.

The HIA Rugby Protocol vs “Recognise and Remove”

For elite and professional rugby players, the rugby concussion protocol is typically a Head Injury Assessment (HIA), a structured, four-stage process introduced in 2015 by World Rugby to protect player welfare and ensure a consistent approach to head injuries.

For grassroots and community players, the universal policy is “recognise and remove”, which aligns with the premise of “if in doubt, sit them out.”

In other words, if an amateur player is suspected of having a concussion on the pitch, they must be permanently removed from the match or training immediately, with no return to play allowed that day.

How Brain Injury Group Can Help

If you or someone you know has been affected by a brain injury through playing sports or otherwise, Brain Injury Group provides guidance and support to help you understand your options and next steps.