Tackle Height Debate : Update 16/02/2023

17

Feb 2023


At the Leicestershire Clubs’ Zoom meeting on Tuesday 31 January 2023, with the attendance of Paul Walsh, you will recall that I was mandated by the majority vote of those clubs represented, as follows:

  1. To back Staffordshire RU in their motion for the RFU to rescind the alterations to the tackle law to allow for consultation with clubs and members
  2. To support the Community Clubs Union (CCU) in their proposed motion for the RFU to revise procedures to ensure that CBs and Clubs are consulted before any future major changes to the game are made.

I contacted Staffordshire’s Honorary Secretary that same evening to convey Leicestershire’s support. Unfortunately, as we now know, there were only five Council Members of the twenty required who had notified their support by the deadline of 3 February 2023; and so the proposed motion could not be put to Council at its meeting last Monday.

At the time of writing, I understand that the CCU have sent out draft template letters for their supporting clubs to use when writing to the RFU seeking a Special General Meeting. There has been no announcement yet of any such request having met the required threshold of 100 clubs.

Since the Staffordshire proposal fell I have been talking with a group of like-minded Council Members about how we might best further the legitimate interests and concerns of our Clubs, given that the introduction of a lowered tackle height remains on the calendar to be introduced from 1 July 2023, just 4 ½ months away.

Council was promised a debate on the events and decisions that brought us to the current position, at Monday’s Council Meeting. In the event, we were allotted just five minutes. In an attempt to extend the time for the debate, we made approaches to the President and submitted a series of detailed questions that we felt needed answering. We received no direct response to those questions but did learn that it was the President’s intention to set up a ‘Task & Finish Group’ (Chaired by the Senior VP) to look at this whole subject.

The President introduced the subject in this way and I took the opportunity to state how disappointed I was personally, that we had not been given what we were promised and that the whole subject appeared to be being kicked into the long grass. The President assured me this wasn’t the case. The SVP said this wasn’t to be an exercise in the attribution of blame but rather a look forward at what we might do differently in the future. I said we could not learn any lessons without first understanding exactly what had happened in the past.

I have applied for a place on this T&FG and hope to have the opportunity to ‘keep it honest’ and transparent. I have yet to see any Terms of Reference.

So, we move on, in the meantime, to the Consultation phase. This is what we know so far:

Over the course of the next few weeks, the RFU will be launching a series of initiatives to listen to and learn from people across the game.
• Central to these will be a series of 24 consultation forums, 12 face to face and 12 virtual.
• The LRU can nominate 40 people to represent across the senior men’s and women’s game and the age grade game, including players, coaches, match officials, parents, teachers, Club and County volunteers, Disciplinary officers, Safeguarding and Rugby Safe officers.
• This should mean direct consultation with around 1000 people across the country.
• We have to submit our list of nominees to the RFU by noon on Friday 24 February 2023; so, if you want to be involved, please complete the online form which will shortly be available on the LRU website, ASAP
• An open survey will also be launched by the RFU on Wednesday 1 March 2023
• There will also be a series of online focus groups – though no details of these are yet available
This consultation, in its various guises, is currently the most direct route for the whole Game to have a say and to try to effect change in the start date, the actual tackle height and the law changes that will be required.


I urge you, please, to seize the opportunity to be heard loud and clear.


Regards,
Peter A Howard
RFU Council Member for Leicestershire & Rutland
07912 057919
peterhoward@rfu.com

Be a part of the tackle height focus groups

15

Feb 2023


The RFU will be launching a series of initiatives to listen to and learn from people across the game by consulting on the process around implementation of a lower tackle height in the community game. The consultation will allow the game to discuss why this is happening, what the optimal tackle height should be, and what needs to be factored in to make it a success. The RFU is seeking the support of the community game to implement change in a way that ensures rugby remains the sport we all know and love. The consultation will formally launch at the beginning of March with a survey giving everyone across the game the chance to have their say. There will also be an extensive series of online and face to face consultations across the country. Working with Constituent Bodies the RFU will ensure the consultation reaches a broad and representative cross-section of people – from players and coaches, through to match officials and disciplinary officials, and to club volunteers and parents representing both the adult and junior male and female games. If you would like to be a part of the focus/consultation groups, complete the Google Form via the link below before Thursday 23rd at midnight. The CB will then select 40 people to take part from a cross section of the game.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsVnSr_nNI2oZDm2hi73bkoKApuezZYpymVgXfTmyWIWGISg/viewform

Leicestershire U18 Boys selected for Midlands

9

Feb 2023


Leicestershire rugby union are thrilled to receive news that 7 of Leicestershire U18 boys have been selected to play for Midlands U18s.

Backs
Dan Abell (Birstall RFC)
James Boyles (Leicester Forest RFC)
Joe Atkinson (Oakham School)
Lewis Roberson (Demstone School/Leicester Forest RFC)
Oscar McCarthy (Leicester Grammar/Leicester Lions RFC)

Forwards
Owen Charles-Cockerill (Brooksby College/Lutterworth RFC)
Will Leebrook (Market Harborough RFC)

 All players will be provided with the forthcoming programme, which will include:

  • England Camp 17th-19th February
  • Midlands v The Southwest
    Taking place Sunday 19th February at Warwick School – kick-off 13:30
  • Midlands V The North
    – Taking place Sunday 25th February at Leicester Forest RFC – kick-off 13.30 TBC

On behalf of Leicestershire we would like to congratulate the Lads on such a fantastic achievement,
We look forward to supporting you on the sidelines!

More Tackle Height Information

1

Feb 2023


Please see further reading resources regarding tackle height.


• Please read all of the information contained within the Community Game Update issued 19 January 2023 here: https://rise.articulate.com/share/zxgc0AZr8XezmvQLSSJLWjSAd6pEvHXQ#/ and watch the video presentation from Dr Simon Kemp, RFU Medical Services Director which is linked from there.
• Rationale and Evidence Paper: 27.01.23 Waist height Rationale.pdf (englandrugby.com)
• Tackle Height Science Presentation: https://www.englandrugby.com/dxdam/90/9035104b-3124-434f-81e6-cb85eff14ee1/Tackle%20height%20science%20presentation%20Jan%202023.pdf
• RFU Tackle Height Communication to the Game: https://rfu.sharepoint.com/sites/CorporateGovernance/
https://www.patreon.com/posts/lowering-legal-77489775 

Tackle Height – RFU Council FAQs (19.01.23) (1) Tackle height media summary 23-01-2023 Timeline of Head Impact Actions, Research and Interventions

Tackle height media summary 23-01-2023

Timeline of Head Impact Actions, Research and Interventions

Tackle Height Update 30/01/23

30

Jan 2023


The Executive Committee met via Teams on Saturday 28th January 2023 to propose and vote on the following items ahead of the Tackle Height Clubs Meeting on Tuesday 31st January. The items were proposed by Peter Howard, RFU Council Member.

Present: John Brindley, Martin Jinks, Gail Bates, Peter Howard, Neil Haagenson, Helen Wrighten, Liz Causon, Barbara Crellin, Ross Bailey, Chris Hayward.
Apologies: Graham Cree

Item 1
Back Staffordshire in their motion for the RFU to rescind the alterations to the tackle law to allow for consultation with clubs and members subject to member approval
Vote – Unanimous

Item 2
Support CCU (Community Clubs Union) for the RFU to revise procedures to ensure that CBs and clubs are consulted before making any major changes to the game subject to member approval
Vote – Unanimous

The above items will be presented to the members on Tuesday 31st January for voting. Please ensure you make your club representatives aware of your input on the items.

Gail Bates
Hon Secretary