A former Wales coach fears the upcoming Rugby World Cup could be ravaged by a "quick" crackdown on shoulder charges and high tackles.
In May, World Rugby issued new guidelines on high tackles and shoulder charges to provide greater clarity around its attempt to improve player safety.
In May, World Rugby outlined its new guidelines in the instances of
shoulder charges and high tackles.
Halfbacks Jonny Sexton and Mike Phillips were openly targeted with late hits, stamps and
shoulder charges before a raucous 40,805 crowd.
International chiefs are expected today to ban
shoulder charges in Friday's Challenge clash and the World Cup.
THE RUGBY Football League has decided not to follow the lead set by Australia in banning
shoulder charges, at least for now.
Body checks on kick chasers, neck-high hits - with no use of the arms - masquerading as tackles and
shoulder charges aimed at clearing rucks have all become common place in elite rugby.
While the best England could come up with in the second Test was throwing jelly beans on the wicket, a disgruntled Indian side merely responded with icy stares and
shoulder charges straight out of the fourth form.
Players are hit by
shoulder charges, full-blooded block tackles and two footed waist high lunges but instead of rolling in agony with faces distorted in sham pain they just get up and charge back into action as the referee waves play on.
But they then paid the price for a couple of moments of madness with dangerous
shoulder charges seeing a red card for lock Alexandre Bias and a yellow one for prop Eric Sione, following on from the costly firsthalf sin-binning of prop Lucas Martinez.
Shoulder charges were outlawed in Australia last November.
St Helens v Castleford 8PM BARBECUE king Mark Flanagan reckons a few beefy
shoulder charges never hurt anyone.