Study finds lower tackle height in women’s rugby has reduced head contact

A world-first study says lowering the tackle height in women’s rugby has been effective in reducing the number of contact-based head injuries and has led to a “positive change in player behaviour”.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh compared more than 11,000 tackles between the 2022/23 season, and the 2023/24 season, where the reduced tackle height law was first trialled.

Analysis showed there was a 21% reduction in upright tackles and a 34% increase in tackles aimed at the waist area – which is far less high risk in terms of accidental head contact.

Researchers, backed with the collaboration of Scottish Rugby and World Rugby, analysed video footage of tackling, finding a 64% reduction in head and neck contact upon impact.

It also found lower tackle height led to a 17% reduction in head-to-head contact, and a 35% reduction in head-to-shoulder contact.

The law on reducing tackle height was introduced with the intention of lowering match-related concussions, but researchers say it has also fostered a better attitude among players.

The trial was adopted by Scottish Rugby for the 2023/24 season alongside other nations including Australia, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales.

Researchers at Moray House School of Education and Sport analysed video footage and injury data from 34 Scottish community women’s rugby matches from the top-level Premiership to the third-tier regional leagues.

The analysis used footage from Scottish Rugby which recorded players’ activity including tackle type, body position, contact point and head contact.

They also discovered a 19% reduction in contacts above the sternum – known as the red zone – between the tackler and the ball carrier. There was a 29% reduction in head-to-head proximity for the tackler, alongside a 33% reduction in head-to-head proximity and a 48% reduction in head-to-shoulder contact for the ball carrier.

Positively, there were no increases in the rate of the tacklers’ head making contact with the ball carriers’ knee or hip, which has previously been associated with an increased risk of concussion.

Sanctions – including penalties, advantages and yellow cards related to high tackles increased significantly from three to eight in the 2023/2024 season.

The number of tackles decreased significantly, but there was no significant change to the rate of other game player metrics.

Lead author, Hannah Walton, of the University of Edinburgh’s Moray House School of Education and Sport, said: “Our findings show reducing the maximum legal tackle height in Scottish women’s community rugby has resulted in a positive change in player behaviour, alongside reductions in tackler and ball carrier head contact and head proximity to the opposition’s head and shoulder.

“Continued collection of robust tackle and injury data is key to further understanding the effect of the law change.”

Dr Debbie Palmer, of the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences at the university’s Moray House School of Education and Sport, and co-director for the UK Collaborating Centre on Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport IOC (International Olympic Committee) Research Centre, said: “This is the first study evaluating the impact of a lowered tackle height in community women’s rugby and it is good to see, similar to the men’s community study, that initial results are encouraging.

“While injury and concussion numbers were low, gathering robust community-wide injury surveillance data may help us make more meaningful conclusions.

“Overall, reductions in head proximity and contact between players is likely to have been beneficial in potentially reducing these concussive events.”

Scottish Rugby head of regional pathways and game development, Neil Graham said: “We look forward to continuing this partnership with University of Edinburgh as we continue to look at ways to evolve the game, keeping player welfare at the centre of the conversation.

“We also look forward to the third and final study on the youth game being released in the near future.”

The study is published in BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine.