www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... der-charge

www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... der-charge

Can't view that site. It's blocked where I'm working today. What does it say?

The Rugby League International Federation has confirmed the shoulder charge will be banned worldwide, starting with Friday's World Club Challenge in Leeds and taking in the 2013 World Cup.

The Australian Rugby League Commission outlawed the controversial tackle at the end of last year while New Zealand already had a ban in place in its domestic competition, but the Rugby Football League decided to retain it until a full consultation process had been undertaken.

However, the International Federation has agreed to extend the ban worldwide and the RFL are expected to announce its introduction into the domestic game.

The RFL could opt to delay the move until the end of the season but are more likely to fall into line for the sake of uniformity and introduce the ban in Super League and the Championships from this weekend.

Opinion was divided among Super League coaches but Leeds boss Brian McDermott recently called for the shoulder charge to be banned after a change of heart.

RLIF chairman Scott Carter said: "As we look forward to an incredibly exciting season for the game, culminating in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, reviewing rules such as the shoulder charge is an important part of ensuring we have created the right environment for our players.

"Player safety is a fundamental principle and the latest research and current trends show that the shoulder charge has the potential to create an unacceptable risk of injury for players."

Say goodbye to the biff

it's just a matter of time now before running with the ball gets banned and we end up merging with union

no point picking westwood for england now

Mixed feelings on this, but i feel that modern players are so big and fast that these "tackles" are becoming dangerous.

This will destroy the sport in my opinion.

Another straw on the camel's back. Pathetic.

But where do you draw the line? Before long they'll be outlawing hits like the one TL put on Fasavalu. Blanket bans like this are stifling. What's wrong with simply penalising foul play?

As i said, mixed feeling. As for your example, not many people tackle as hard as TL in relation to his size. At 16 in 1974 i was 6' 2" with only two boys in the school taller. Average heights are much greater, in fact i'm the f'ing smallest male adult in the family!

They should raise the net for tennis too, and the basketball hoop.

Current medical evidence coming out of America suggests that hits to the head is leading to brain damage and premature death in NFL players. They've started to look at the issue by outlawing hits with and to the head so this ban, if it didn't happen today would happen tomorrow. Given the amount of times a shoulder charge occurs in play I don't think it's a great loss. If somebody shoulder charges and its hits the head then that's probably as lethal, maybe more so, than a stray arm but, until this ban, I don't think it carried any sort of penalty i.e. usually when a player is hit in the head by a shoulder charge it's because he's fallen into it. We can argue all we want about it but when medical evidence identifies head shots as a problem the sport has to address that or risk a law suit when some player does suffer serious avoidable damage i.e. there is a risk playing RL which players accept but hits to the head we have a responsibility to minimise.

It's not like players can't do big hits anymore, but what it will mean is that those that want to do that will just have to learn how to tackle properly to do it.

My feelings too...