High tackles

[northerntiger]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38322884

What do we think. I've no problems with high tackles being penalized, but I'm not too sure about penalising accidental ones

[Tigerbeat]

No problem with accidental high tackles being penalised with a penalty so long as there is some consistency with all the referees.

[northerntiger]

'If head contact is accidental - for example, if a ball-carrier slips into a tackle - a penalty will be awarded'

Its this bit I don't really like. Impossible to avoid if you are the tackler, and raises the spectre of players deliberately slipping

[Offside]

Yes,ducking into a tackle or accidentally slipping seems to be a grey area currently and this will make it a "yellow" area. It goes back to intent of the player. Hard fast hits that can miss the chest and swinging arms once a defender has been stepped will become very risky. This may lead to a more passive defence. The laws do seem to be drifting. If passes had to go backwards regardless of the speed players were running forward and players entering the ruck had to remain on their feet and could not be pulled down onto the ball by the opposition then some of the problems would not occur in the first place. The changes do appear to be piece meal.