General Rugby Discussion 3

ersatz · 06-11-2025 07:50PM

One thing we can say about the match against the All Blacks at the weekend is that we weren't held up over the line, for once. I think Ireland topped the stats here in the 6N with 5 or 6. I think it was Argentina who were held up 3 times last Summer in the first match against England and it happened 4 times in the Eng/Aus match at the weekend. It's one of those things about the current game that I find incredibly annoying as it seems like a 50/50 shot often to go for it when defenders have become masterful at finding ways to get under the ball. Furlong's try was actually a perfect example of how to avoid it by using a little brains along with the brawn. It's great when we are defending but seems is an opportunity lost in attack, wondering if people think coaches are focussed on this and coaching in detail on how to avoid it.

pickarooney · 08-11-2025 10:04AM

You have to temper that with the fact we didn't get into any positions to get held up apart from the try.

ersatz · 10-11-2025 05:07AM

Yeah, tongue in cheek. Not getting to the line is a bigger problem, obviously.

Joma4good · 10-11-2025 04:12PM

Not sure if anyone else follows two cents rugby on YouTube but this was sad news https://youtu.be/m3YKBldtjgA?si=Ly7C329PeQFAXpXC

Ben Bailey · 12-11-2025 09:41AM

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2025/11/05/irfu-announces-strong-player-welfare-gains-from-two-season-tackle-behaviours-trial/amp/

Interesting

Jump_In_Jack · 12-11-2025 10:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123981977#Comment_123981977

This is great news, one further change required is to outlaw a ball-carrier from leading with the shoulder into contact, the player carrying the ball should not be "bouncing" a would be tackler by driving a shoulder into the tackler's body, the carrier should be trying to evade the tackle, not looking to make a heavy collision. Most of the time the damage in a tackle is done by a ball-carrier lowering their height to create a collision, whereas they should be running upright which makes the tackle safer. Similar to the idea of a tackler not leading with a shoulder with arm tucked in. A fend should be a push of an open hand to the tackler anywhere below the neck, that should be enough, a shoulder barge isn't necessary.

sydthebeat · 12-11-2025 10:18AM

Every single tackle is led by the shoulder.

I don't know where you learned to tackle but we coach kids from a young age "eyes, feet, shoulder, wrap"

There's no tackle without first leading with the shoulder.

Jump_In_Jack · 12-11-2025 10:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123982068#Comment_123982068

You know what I mean, if your arm is tucked in across your chest obviously, your arm should be reaching outward to wrap.

sydthebeat · 12-11-2025 10:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123982071#Comment_123982071

A tucked arm is already not allowed???

I'm not sure if your point here.

What are you saying shouldn't be allowed??

Ah i see you've edited your post to clarify.

Personally I've no problem with a ball carrier bouncing off would be tacklers. If every ball carrier had to absorb the tackle we wouldn't have a game. The fend rules are good enough in my option and do not lead to any significant number of injuries.

A bigger problem is those ball carriers who lift their knees into contact, that's very dangerous

Jump_In_Jack · 12-11-2025 10:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123982087#Comment_123982087

I'm sayng to make the game safer the ball carrier should fend and not hit with their shoulder.
It needs to be trialled, I could see it making a massive difference, especially in the community game as was highlighted by the other trials mentioned in that article.
The results speak for themselves, I'm sure people had their doubts about that trial before the proof came in the reduction of injuries across the board and increased ball in play time etc.

AbusesToilets · 12-11-2025 03:11PM

The NFL made it illegal for runners to lead with their heads in contact, though you rarely see it enforced. Be hard one to put in practice. PI players wouldn't love it I imagine

sydthebeat · 12-11-2025 04:59PM

i dont want a game that doesnt have these collisions.

i dont see how you could legislate for it anyway

the vast, vast majority of these are caused by poor tackling technique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CVUOxVrNpQ

TheRona · 12-11-2025 08:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123982058#Comment_123982058

As an extension to this law change, any forwards running hard at the line must drop the ball and fend with both arms if it looks like they are about to be tackled by two players at once.

pickarooney · 13-11-2025 12:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123982058#Comment_123982058

This is banned at lower level rugby in France ('passage en force') so hopefully can be adopted elsewhere.

Double tackles are also outlawed.

The downside is it becomes easier for defenders to lift and drive you back. That in turn leads to more risky offloads.

pickarooney · 13-11-2025 12:23PM

That's the problem really.

World rugby tries to appeal both to people who are up in arms about head contact and people who want to see virile collisions.

And the Venn diagram of those two groups is a circle.

The half-arsed cockamamie card-tombola rubbish they've come up with fails on both counts. And people are still buying what they're selling.

TheRona · 13-11-2025 02:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123984838#Comment_123984838

How do you stop double tackles? How do the players co-ordinate who takes the tackle if it's between two defenders? What is the punishment for it?

Brief_Lives · 14-11-2025 11:11AM

This is a fun YouTube on foreign born international rugby players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHt9D_SwXEI

pickarooney · 15-11-2025 04:23PM

If a teammate is in the process of tackling you can't join in. No taking the ankles then holding up the ball carrier for example. If two go for the tackle at the same time that's just play on.

Sanction is a scrum or free kick.

Jacovs · 17-11-2025 10:53AM

Some details on the Nations Championship, from a SA perspective.

SA to host:

England 4 July 2026

Scotland 11 July 2026

Wales 18 July 2026

SA to play away:

Italy weekend of 6-8 November 2026

France weekend of 13-15 November 2026

Ireland 21 November 2026

Finals weekend on 27-29 November 2026 at Twickenham.

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/springboks/boks-to-host-england-scotland-and-wales-as-nations-championship-schedule-is-unveiled-20251117-0574

StevenToast · 17-11-2025 12:56PM

Looks interesting…good for the likes of Japan and Fiji...hopefully can bring them on more..I think there is promotion and relegation for this also...

Jacovs · 17-11-2025 01:08PM

Think just the traveling alone favors southern teams.

France goes NZ, Aus, Japan, which is at least all in the one direction.

Ireland goes Aus, up to Japan, back down to NZ.

Italy has Japan, down to NZ, up to Aus.

Wales has Fiji, across to Arg, then across to SA. Thats some serious time zones to cross.

England goes SA, Fiji, Arg, just as bad.

Scotland goes Arg, SA, Fiji, also bad.

When the southern teams go north at the end of the year its all contained between Ireland and Italy, with regards time zones, and all within a couple hours of each other.

icdg · 17-11-2025 02:06PM

Interestingly the finals weekend which will involve all 12 teams will be entirely played in London. While it makes sense from an organisational perspective (and the SH teams will be in Europe) anyway it means no one except England will be at home that weekend.

Here’s the website. No news on tv rights

https://nationschampionshiprugby.com/en

Also just to add, Fiji won’t be playing any games at home - it’s “home” games will be in neutral sites.

Brief_Lives · 17-11-2025 02:26PM

ridiculous travel in July for the 6 nations teams, except france… although it's the france b-team playing then.

StevenToast · 17-11-2025 02:53PM

I think Ireland are playing Japan in Oz aswell...

Exclamation Marc · 17-11-2025 03:28PM

Ridiculous schedule.

URC Final on June 20th. Two weeks later a game in Australia. Japan a week later. NZ a week after that. That could be a monstrous workload for some players.

And I assume with the US game now an annual thing that there's five international games straight in the Autumn?

FtD v2 · 17-11-2025 03:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123995715#Comment_123995715

It'll just mean the provinces are forced into more rotation too, as the mandatory rest periods will probably increase to accommodate all of this.

It's frustrating coincidental timing on the being forced to pay towards the CC players etc, right at the time when you're going to lose them for even more time in all likelihood than ever before.

Ben Bailey · 17-11-2025 03:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123995715#Comment_123995715

Will Ireland v Argentina game go to the USA ?. Doubtful. Scotland could play the ABs there if they like …

icdg · 17-11-2025 05:41PM

I know that Kevin Potts did actually say that, but I don’t see where it could be fit in without dropping a home fixture. And that has revenue implications.

If it really were to be a fifth Autumn game, you would be talking next year about one in October or December, outside of the window, on a weekend with (presumably) a full programme of URC fixtures on.

I think you could only realistically do it every fourth year, the year there’s no NC or RWC on.

50HX · 17-11-2025 06:15PM

We will never hear it & i'm pretty sure it wont happen but the irfu will have to come up with some sort of plan re player minutes for this.

The club is the ultimate looser here to go & play this bag of sh1t.

Give the coach more leeway with regard to squad development thus giving some sort of parity never mind priority to the club.

Thrashssacre · 17-11-2025 08:16PM

Can't wait to watch Leinster under 8s for 80 percent of the season instead of the usual 60, thanks world rugby.

General Rugby Discussion 3

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