World Rugby have recently announced a law change and a law application guideline relating to dangerous tackles. As a body of match officials our number one priority is player safety and welfare, a role we take very seriously and perform diligently. I would urge you to access and study the resources referenced below.
Law Change - the ‘hip drop’ type tackle has been added to law 9.13 (dangerous tackling). Effective 1st November this tackling technique becomes illegal globally. To protect the integrity of competitions being played over the course of this coming weekend it takes effect in Ireland from Monday 2nd November. You can read about the law change on the World Rugby Passport Site here https://passport.world.rugby/laws-of-the-game/whats-new/2026-11-law-change-hip-drop-tackles/ . The IRFU have produced a poster and video which clearly state and show what constitutes a legal tackle and what should be deemed illegal and dangerous. They are attached to this message and you can also view these in the Referee Development Resource on Gainline. They are located in the Course Materials section under Laws of the Game. As of yet there is no formal secondary signal for this offence. A clear verbal explanation and a point to the hip will suffice for now.
Law Application Guideline - Across the game globally there has been an increasing trend for players to drop to a knee or knees before making a tackle. Several player welfare concerns for ball carriers and tacklers have emerged due to this trend. Players who are off their feet are out of the game and should not make or attempt to make a tackle. You can read about the law application guideline and see some examples of ‘knee drop’ tackles here https://passport.world.rugby/laws-of-the-game/law-application-guidelines/dangerous-tackles-october-2026/ . This law application guideline is effective immediately.
The IRFU held a webinar on Thursday 29th October to explain the law change and application guideline. You can view the recording of the webinar in the Referee Development Resource on Gainline. It is in the Course Materials section under Laws of the Game.
Should you have any queries in relation to these law matters please contact the me or the Referee Development Manager in your province.
