TWICKENHAM, England (AP) English rugby is to trial a player safety initiative which lowers the legal height of a tackle in a bid to reduce concussion and other injuries.
The Rugby Football Union-led trial next season will take place in the 43-match Championship Cup competition, which is contested by clubs in English rugby's second tier.
Details announced by the RFU see the definition of a high tackle lowered from above the line of the shoulders to above the armpit line.
The move has been made in collaboration with World Rugby.
In a statement, the RFU said: ''The trial aims to assess the impact of introducing a lower tackle height in elite adult rugby on the incidence of concussion and other injuries, player behavior in the tackle, the nature of tackles, head injury events and other game events.''
It added: ''All data will be shared with World Rugby to be added to research collected from a similar trial in the World Rugby under-20 Trophy competition.''
