The RFL’s independent Board have been updated on the progress made following their adoption in December of 44 recommendations from the sport’s Brain Health and Clinical Advisory Group Sub-Committees to make the sport safer and more accessible at all levels.
The St Helens Community Development Foundation last night (Wednesday) hosted the first in a series of RFL Tackle Safe Workshops, led by Craig Richards, the Saints Coaching Systems Manager, and Chris Spurr, the RFL’s Community Coach Development Manager.
The Leeds Rhinos Foundation will host a similar event on February 10, with a Workshop to be confirmed in East Yorkshire later in the month.
Meanwhile the RFL will host a webinar for all Community Rugby League clubs next Monday (January 22) to provide further detailed explanation of Changes to Rugby League in 2024, following well-attended events specific to the North West Junior League and the Yorkshire Junior League earlier this month.
The RFL Board agreed to a modification of the recommendations regarding Juniors Rugby League which was recommended by the RFL Executive in response to feedback from the Community game.
Touch and Tag Rugby League will now be mandated for Under-6s only in the 2024 season with the other linked recommendations being delayed and amended to reflect this change.
This year’s Under-6s cohort will be mandated to play at their own age from 2024-2026, continuing to play Touch and Tag Rugby League at Under-7s level in 2025, and Under-8s in 2026, before they begin the transition to contact as Under-9s in 2027.
The Under-7s cohort in 2024 will continue to play under Rugby League’s Safe Play Code, based on the principle of small-sided games. This is because many of them started playing on this basis in 2023, as a result of taking part in Under-7s activity a year young.
This means modification to Recommendations 20, 21 and 22 – as detailed on the RFL website.
Marc Lovering, the RFL’s Director of Development, said: “A key principle when the original recommendation was considered was that young players should not be ‘taken back’ from a familiarisation with tackling under the Safe Play Code to playing mandated Touch or Tag.
“Following substantial feedback on the impact the recommendation as originally approved would have on a significant number of players and squads it was considered appropriate to modify the timeline and introduce mandated Touch or Tag from the U6 age group only in 2024.
“These changes are so significant for the sport of Rugby League that we want to do all we can to make them understandable and acceptable to players, officials and, crucially, parents.
“The feedback from the community game on the need for change has been positive. However, given the potential numbers of young players who would be unable to play alongside the same team-mates and potentially threaten some teams' ability to continue, the RFL agreed to review this particular recommendation.
“Subsequently, we therefore recommended a modification to allow this year’s Under-7s cohort to continue playing limited contact Rugby League under the Safe Play Code, with mandated Touch and Tag introduced for Under-6s only - who must play within their own age group not in the Under-7s.”
