In that case we can all look forward to the continual dilution of the sports until it isn't worth watching at all. Look how long it now takes for refs to call held. If some docs happen to say that this is unreasonably dangerous, what then?

What evidence do you have to suggest that's going to happen?

Great, I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't be tricky to find a group of doctors that would confirm that two adults running at one another to take part in a collision which is likely to occur at over a 20mph impact speed to be unreasonably dangerous and will eventually result in broken bones, soft tissue damage, brain damage, possible paralysis and even death.

So there you go, that's a massive liability that needs to be addressed. Maybe we make it a non-contact sport.

But OF COURSE that's what doctors will say if asked to assess high-G collisions! Their ultimate concern is with minimising risk. Do we know the risk assessment on the shoulder charge was carried out by medical professionals for a fact? Or indeed whether a risk assessment was carried out at all?!

I ended up having a beer with a SL club doctor a few years ago in Perpignan, and he told me in no uncertain terms that if they had their way, they'd ban RL. They think we're all fooking mental and a liability, and I get that impression every time I've had to go to my GP or the hospital with a RL-related injury. Can't say I blame them.

Can't help but think it is a lot of fuss about nothing - so it will be banned, the game will continue and within a short space of time it will all be forgotten and no one will notice/comment.

Realistically how many shoulder challenges are made in an average match? Not that many I suspect (I haven't really studied this but can't recall that many and then a lot either miss or are pretty ineffective anyway). A properly effected tackle is far more effective than a shoulder barge.

It is banned from now time to move on.............

bit hits can still be made legally, instead of running in with just the shoulder pointing to the opponent (shoulder charge) the tackler runs in with his arms just at or below his own shoulder height and wraps them around the ball carrier at the same time as driving through the tackle with his upper arm/shoulder. If you look back at some of Tommy's big hits from the last few seasons you will see how effective it is. Not a shoulder charge but a fantastic text book tackle

Agreed, the much vaunted tackle by TL on Maurie Fa'asavalu was a tackle involving his arms and was perfectly timed on exposed ribs, not a jump into a tackle with the shoulder. I always felt that a blatant shoulder charge was a cowardly "tackle", reducing the risk of injury to the bargee. TL clearly puts his head and arms into that tackle, making it not only excellent, but brave.