That could possibly be because there are far more "normal" tackles than shoulder charges in a season

Other than the odd person knocked out cold I don't remember any serious injuries from a shoulder charge.

well said I would have said there are far more blood injuries from leading with elbows than shoulder nudgers, i cant remember one serious injury apart from bells ringing
its ridiculous , its a contact sport where contact to the head is sometimes unavoidable

I'm guessing most / all of the injuries from shoulder charges involved contact with the head. That's a high tackle. It's already illegal.

Virtually every tackle involves shoulder contact. I can see some major interpretation problems with this.

Whilst I wouldn't want to see the shoulder charge go, there is no interpretation necessary as rugby union has proved. If a player doesn't use their arms in the tackle (wrap their arms around the player) then it is an illegal tackle. It is easy to understand for both refs and coaches.

Whether getting rid of the shoulder charge makes the game "softer" I don't know. I used to be more bruised after a union game but more tired after a league game, but as a union prop and a league 2nd row that was probably more to do with the nature of the positions I played.

The shoulder charge is certainly a "crowd pleaser" and not always as effective as you would imagine, but it should stay IMO.

A terrible, unenforceable rule if it comes off. Will this include the ball carrier aswell? Are they going to ban State of Origin? It gets a bit tasty doesn't it?

I've noticed a stealthy watering down of our game over the last couple of years and if this comes in I, as a fan, would probably lose interest and most likely go back to watching ice hockey.

I'm quite a new fan only getting into rugby properly around 10 years ago aged about 25. It was this very thing which got me hooked.

So you could still shoulder charge as long as your opposite arm came around in the tackle aswell, or would it have to be boths arms? Does that mean wingers going for a one arm grab wuld be pulled up? What about driving a single shoulder into the midrift of the opponent, or the chest?

If the leading arm wraps around it can't be a shoulder charge. The simple way the ref looks at it is - does the player use both arms? If not does the player lead with the shoulder? Even in the mess that RU has become this is easy for the ref so in the more open league game it should be even easier. It's actually a simpler decision than the high tackle - a fact that is verifiable by the low number of "shoulder charge" penalties in RU - players simply know they won't get away with it. Which is worrying for those of us that want to keep the shoulder charge.

More serious than brain damage?

Specialist have come to this conclusion, not some blokes in a pub.

Has anyone seen half backs complaining about this? Or is it just forwards who use it effectively?

Gareth O'Brien ‏@gareth_obrien
Shoulder charges can't be banned... Not that I've ever dished one out.. Been on the end of plenty. That's rugby league GOB @TopTashHarrison

lukepatten ‏@lukepatten
Seems to me that the only people that like the fact the shoulder charge has been banned are the ones that have never played the game.

lukepatten ‏@lukepatten
I was having a good day til I heard they banned the shoulder charge! #joke

Jodie Broughton ‏@JodieABroughton
I hope they don't ban shoulder charging over here ! It's part of the game IMO. It does hurt but it's supposed to. #RugbyLeague

Vincent Anderson ‏@VinnieAnderson
At this rate, Rugby League is going to become a sport somewhere in between Rugby Union & Touch Rugby...#NoThanks
Retweeted by zak hardaker

They're just the ones I remember tweeting about it, they might not all be half backs, but they're hardly 20 stone props either.

if its outlawed completely at least it wont be up to the refs interpretation as to wether it was an intended head shot.
i'd ban it anyway as whilst it is exiting to see your player put an opponent on his it often results in a straight red now anyway. and with players becoming bigger stronger and faster the potential for serious injury is much greater then it was in the part time days.
do we really want to see players getting seriously hurt in these modern times.

Some do.

Bullshine.

When?

When was the last time a player was out for more than a couple of weeks max following a shoulder charge?

High tackles are already illegal, if you want to stop shoulders to the head then just make it obvious that they'll be red cards and a few weeks ban.

You know it's for their long term safety, not just a few weeks after.

Presumably then there's a wealth of evidence collected over the past say 20 years or so that 'victims' of the shoulder charge are suffering after retirement as a result of their collisions ?

May aswell bin the tackle pads

which player was that then that suffered brain damage
AND what is the percentage of brain damaged versus shoulder barges??? billions to one I wager...........

Every single time someone gets knocked out they do a hell of a lot of damage to their brain, so every time a shoulder barge results in knocking a player out it results in brain damage

Someone best tell all the players that there not allowed to run the ball in too hard either, ala O'Meley vs Gibbs/ O'Meley vs Roby.
After all the defenders ended up getting knocked out.

I love the shoulder charge, just playing devils advocate

But then you can also say sometimes some of there team mates accidently knocks them out with part of there body..

Rugby Players know the risks in playing our game so calling brain damage being because of shoulder charges is ridiculous.

Shoulder barging is part of RL and if they take it away In SL then it will be a poor move

Quote ="Staffs FC"Presumably then there's a wealth of evidence collected over the past say 20 years or so that 'victims' of the shoulder charge are suffering after retirement as a result of their collisions ?'" The reason the NRL has acted is because over the past few years concussions are up. It's a combination of retreating 10 yards, more interchanges, fitter players and more "impact" players which have got us to were we are. We've already seen a retirement and I'm sure there's been some more this season. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6077333424 It reminds me why were forced to wear crash helmets to ride motorbikes, it has to be a law because some people are too ing stupid not to. Here's a good piece. www.theroar.com.au/2012/11/23/go ... er-charge/

Quote ="Staffs FC"Presumably then there's a wealth of evidence collected over the past say 20 years or so that 'victims' of the shoulder charge are suffering after retirement as a result of their collisions ?'" The reason the NRL has acted is because over the past few years concussions are up. It's a combination of retreating 10 yards, more interchanges, fitter players and more "impact" players which have got us to were we are. We've already seen a retirement and I'm sure there's been some more this season. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6077333424 It reminds me why were forced to wear crash helmets to ride motorbikes, it has to be a law because some people are too ing stupid not to. Here's a good piece. www.theroar.com.au/2012/11/23/go ... er-charge/