Ban tackling all together - so let's play touch. But wait, collisions still happen in touch...there was a head-clash in the game I refereed the other day. So fu*k it, let's play lawn bowls (should probably bubble-wrap everyone though, just in case they slip over and hit their head).
A pointless strawman comment that contributes nothing to the discussion.
I think some are missing the point here.
Yes, tackling is inherently dangerous, but it is a
controlled situation, where both the tackler and the ball carrier have their feet on the ground. They are also looking at each other and there are techniques that can save both the tackler and the tackled player from serious injury. Additionally, the game is making a strong effort to rule out ball carriers hitting the ground head first.
The same cannot be said when two players jump for the ball; a situation that is not in any way analagous to a tackle. It is a totally uncontrolled situation, with two players running towards each other looking at the ball, not where they are going; there are no effective techniques that will help either player if they collide in the air, and what happens next is out of their control. The only thing they can do is brace for impact with the ground. If the collision causes one or both players' bodies to start rotating (as happened to the Benetton player), then the impact is going to be a bad one, and likely to cause serious injury. There are about 150 - 300 tackles in match; there are only a few occasions each match where players jump to catch a ball from a kick ahead in general play, which seems to be when these accidents happen. I don't have statistics to hand, but I'll bet anything you like that on a per-incident basis, injury numbers from aerial collisions between players are a very much higher than they are on a per tackle basis.
But what can they do exactly? Tackling a player in the air is already an offence, so is Dangerous Charging. So the only thing they could possibly do IMO is ban players jumping for the ball - but I don't know if they want to to go down that route. Personally, I'd have no problem with it; sort of "The game is to be played by players on their feet ... while staying on the ground" if you like.
I'm loath to suggest making a knee-jerk change lest we suffer from another set of unintended consequences. However, there is no reason why the iRB could not experiment in the Laws Labs with some of the following;
1. banning jumping for the ball in general play for all players
2. ban the players from the kicking team from jumping
3. Change the
"mark allowed" area to anywhere in a player's own half & give a gain in ground for the FK