USA Rugby's Game Management Guidelines 2012 states that "leading with the shoulder (making deliberate contact with the shoulder first, and then wrapping with the arm/s) or swinging the arm into contact" when tackling is foul play and should lead to PK and admonishment and/or suspension.
Why is there no similar law for the ball carrier? Or is there? This weekend in a college woman's game there were several instances where the attacking ball carrier, awarded a penalty near the goal line, would turn, dip her shoulder, and drive upward into a defensive player...it seemed almost as if this sort of punishing contact, and not scoring, was ball carrier's purpose. If the shoulder is driven into contact into the tacklers head is this considered dangerous play at least? Thanks.
Why is there no similar law for the ball carrier? Or is there? This weekend in a college woman's game there were several instances where the attacking ball carrier, awarded a penalty near the goal line, would turn, dip her shoulder, and drive upward into a defensive player...it seemed almost as if this sort of punishing contact, and not scoring, was ball carrier's purpose. If the shoulder is driven into contact into the tacklers head is this considered dangerous play at least? Thanks.
has been a common contact technique in my rugby career back to 1970. No law against it, unless it is viewed by the match official as dangerous play. 