Patrick
Getting to know the game
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2014
- Messages
- 83
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Everyone,
So sorry I haven't paid enough attention to my own post - the 'real job' is beginning to really crimp my rugby 'job'.
Anyway - so I guess I was trying to lead people into a logical path to show how shorter Laws isn't always a matter of just cutting stuff out and smaller fonts (I made that last part up).
Many of you have somewhat figured it out but I'll spell it out:
Charge and push are two very different things and, unfortunately, should have been treated differently and are specific to location of ball-carrier on the pitch.
First - the Charge tackle
- The charge is a direct and disgusting way of leading with a shoulder or head with little or no attempt to wrap (or use hands). This is American Football at it's most dangerous for ball-carrier AND tackler.
I STILL have young men that join my team that insist their American Football coach continue to instruct them in the 'proper' way to use your head and shoulders in a charge tackle - some part of me dies every time I hear that.
Second - the Push tackle
- This is pretty straight forward - in open play a defensive players pushes the ball-carrier in an attempt tackle - rarely works.
- BUT, when a ball-carrier is near or close to the Touch-line, the push tackle is very effective but carries the potential risks listed in detail above. An accelerated player loosing his ability to stop or slow or dodge and obstacle from a spectator (behind the ropes or not) or a rope holding device - PVC, wire, etc., tree, goal post, water cooler, etc., etc., etc., - is very real and dangerous.
Here's the deal - the two are NOT the same.
Mental experiment - imagine a charge tackle at the point of right before contact and at contact. No arms.
Now, imagine the same thing but at the point of contact, the defensive player brings his arms around and attempts to grasp the ball-carrier.
In the last example - it becomes clear - attempting to wrap physically stops a charge tackle.
So, bringing it back - a better set of laws to cover this would be to require all tacklers to attempt to grasp the ball-carrier. This would stop all dangerous charges and all into-Touch shoves, pushes, etc.
I don't think a push, being as it requires the defensive player to use his arms, would be an open field PK. That, and it's not all the effective at stopping a ball-carrier.
Charging then - would be any attempt to come in contact with a ball-carrier without the use of hands / arms first. PK or Yellow
Pushing then - would be any defensive player intentionally not attempting to grasp in some manner the ball-carrier into-Touch. PK or Red
Those would cover everything - I think. But, can't wait to hear all your opinions.
Again, sorry for not stepping back in sooner.
Patrick
So sorry I haven't paid enough attention to my own post - the 'real job' is beginning to really crimp my rugby 'job'.
Anyway - so I guess I was trying to lead people into a logical path to show how shorter Laws isn't always a matter of just cutting stuff out and smaller fonts (I made that last part up).
Many of you have somewhat figured it out but I'll spell it out:
Charge and push are two very different things and, unfortunately, should have been treated differently and are specific to location of ball-carrier on the pitch.
First - the Charge tackle
- The charge is a direct and disgusting way of leading with a shoulder or head with little or no attempt to wrap (or use hands). This is American Football at it's most dangerous for ball-carrier AND tackler.
I STILL have young men that join my team that insist their American Football coach continue to instruct them in the 'proper' way to use your head and shoulders in a charge tackle - some part of me dies every time I hear that.
Second - the Push tackle
- This is pretty straight forward - in open play a defensive players pushes the ball-carrier in an attempt tackle - rarely works.
- BUT, when a ball-carrier is near or close to the Touch-line, the push tackle is very effective but carries the potential risks listed in detail above. An accelerated player loosing his ability to stop or slow or dodge and obstacle from a spectator (behind the ropes or not) or a rope holding device - PVC, wire, etc., tree, goal post, water cooler, etc., etc., etc., - is very real and dangerous.
Here's the deal - the two are NOT the same.
Mental experiment - imagine a charge tackle at the point of right before contact and at contact. No arms.
Now, imagine the same thing but at the point of contact, the defensive player brings his arms around and attempts to grasp the ball-carrier.
In the last example - it becomes clear - attempting to wrap physically stops a charge tackle.
So, bringing it back - a better set of laws to cover this would be to require all tacklers to attempt to grasp the ball-carrier. This would stop all dangerous charges and all into-Touch shoves, pushes, etc.
I don't think a push, being as it requires the defensive player to use his arms, would be an open field PK. That, and it's not all the effective at stopping a ball-carrier.
Charging then - would be any attempt to come in contact with a ball-carrier without the use of hands / arms first. PK or Yellow
Pushing then - would be any defensive player intentionally not attempting to grasp in some manner the ball-carrier into-Touch. PK or Red
Those would cover everything - I think. But, can't wait to hear all your opinions.
Again, sorry for not stepping back in sooner.
Patrick
