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Rule changes will increase player safety
THE Rugby Football League has made two changes to the interpretations of the Rules of the Game for the 2010 season, both of which are designed to increase the safety of players.
The changes, agreed after full consultation with clubs and the Engage Super League coaches, will be implemented from this weekend and during all matches in 2010.
The first concerns the point at which a referee will call 'Held' in a tackle when the ball carrier's leg is lifted by the defending team.
In previous seasons referees have only called 'held' when both legs of the ball carrier were lifted off the ground. From this weekend the referee will call held if just one leg is lifted.
The second is intended to outlaw the practise of dragging tackled players into touch or back towards their own in-goal area.
As soon as the referee sees a tackler dragging the ball carrier in a tackle that involves more than one tackler he will call 'Held.'
"We want to encourage players to complete the tackle as quickly as possible and this new interpretation will end the practice of players being dragged into touch where there is more than one man making the tackle," explained the RFL's Director of Match Officials, Stuart Cummings.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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