First they came for the shoulder charge, and I didn't speak out because I'm unable to engage in logical reasoning.

Then they came for the kick-offs, and I didn't speak out because I'm unable to engage in logical reasoning.

Then they came for the goal-line drop-outs, and I didn't speak out because I'm unable to engage in logical reasoning.

Then I was left watching rugby union because I was unable to engage in logical reasoning and they killed rugby league.

And just in case anyone accuses me of using the slippery slope fallacy, keep in mind that once the shoulder charge is gone the media and do-gooders will have to find another bone to chew. There were hints last year that the kick-off will be the next to go.

will be the next controversy. The NRL will be pressured into another study, they'll find again that injuries are higher in said circumstance, they'll find again that the NFL are worried about it and they'll say they have no choice but to ban it because of threat of lawsuit. My prediction is that in the same swoop, goal-line drop-outs will be taken.

I think it's just a matter of time, sorry to say. Who knows where from there. I think they might draw a line in the sand after that, I can't personally see them reverting to a 5-metre line, but who knows, a Demolition Man style society seems to be a few decades away

Scrum halves and general play kickers will absoulutely love this, anyone who attempts to charge a kick down, just run straight at them, hit the deck and claim a penalty for a "shoulder charge"

Couldn't agree more. All this fannying around with the rules is peeing me off, especially when their are more fundamental issues with the game at a more strategic level that should be being addressed.

The Shoulder charge has been banned from the upcoming weekend onwards.

The problem with the game is not the shoulder charge, but the penalty for getting it wrong. The RFL don't have the balls to install and administer strong enough penalties for getting it wrong.

The Bousquet case is a classic example of what is wrong with the game, he makes a fractious appeal against a 4 match ban that really ought to have been half a season knowing that it could be increased if it failed, so he would have had no complaint about it being 5 or 6 matches, and what do the RFL do to discourage such frivolous appeals? Naff all!

They can ban anything they want but until they install penalties big enough to make players such as Bousquet and Chase think twice before committing such cowardly acts it will be pointless because if they think taking a key player out of a team with a high tackle disguised as a shoulder charge will only incur a 1 or 2 match ban with an option of pleading guilty and getting even that reduced then they will continue to do it.

Whilst I think that a high percentage of shoulder barges don't effect a tackle properly and do clearly increase the chances of injury to both parties I think outlawing it is wrong.
There is far too much of a grey area regarding the actual contact, at what point is it actually shoulder barge?
Given the shoulder should make contact first and foremost in a 'proper' tackle anyway what if the arms do not contact the player even if an attempt is made. How can a referee/touchie who can't even see obvious (and often deliberate) forward passes adjudge in a split second if an attempt was made to put the arms around the opponent at any given point.
Define 'an attempt', do the arms need to be outstretched, do the arms need to make contact at all.
It would reduce concussions/injuries but to a minimal extent but more importantly as many have said there are other things in the game that cause more.
If the RFL want to avoid lawsuits then get the players to sign forms absolving the RFL and clubs from such but allowing them to take civil/criminal proceedings against players who deliberately aim an elbow/blind sided punch/headbutt etc to harm a player, there's never ever an excuse for that.
Attack to the head should be a 10 game suspension with a hefty fine somewhere along the lines of a grand.
The RFL have shown their true colours yet again...s

Spineless s.

www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/27 ... s-shoulder

www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/27 ... s-shoulder

Heres one to divide the masses!

I agree with the banning of it due to the ridiculously thin line between dangerous and reckless. People can throw stats around all they want but a late and aggressive 'charge' with the shoulder can clearly cause serious injury. I darent say it but it was only a matter of time till someone got/gets really badly injured.

It is a shame to see something that made us different from our brother code come falling down around us and it does take something away from our game but as someone said earlier, a proper full blooded tackle can stir crowds up as much as the charge did.

Not much we can do now its happened however. Players reaction hasn't been overwhelmingly positive either.

Words cannot describe how thoroughly p*ssed off and downheartened by this moronic decision I am. Been losing interest in the regular season for a few years and the RFL decide to make our game more repetitive and less interesting. While there's a lot more to the game, 'big hits'are something most of us love.

Pandering to the NRL and RLIF and actually paying attention to those morons in the media who've never even played, and also senile idiots like Stevo - how the hell is that doing our game any good?

Where is the justification for this? The facts, figures and stats showing how often the shoulder charge is used, and the presumably devastating effect the it has had on hundreds of players down the years? How many players have been seriously and/or permanently injured or hospitalised down the years? And if not, why change the bloody rule at all!??

Shoulder charges are not the problem. Attacking people's heads is the problem. The two are not the same thing. RL is often described as repetitive and this decision has just removed one of the most stirring sights in the sport.

Blake Solly and the rest of the idiots involved in this decision - p*ss off to tiddlywinks where you might just fit in. In fact, just p*ss off.

They just keep chipping away and chipping a little bit more.

Will attacking players still be able to lead with the shoulder?

It is effectively the same movement and (now that the defender has to wrap his arms) will increase the risk of seriously hurting the defender.

Wow the mock outrage over this is quite remarkable, even by RL standards. Rarely see a shoulder charge in games these days anyway.

Spot on. I got the abacus out earlier, and worked out that in the NRL last year there was a total of 72 shoulder tackles, meaning an average of 0.3 per game. Presuming we interpret the law in the same way they did in the All Stars game, it will be perfectly permissible to make contact purely with the shoulder, providing an attempt is made to put the arms in a tackling position, as per Inglis.

At the end of the day an independent report recommended the practice was banned. Had the governing bodies ignored this advice and a player became seriously injured it would without doubt lead to litigation on the grounds of negligence, duty of care etc.

Absolute joke. As a supporter i love seeing a big hit. It gets the fans going and the players love it, it can change the momentum of a game. For examle on Sunday, Pickersgill gave Mika a hit, next time Pickersgill got the ball Mika shoulder charged him and absolutely skittled him forcing a knock on. Every single player ran in to pat him on the head all geed up, the fans loved it, nothing dangerous about it.. so ffs RFL why why why get rid of it. As already stated its the bans for contact with the head that need sorting and would have been the logical decision. On twitter the players are pretty upset about it and as Cory Patterson put it 'for someone who has never played the game to make this decision is disappointing'. Another player said 'the players know the risk every time we go on the pitch'. The ironic and infuriating thing is that when trying to enforce this new ruling the bans for committing a shoulder charge 'offence' will probably be similar to the recent ones given for contact with the head. The definition of incompetent decision making, no bottle or common sense.

To be fair to the RFL it sounds like they tried to keep it in. Looks like it's gone down well with the players. Only way they could have created more of an outrage is by not paying them anymore.