Bang on, i'd say more injuries happen by players falling awkwardly under the weight of other players tackles than anything else.

No I didn't. I agreed that shoulder charges can cause injuries. As Jonny & Smokey (There's a crime fighting duo surely!
No they haven't. Every single one of my Union friends would love to see shoulder charges in Union, so would the committee at my local Union club.

Lets hope this reckless act (which isn't even a tackle) is banned from our sport in the same way the Rugby football Union did.


That is all.

Indeed it is.

And as we all have agreed it's very easy to get the 'shoulder charge' wrong.

Given the target area (the sternum) it's sadly very easy to get it wrong and end up smashing the other players jaw, knocking their teeth out, fracturing their skull or even damaging their spine through mistiming it.

Also I think we can agree that the sternum (and the rib cage in general) is responsible for protecting many organs and major arteries. You start smashing it about with a 100 kg plus bloke and the consequences could be dire.


Yes accidents do happen and as Rugby League is a full contact sport sadly they do happen ...wherever you tackle someone.

The risks can hopefully be made less by banning the shoulder charge as RU have done.

I'm sure i've heard you say all of that before.

I strongly suggest you get someone to explain it to you as you don't seem to have grasped it.


I don't have a problem with 3 men in the tackle.

But shoulder charges are dangerous and should (and hopefully will) be banned from our sport. Sooner rather than later.



You concentrate on your campaign to get all international sides to wear red and white jerseys and leave the more technical stuff to people that know what they are on about.

Now if you will excuse me Jonny I have a Huddersfield v Wigan fixture to watch. I'm looking forward to this one. Lets hope the shoulder charges are kept to a minimum.

I understand it boy, I read what people write, unlike you did on the other thread. I'm suprised you didn't finish that post with something along the lines of.....

'The risks can hopefully be made less by banning the shoulder charge as RU have done'
'One area of the game where Union has got it right.'
'RU have got it right'
'RU have definately got it right by banning it from the 15 man code and fingers crossed RL will do the same.'

Yadda Yadda Yadda. Change the record.

It's easy if players are allowed to be reckless. If they are penalised for "reckless" shoulder charges they will think more and be more careful.


As it is with a regular tackle. Paul Deacon was on the receiving end of a nasty facial injury a few years playing for GB. It wasn't a shoulder charge.


Obviously. Thanks for the Year 7 Biology class.


So we should ban regular tackles too then shouldn't we? It's still a 100kg bloke smashing into the rib cage. Often with a nice forearm for added effect.



Finally we get to the crux of the matter. Injuries will happen regardless. A shoulder charge is no more dangerous than a regular tackle. A reckless shoulder charge should be penalised and punished, as should a reckless, regular tackle.

I was at that game when Deacon got hit off the ball, Kidwell was it? Fractured his palet in his mouth. Ouch.

its a tough one with the 3rd man coming in, sometimes it can be done maliciously and in an unsporting manner.
Dont know how that can be policed.

The shoulder charge is great to lift the atmosphere etc..
but some of them in the past I always thought should be penalised,
bailey on faz, morley on various people etc..

Everyone tackle even without a shoulder charge is aiming for this area, that is where your taught to hit from a kid.

Injuries are part and parcel of Rugby league and can happen anytime every player knows this and still plays, take my injuries own i broke my hand and wrist grabbing someones collar and getting my hand stuck in the collar as they fell.

So let's rule out that then, i have seen someone snap there hamstring when taking a kick, let's rule that out.

Phil bailey in the semi a few years hurt is leg running in let's rule that out.

You see my point the shoulder charge is part of rugby league, there are no more injuries from shoulder charges than they are from any other aspect of rugby league.