Referee boss takes aim at World Rugby

France’s head of referees Mathieu Raynal has hit out at World Rugby over the timing of its new tackle laws.

World Rugby has banned the hip-drop tackle from 1 November, while the ban on the knee-drop tackle has taken effect immediately.

Raynal welcomes the move to improve player safety but says the timing contradicts an agreement that new laws would only be introduced during the July international window, ahead of the Nations Championship.

“We are extremely surprised by the timetable imposed by World Rugby,” Raynal told Rugbyrama.

“We had agreed, with all the nations and World Rugby, that any new rule would only come into effect during the July international window. We will therefore naturally ask World Rugby for an explanation regarding this change of timetable.”

MORE: World Rugby cracks down on ‘drop’ tackles

The former Test referee is particularly concerned about how officials should handle hip-drop tackles before the new law comes into force, as well as the lack of clarity around sanctions.

“The hip-drop tackle is a dangerous form of tackle,” he said. “The positive point is World Rugby’s attention to the evolution of practices and its willingness to take responsibility for player protection.

“This is a very positive step, which we welcome. That being said, if this type of tackle presents a significant enough danger to justify regulatory intervention, why not implement this measure immediately?

“What should we do about this type of tackle between now and 1 November?”

He added that French referees had yet to receive sufficiently precise guidelines on the sanctions expected for hip-drop tackles.

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Raynal also questioned the need to formally introduce the knee-drop ban, arguing that tackling an opponent while on the ground was already illegal.

“It’s positive that this prohibition is now explicitly formalised,” he said. “However, it has always been forbidden to tackle an opponent when you are yourself on the ground.

“In France, we have been refereeing and penalising this type of tackle with a knee on the ground for over two and a half years. For us, this formalisation therefore changes absolutely nothing.”

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