Ban the shoulder charge?

[cpwigan]

Personally I like it. However, times / opinions seem to have changed. Are we not better outlawing it like RU / Junior RL?

Greg Inglis has caused a stir

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zriu2V-uYjU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_jVZJudl2g[/youtube]

I personally thought Inglic hit the chest first BUT I can see why today such hits gain the reaction they did. Oddly in the past I can remember Andy Greg belting Mal Meninga far worse with no damage at CP, Barrie Mac even worse on Paul Sironen.

http://www.gattonstar.com.au/story/201 ... at-charge/

[x Wigan Warrior x]

i can see why on these videos. He jumps up and into the player causing his forearm to go into the players throat and head area.

[eccywarrior]

no they shouldnt. rugby league is a contact sport so you bound to get things like this. if we start banning things like this then our sport will lose its identity of being a tough sport.

[cow yeds]

Should be banned before someone gets seriously hurt.

[platt-warrior]

By definition a shoulder charge should be just that,a charge shoulder to shoulder.Not as the video shows,Inglis making contact with the chest then the head.Any frontal contact should be with the front of the torsoe and arms.
As a previous poster has said this is a full contact sport and should remain so imo.

[jobo]

Spectacular when it's executed correctly but it too often goes wrong, either by accident or deliberately. Wouldn't necessarily ban it but if someone uses it and they somehow come into contact with the head of the opposing player, then they should get a very long ban. Mind you after the Rangi Chase incident, don't think you could trust the judiciary with the decision so maybe it should be banned altogether.

[platt-warrior]

I always thought Tommies execution of a shoulder charge was great,in most cases.For a shorter guy he is great,not much chance of many head shots there.

[markill]

If the shoulder charge is below the neck then its fine, its a legitimate tackle. I don't think for a second Inglis was looking to put the shoulder to the face.

For those who've seen it, the impact was influenced by other factors than the style of tackle. Firstly, Inglis was trying to stop a man who was breaking through, not trying to hit the man with a shoulder. Secondly, the man was caught from behind just before Inglis reached him, so the impact didn't happen how Inglis was expecting it to. Thirdly, the bloke had his head turned and turned it back into Inglis' path - so again unintentional.

Players can get just as seriously hurt from running into a boot, hip or knee as they fall as the can a shoulder. Or, for that matter, the ground, the posts (Amos!), the advertising boards.

The point of contact was dangerous, not the tackle itself. You ban the shoulder barge and players will become softer and start feigning more injuries or try to get players sent off - do we want that? and don't say it doens't happen. Footbal softened the rules and now everyone is looking to get opposition sent off. Even in RL i've seen it attempted.

What needs to be done is players who use it wrongly should be banned - serious contact above the neck should bring about a ban, whether it be shoulder, punch or swinging arm tackle. I'm pretty sure the rules cater for that anyway, unless you play for Leeds, so I don't think it needs changing.

[wiganwarriordave]

I like it when its well executed. However, playing a game at full pace, the difference between a legal shot to the chest and a knock-out potentially career ending shot to the neck/jaw, is a few inches. In the case of GI above, all it takes is a slight fall into the tackle and it's cringeworthy to watch. It pains me to say it, as like above, i love Tommy and others low down bone crunchers, but sooner or later with players getting bigger, stronger and faster, someone will end up in a wheelchair or worse. Lets stop it before that happens.

[cpwigan]

I concur with the views here. Another example, nobody ever gets hurt when a brawl breaks out but the RFL now go ape whenever it happens.