Super League crackdown to be relaxed for World Club Challenge as players consider strike action

[josie andrews]

The English game has had a crackdown to start 2024.

Tightened English Super League rules regarding contact with the head and neck will reportedly be relaxed for this weekend's World Club Challenge between the Wigan Warriors and Penrith Panthers.

In a chaotic opening weekend of the new Super League season, four players were sent off for making dangerous contact with opposition players.

According to Love Rugby League, the Panthers have already met with a senior RFL referee who reiterated international rules will be used for the World Club Challenge.

The news will come as a relief to the Panthers, who were unclear exactly how the game would be officiated on the weekend when they attempt to avenge last year's defeat in the World Club Challenge, suffered at the hands of St Helens.

Speaking to NRL.com over the weekend, Cleary likened the change in Super League rules during the opening round of the season to that which occurred during the NRL's 2021 Magic Round, when a crackdown on high contact saw a number of players sin-binned or sent off.

The crackdown lasted a handful of weeks before things were once again relaxed in the NRL, although they have never made it back to pre-2021 levels.

“There's still a few [rules] we need to tidy up on, we were just asking about a couple today," Cleary said.

“We obviously know it's going to be different. Again, it's difficult because at the end of the day it sort of comes down to the adjudication of the ref and how they're going to ref it.

"Some things you'll just know on the day, particularly in terms of time in the ruck, flopping in and all that sort of stuff

I saw there were so many send-offs in the Super League at the weekend. It was almost like us in 2021, there was that crackdown in Magic Round. There was heaps of people getting sin-binned and all that.

“We'll just be telling the boys ‘don't hit anyone in the head'! We don't want to be losing anyone. You shouldn't be doing that anyway. I think we'll be alright”

Also changed from the NRL will be no two-point field goals and the return of six agains rather than penalties for ruck infringements all over the field, whereas the NRL adjusted that rule last year to reward a penalty for a team in their own 40-metre zone.

Contact to the head and neck has been a major talking point for contact spots all over the world, and the Super League have already confirmed all tackling from next year will need to be made under armpit level.

There is no guarantee that will be the case though, with Rugby League Live reporting that even this year's crackdown has Super League players weighing up the idea of strike action being taken.

It's understood multiple players have the will to explore their options over the changes to the game, which impacted numerous contests over the weekend and will also result in an increasing number of suspensions across the course of the season.

In addition to the four send-offs, another nine players were sin-binned, while nine players have been suspended and another three will front the tribunal.

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