To help clubs, coaches, players, match officials and volunteers understand the law change and how it will be applied in practice, the IRFU has produced a series of educational resources, including an explainer video, webinar and educational poster.
What Is A Hip Drop Tackle?
A hip drop tackle occurs when:
- The ball carrier is grasped and tackled from the side or behind.
- The tackler swings around or through the ball carrier.
- The tackler drops their hips or body weight onto the ball carrier's legs.
This can result in a crumpling action where the ball carrier's legs buckle or twist under the tackler's weight, increasing the risk of serious lower-limb injuries.
Hip drop tackle education video:
How Will The Law Be Applied?
Under the amended law, referees will assess tackles based on the actions involved:
Play On
A tackle from behind or the side where there is no swinging action and no dropping of body weight onto the legs.
Penalty
Where the tackler grasps the ball carrier and swings around or through them, with minimal contact on the legs.
Yellow Or Red Card
Where the tackler grasps, swings and drops their weight directly and forcefully onto the ball carrier's legs. The sanction will depend on the degree of danger, as determined by the referee.
Watch back
To provide further guidance and answer questions from across the game, the IRFU hosted a webinar on the implementation of the hip drop tackle law change.
Below you will find the following videos:
- Webinar Introduction
- Coach Development
- Match Officials - Hip Drop
- Match Officials - Knee Drop
- Q&A
Download The Educational Poster
The educational poster below can be displayed in clubhouses, changing rooms and referee facilities to help reinforce understanding of the law change.
Safe Tackle Technique
Players are encouraged to:
- Track the ball carrier
- Get low by bending at the waist
- Wrap the arms while driving the legs or sliding down
- Maintain a tight grasp on the ball carrier's legs
- Bring the player to ground without dropping body weight onto the legs
These techniques help ensure tackles remain both effective and safe.
The IRFU encourages everyone involved in the game to take time to review the resources available and to ensure a consistent understanding of the law change before it comes into effect on 2 November 2026.