Mataiasi Stark 
[Source: World Rugby]
Rugby coaches, referees, and community clubs across Fiji are expected to begin adjusting their approach after World Rugby confirmed changes to the legal tackle height at the grassroots level.
Under the new law, which comes into effect from July 1, 2026, community rugby unions will be given the option to set the legal tackle height at either the waist or the base of the sternum. The move follows two years of trials involving more than 150,000 tackles across 10 countries.
For Fiji, where community and school rugby form the backbone of player development, the law change is likely to influence coaching methods, defensive techniques, and referee education at club, school, and provincial levels. Local unions will still have flexibility under World Rugby’s “Game On” variations to adapt certain phases of play, including pick and go and double tackles.
World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson said the trials showed a clear improvement in tackle behaviour, helping reduce upright tackles while maintaining the flow of the game.
The changes come alongside several other law amendments adopted into full law, including the scrum brake foot to reduce pressure on the neck and head, stricter control of water carriers, and formal recognition of the Television Match Official.
While the new tackle height will apply to community rugby from next year, elite-level trials are set to begin later this month at the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Georgia.
