@article{ref1,
title="Non-sanctioning of illegal tackles in South African youth community rugby",
journal="Journal of science and medicine in sport",
year="2018",
author="Brown, J. C. and Boucher, S. J. and Lambert, M. and Viljoen, W. and Readhead, C. and Hendricks, S. and Kraak, W. J.",
volume="21",
number="6",
pages="631-634",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: The tackle event in rugby union ('rugby') contributes to the majority of players' injuries. Referees can reduce this risk by sanctioning dangerous tackles. A study in elite adult rugby suggests that referees only sanction a minority of illegal tackles. The aim of this study was to assess if this finding was similar in youth community rugby. <br><br>DESIGN: Observational study. <br><br>METHODS: Using EncodePro, 99 South African Rugby Union U18 Youth Week tournament matches were coded between 2011 and 2015. All tackles were coded by a researcher and an international referee to ensure that laws were interpreted correctly. The inter- and intra-rater reliabilities were 0.97-1.00. A regression analysis compared the non-sanctioned rates over time. <br><br>RESULTS: In total, 12 216 tackles were coded, of which less than 1% (n=113) were 'illegal'. The majority of the 113 illegal tackles were front-on (75%), high tackles (72%) and occurred in the 2nd/4th quarters (29% each). Of the illegal tackles, only 59% were sanctioned. The proportions of illegal tackles and sanctioning of these illegal tackles to all tackles improved by 0.2% per year from 2011-2015 (p<0.05). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: In these youth community rugby players, 59% of illegal tackles were not sanctioned appropriately. This was better than a previous study in elite adult rugby, where only 7% of illegal tackles were penalised. Moreover, the rates of illegal tackles and non-sanctioned illegal tackles both improved over time. However, it is critical that referees consistently enforce all laws to enhance injury prevention efforts. Further studies should investigate the reasons for non-sanctioning.<br><br>Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1440-2440",
doi="10.1016/j.jsams.2017.10.016",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2017.10.016"
}