SA Rugby standardises the age at which tackling begins for juniors
SA Rugby has set a uniform starting age for tackling in youth rugby, ensuring that players in the Under-5 to Under-8 brackets participate exclusively in non-contact formats like TAG and Touch Rugby.
Full contact and tackling will commence in the U9 category, supported by a clearly defined “Confidence and Safety in Contact” programme. This initiative will be rolled out in the latter half of the U8 season to establish essential skills—such as falling, rolling, wrestling, and absorbing contact—and will form part of a six-week pre-season readiness block before the U9 rugby programme begins.
“With more than 400,000 primary school players, South Africa hosts one of the world's largest youth rugby bases, yet there has been no clearly defined tackling age among major rugby nations,” said Clint Readhead, General Manager of SA Rugby’s Medical Department.
“This gap has caused inconsistency, safety concerns, and confusion across provinces, schools, clubs, and academies. The support from Exco for this proposal marks a decisive move to protect player safety, safeguard development pathways, and establish a uniform national framework.”
The new framework reflects international best practice and follows examples of unions such as the Blue Bulls, who have already adopted this approach. Delaying tackling while prioritising enjoyment and fundamental skill development has demonstrated improvements in safety, helped retain young players in the sport, and boosted long-term performance.
The proposal was crafted by a special SA Rugby task team formed in 2024, charged with identifying the safest and most developmentally appropriate age for South African children to begin tackling.
“We are thrilled to have a tackle age aligned across the rugby ecosystem in South Africa,” said Ian Schwartz, General Manager of SA Rugby’s Participation & Development Department.
The policy will be enforced system-wide—across schools, clubs, associate members, and non-affiliated rugby organizations involved with youth rugby. The overarching aim is Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) and safety: preparing young players for contact to minimize injuries, sustain enthusiasm for the game, and build a durable rugby pathway.
Noël Ingle, whose term as chairperson of the SA Schools Rugby Association (SASRA) recently ended, welcomed the move toward a standardised tackle age and a structured introductory programme focused on confidence and safety in contact.
“The Task Team drew on medical and scientific expertise, comparative research, international benchmarks, and broad stakeholder input, including extensive surveys of primary school coaches,” Ingle noted.
Survey results indicated strong support for a national standard, with 91% of respondents advocating clear guidelines on introducing contact and 65% backing the establishment of a minimum tackle age.
The plan also calls for enhanced coach education, requiring all primary school and youth coaches to complete a suite of World Rugby and BokSmart online certifications, including Tackle Ready, Breakdown Ready, and Tackle Height Change Education. All supporting materials will be accessible on the SA Rugby website in 2026.
The compulsory implementation of the standard tackle age across all youth and amateur rugby structures will commence in 2026.
Key people: SA Rugby, Ian Schwartz, Clint Readhead, Noël Ingle, SASRA
