Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men’s professional rugby league

Cameron Owen; James Tooby; Thomas Sawczuk; Greg Roe; Gemma Phillips; Sean Scantlebury; Dane Vishnubala; Andrew J. Gardner; Sharief Hendricks; Rich D. Johnston; Ash T. Kolstad; Keith Stokes; Ross Tucker; Ben Jones

doi:10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677

Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men’s professional rugby league

Cameron Owen
, James Tooby
, Thomas Sawczuk
, Greg Roe
, Gemma Phillips
, Sean Scantlebury
, Dane Vishnubala
, Andrew J. Gardner
, Sharief Hendricks
, Rich D. Johnston
, Ash T. Kolstad
, Keith Stokes
, Ross Tucker
, Ben Jones

Leeds Beckett University
Rugby Football League Limited
Leeds Metropolitan University
The University of Sydney School of Health Sciences
University of Cape Town
Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study
Australian Catholic University
University of Calgary
Rugby Football Union
World Rugby Limited
PREM Rugby

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Objective: To quantify concussion and head acceleration event (HAE) probability in rugby league tackles by tackle height and role and simulate seasonal counts across different tackle height distributions. Methods: Using a prospective cohort study, data reflecting clinically diagnosed concussions (n=56) and HAEs (n=4632; measured via instrumented mouthguards from 23 081 tackles in 92 players) were collected during the 2023 men’s Super League season. Video analysis captured tackle heights for all concussive and accelerometer-measured tackles. Role-specific probabilities were calculated using cumulative link mixed models. Monte Carlo simulation quantified concussions and HAEs across the current tackle-height distribution and three lower tackle-height distributions (weighted redistribution (increased torso tackles), even redistribution (increased torso and lower body tackles) and observed law trial distribution). Results: Ball-carriers experienced the highest concussion and HAE risk from head/neck contact compared with other tackle heights (eg, HAE ≥25 g; 2.7% vs 0.4%–1.1%), while tackler risk was similar. The number of ball-carrier concussions (16 vs 8–9) and HAEs (≥25 g; 830 vs 357–556) decreased with all lower tackle-height distributions. For tacklers, the only meaningful change was an increase in HAEs following the even redistribution of a lower tackle height (≥25 g; 2081 vs 2204). When considering both roles together, only even and weighted lower tackle-height redistributions reduced the total number of lower-to-moderate magnitude HAEs, with no meaningful differences observed for concussions or higher magnitude (≥55 g) HAEs. Conclusion: Lowering the tackle height creates a protection paradox, benefiting ball-carriers, while potentially maintaining or increasing the risk for tacklers. Simulated findings may inform policy changes by estimating outcomes and allowing evaluation prior to implementation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	706-713
Number of pages	8
Journal	British journal of sports medicine
Volume	60
Issue number	10
Early online date	14 Apr 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677
Publication status	Published - 5 May 2026

Data Availability Statement

No data are available. All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. Data cannot be shared outside of the research team due to the ethical approval received.

Funding

CO, SS and JT research fellowships are part-funded by the Rugby Football League. TS is part funded by Premiership Rugby and World Rugby. GR research fellowship is part-funded by Premiership Rugby. AJG has a clinical practice in neuropsychology involving individuals who have sustained sport-related concussion. He is a concussion consultant to Rugby Australia and the Sydney Swans Football Club. He is the global clinical lead for the World Rugby Brain Health Service. He is a member of the World Rugby Concussion Working Group, and a member of the Australian Football League Concussion Scientific Advisory Committee. He has received travel funding or been reimbursed by professional sporting bodies and commercial organisations for discussing or presenting sport-related concussion research at meetings, scientific conferences, workshops and symposiums. He is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant. He acknowledges unrestricted philanthropic support from the National Rugby League, the International Olympic Committee, the Australian Sports Commission and World Rugby for research in former elite level athletes. RJ has received research funding from the National Rugby League. GP is employed by the Rugby Football League and Uno X Mobility Cycling. SH acts as a consultant for World Rugby and an Associate Editor of BJSM. KS is employed by the Rugby Football Union. RT is employed in a consultancy capacity by World Rugby. DV is employed in a consultancy capacity by the Rugby Football League. BJ is employed in a consultancy capacity by Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football League. All other authors have no competing interests to declare.

Funders
National Rugby League
World Rugby
International Olympic Committee
National Health and Medical Research Council
Australian Sports Commission

Keywords

Epidemiology
Health
Sporting injuries

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

Access to Document

10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677

Cite this

Owen, C., Tooby, J., Sawczuk, T., Roe, G., Phillips, G., Scantlebury, S., Vishnubala, D., Gardner, A. J., Hendricks, S., Johnston, R. D., Kolstad, A. T., Stokes, K., Tucker, R., & Jones, B. (2026). Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men’s professional rugby league. British journal of sports medicine, 60(10), 706-713. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677

Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men’s professional rugby league. / Owen, Cameron; Tooby, James; Sawczuk, Thomas et al.
In: British journal of sports medicine, Vol. 60, No. 10, 05.05.2026, p. 706-713.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Owen, C, Tooby, J, Sawczuk, T, Roe, G, Phillips, G, Scantlebury, S, Vishnubala, D, Gardner, AJ, Hendricks, S, Johnston, RD, Kolstad, AT, Stokes, K, Tucker, R & Jones, B 2026, 'Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men’s professional rugby league', British journal of sports medicine, vol. 60, no. 10, pp. 706-713. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677

@article{4d9f6fbdfead4d9bac43d1ca8bc46474,

title = "Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men{\textquoteright}s professional rugby league",

abstract = "Objective: To quantify concussion and head acceleration event (HAE) probability in rugby league tackles by tackle height and role and simulate seasonal counts across different tackle height distributions. Methods: Using a prospective cohort study, data reflecting clinically diagnosed concussions (n=56) and HAEs (n=4632; measured via instrumented mouthguards from 23 081 tackles in 92 players) were collected during the 2023 men{\textquoteright}s Super League season. Video analysis captured tackle heights for all concussive and accelerometer-measured tackles. Role-specific probabilities were calculated using cumulative link mixed models. Monte Carlo simulation quantified concussions and HAEs across the current tackle-height distribution and three lower tackle-height distributions (weighted redistribution (increased torso tackles), even redistribution (increased torso and lower body tackles) and observed law trial distribution). Results: Ball-carriers experienced the highest concussion and HAE risk from head/neck contact compared with other tackle heights (eg, HAE ≥25 g; 2.7\% vs 0.4\%–1.1\%), while tackler risk was similar. The number of ball-carrier concussions (16 vs 8–9) and HAEs (≥25 g; 830 vs 357–556) decreased with all lower tackle-height distributions. For tacklers, the only meaningful change was an increase in HAEs following the even redistribution of a lower tackle height (≥25 g; 2081 vs 2204). When considering both roles together, only even and weighted lower tackle-height redistributions reduced the total number of lower-to-moderate magnitude HAEs, with no meaningful differences observed for concussions or higher magnitude (≥55 g) HAEs. Conclusion: Lowering the tackle height creates a protection paradox, benefiting ball-carriers, while potentially maintaining or increasing the risk for tacklers. Simulated findings may inform policy changes by estimating outcomes and allowing evaluation prior to implementation.",

keywords = "Epidemiology, Health, Sporting injuries",

author = "Cameron Owen and James Tooby and Thomas Sawczuk and Greg Roe and Gemma Phillips and Sean Scantlebury and Dane Vishnubala and Gardner, \{Andrew J.\} and Sharief Hendricks and Johnston, \{Rich D.\} and Kolstad, \{Ash T.\} and Keith Stokes and Ross Tucker and Ben Jones",

year = "2026",

month = may,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677",

language = "English",

volume = "60",

pages = "706--713",

journal = "British journal of sports medicine",

issn = "0306-3674",

publisher = "BMJ Publishing Group",

number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men’s professional rugby league

AU - Owen, Cameron

AU - Tooby, James

AU - Sawczuk, Thomas

AU - Roe, Greg

AU - Phillips, Gemma

AU - Scantlebury, Sean

AU - Vishnubala, Dane

AU - Gardner, Andrew J.

AU - Hendricks, Sharief

AU - Johnston, Rich D.

AU - Kolstad, Ash T.

AU - Stokes, Keith

AU - Tucker, Ross

AU - Jones, Ben

PY - 2026/5/5

Y1 - 2026/5/5

N2 - Objective: To quantify concussion and head acceleration event (HAE) probability in rugby league tackles by tackle height and role and simulate seasonal counts across different tackle height distributions. Methods: Using a prospective cohort study, data reflecting clinically diagnosed concussions (n=56) and HAEs (n=4632; measured via instrumented mouthguards from 23 081 tackles in 92 players) were collected during the 2023 men’s Super League season. Video analysis captured tackle heights for all concussive and accelerometer-measured tackles. Role-specific probabilities were calculated using cumulative link mixed models. Monte Carlo simulation quantified concussions and HAEs across the current tackle-height distribution and three lower tackle-height distributions (weighted redistribution (increased torso tackles), even redistribution (increased torso and lower body tackles) and observed law trial distribution). Results: Ball-carriers experienced the highest concussion and HAE risk from head/neck contact compared with other tackle heights (eg, HAE ≥25 g; 2.7% vs 0.4%–1.1%), while tackler risk was similar. The number of ball-carrier concussions (16 vs 8–9) and HAEs (≥25 g; 830 vs 357–556) decreased with all lower tackle-height distributions. For tacklers, the only meaningful change was an increase in HAEs following the even redistribution of a lower tackle height (≥25 g; 2081 vs 2204). When considering both roles together, only even and weighted lower tackle-height redistributions reduced the total number of lower-to-moderate magnitude HAEs, with no meaningful differences observed for concussions or higher magnitude (≥55 g) HAEs. Conclusion: Lowering the tackle height creates a protection paradox, benefiting ball-carriers, while potentially maintaining or increasing the risk for tacklers. Simulated findings may inform policy changes by estimating outcomes and allowing evaluation prior to implementation.

AB - Objective: To quantify concussion and head acceleration event (HAE) probability in rugby league tackles by tackle height and role and simulate seasonal counts across different tackle height distributions. Methods: Using a prospective cohort study, data reflecting clinically diagnosed concussions (n=56) and HAEs (n=4632; measured via instrumented mouthguards from 23 081 tackles in 92 players) were collected during the 2023 men’s Super League season. Video analysis captured tackle heights for all concussive and accelerometer-measured tackles. Role-specific probabilities were calculated using cumulative link mixed models. Monte Carlo simulation quantified concussions and HAEs across the current tackle-height distribution and three lower tackle-height distributions (weighted redistribution (increased torso tackles), even redistribution (increased torso and lower body tackles) and observed law trial distribution). Results: Ball-carriers experienced the highest concussion and HAE risk from head/neck contact compared with other tackle heights (eg, HAE ≥25 g; 2.7% vs 0.4%–1.1%), while tackler risk was similar. The number of ball-carrier concussions (16 vs 8–9) and HAEs (≥25 g; 830 vs 357–556) decreased with all lower tackle-height distributions. For tacklers, the only meaningful change was an increase in HAEs following the even redistribution of a lower tackle height (≥25 g; 2081 vs 2204). When considering both roles together, only even and weighted lower tackle-height redistributions reduced the total number of lower-to-moderate magnitude HAEs, with no meaningful differences observed for concussions or higher magnitude (≥55 g) HAEs. Conclusion: Lowering the tackle height creates a protection paradox, benefiting ball-carriers, while potentially maintaining or increasing the risk for tacklers. Simulated findings may inform policy changes by estimating outcomes and allowing evaluation prior to implementation.

KW - Epidemiology

KW - Health

KW - Sporting injuries

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105036012468

U2 - 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677

DO - 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110677

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105036012468

SN - 0306-3674

VL - 60

SP - 706

EP - 713

JO - British journal of sports medicine

JF - British journal of sports medicine

IS - 10

ER -

Tackle higher or lower? Simulation to evaluate how changing the tackle height would impact the number of concussions and head acceleration events in men’s professional rugby league

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this