SA Rugby has standardised the age at which children may begin tackling, introducing a uniform national policy that will see all players from under-5 to under-8 take part only in non-contact formats such as tag and touch rugby. Under the new framework, full-contact and tackle rugby will begin only at the under-9 age group. Before taking contact, young players will progress through a structured “Confidence and Safety in Contact” programme rolled out in the second half of the U8 season.
The programme focuses on core foundations such as falling, rolling, wrestling, absorbing contact and other confidence-building drills, and will also form part of a six-week pre-season readiness block before U9 rugby begins. Clint Readhead, SA Rugby’s General Manager of the Medical Department, said the move closes a long-standing gap in youth rugby structures. “South Africa is currently the only major rugby nation without a clearly defined age at which children may begin tackling,” he said.
With more than 400 000 primary school players, this gap has created inconsistency, safety risks and confusion across provinces, schools, clubs and academies. He said Exco’s support for the new framework was “a decisive step” toward protecting young players and establishing a consistent, safe pathway across the rugby system. The new national policy aligns with international best practice and echoes the approach already implemented by unions such as the Blue Bulls, where delaying tackling, while emphasising fun and fundamental skill development, has been shown to improve both safety and long-term player performance. The proposal was developed by a task team established in 2024 to identify the safest and most developmentally appropriate point for children to begin tackling.
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