Rugby Players Put on Notice As Dave Rennie Shares World Rugby Warning

• World Rugby has addressed several contentious areas of the game following discussions with leading international coaches ahead of the Nations Championship fixtures
• Dave Rennie has explained why referees are expected to take a particularly firm approach to dangerous tackles that threaten player safety
• Scrum procedures and maul interpretations also featured in the discussions, with possible implications for how upcoming international matches are officiated

Rugby players could face tougher sanctions for dangerous tackling techniques after All Blacks coach Dave Rennie revealed details of discussions between leading international coaches and World Rugby.

Speaking on Thursday, 5 November 2026, after naming his team to face Scotland, Rennie said the meeting in London addressed several areas of refereeing ahead of the European leg of the Nations Championship. Hip-drop and knee-drop tackles were among the main talking points.

"We talked about knee-drop and hip-drop tackles and got a little bit of clarity around how that's going to be refereed," Rennie said, as quoted by SA Rugby Magazine.

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He questioned the sudden prominence of the hip-drop technique, adding:

"It's just interesting; the whole hip drop – no one has ever talked about it. Now it seems to be a bit of an epidemic."

The All Blacks coach was particularly clear about the approach officials would take.

"From a safety point of view, it'll be refereed strongly," he warned.

Scrum and maul laws also discussed

The brake-foot requirement at scrums also featured in the discussions. Hookers must keep one foot forward in the scrum tunnel during the 'Crouch' and 'Bind' calls, then withdraw it when the referee says 'Set'.

Rennie said officials had a clear process for monitoring the requirement and pointed to recent Bledisloe Cup matches as examples of consistent enforcement.

Maul interpretations were another talking point, particularly restrictions on pulling and dragging opponents.

"We just chatted around the maul and how that's being refereed now because you can't pull and drag and so on," he said.

What the World Rugby changes mean

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World Rugby's hip-drop law amendment took effect on 1 November 2026. The offence is now explicitly included under Law 9.13, while knee-drop tackles are covered by reinforced application guidelines.

The developments come ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Rennie expecting little major change to the broader interpretations before the tournament.

The All Blacks face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, 7 November.

Schalk Burger questions Springboks' Nations Championship title chances

Briefly News previously reported that former Springboks flanker Schalk Burger has raised questions about South Africa's chances of finishing top of the Nations Championship standings despite their strong start to the competition.

With New Zealand also chasing the top position, Burger believes the Springboks could face a tougher challenge than expected during their November campaign.

Source: Briefly News