Comments: Should schools ban tackling in rugby?

More than 70 doctors and academics are calling for a ban on tackling in rugby matches played in UK and Irish schools.

In an open letter to politicians, they say injuries from this "high-impact collision sport" can have lifelong health effects for children.

They argue two-thirds of injuries in youth rugby and most concussions are down to tackles and they want schools to move to touch and non-contact rugby.

Supporters say rugby builds character and other forms are less challenging.

This chat page is now closed. Thank you for sending Newsround so many brilliant comments about this story.

Your comments

Tackling shouldn't be banned because it's one of the main aspects of the game. Players can't get better if they don't know one of the primary skills in rugby. It could eventually affect the England rugby team because not as many 11-16 year olds are getting involved in rugby. My sister is coming up to my secondary school and she can't wait to start tackling in rugby. If children are playing tag rugby from Year 1 to Year 11, they won't have much time to be as good as somebody else their age before tackling in schools was banned.

William, Somerset, England

I don't think they should ban tackling in rugby! How are England and Ireland going to get a good rugby team for world competitions? I don't even think half the doctors will have ever played rugby! I've played since I was 8 and have never hurt myself. #SaveTackling

Russ, Redditch, England

I think tackling should be banned as many children could injure themselves.

George, Bedfordshire, England

I think that if they make tackling safer then it should stay but if not then it should stop.

Lucia, Kettering, England

It shouldn't be banned. I first started playing rugby in school which led me to progressing on to club and county level. If it wasn't for the school rugby with contact I wouldn't be where I am today. I've had my fair share of injuries but it's a contact sport. People who play a contact sport are going to get injured at some point and they know that so I don't see why contact rugby should be banned in schools. It's how most players get there knowledge and courage to keep playing.

Nicole, Darlington, England

We are a group of children who think that contact rugby should not be banned in schools. We have had a long, thoughtful discussion about this. We think that when rugby tackling skills are taught properly and children are wearing protective helmets there is less chance of injury. We also think the benefits of rugby outweigh the risks.

Young Philosophers Group at East-the-Water Primary School, Devon, England

I don't think that rugby should be banned because if you take tackling out of rugby you are basically destroying the point of the game. Also you would not have amazing players from Great Britain to play in any of the teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Cameron, Bristol, England

It shouldn't be banned because the tackling in rugby is the best thing about rugby. The tackling is not as dangerous as you think as long as you were taught how to do it safely

Charlie, Kings Hill, England

I think that it should be allowed because it's a choice if you want to play. If you don't then don't!

Alan, Oxford, England

I think that rugby tackling should not be banned because it is the main thing of the game.

Gabriel, London, England

I don't think it should be banned because that is the whole point of rugby and if you take that away then it isn't really a good game.

Poppy, Bristol, England

People do pile on top of each other when they are tackling, it's part of trying to get the ball from the other team and we should definitely keep tackling.

Sarah, Lancaster, England

I think it should stay because people can be told to be more sensible.

Chloe, Congleton, England

I think it shouldn't be banned because how will people get the ball?

Hugo, Barlborough, England

I think that rugby tackles should not be banned in schools because it will destroy the game. How will you get the ball if you do not tackle?

Junayd, United Kingdom

We should tackle because that is rugby.

Kristian, Lancaster, England

I personally think that it shouldn't be banned as it gives rugby more fun. If it does get banned you and your parents should sign a consent form to say you can play.

Harvey, Nottingham, England

I play club rugby and started with tag rugby when I was 6. I started tackling when I was 8 and I have not hurt myself. If I could not tackle any more I would get bored because it is part of the game.

Sophie, Oxford, England

If tackling is banned it would take away a major element of the sport. It would become tag rugby, which is a different game entirely. All sports are dangerous. You need to be taught how to tackle safely.

Class 8VB at Hinchley Wood School, Surrey, England

I think that tackling should not be banned because that is the main part of rugby.

Amy, United Kingdom

I am looking forward to tackling next year when I move up a year. I love playing and watching rugby. I also like to go sailing and to play squash and football. I think you can hurt yourself in a lot of sports but I love all sport. I do not want tackling to be banned. I want to play rugby for England and I want to learn to tackle properly and I trust my rugby coaches to teach me.

Cameron, Beaconsfield, England

I think rugby tackling should be banned, as this is one of the main reasons I don't play rugby! Lots of my class are currently away at hospital after playing in matches last week, and that's just ridiculous!

Benedict, Tonbridge, England

I think it should not be banned because it's the fun of the game and it's how you stop them from scoring a try.

Harry, Mansfield, England

I think it should be allowed because if it wasn't it would just be running around.

James, Nottingham, England

I think it should be banned because we don't wear helmets at school.

Jessy, Oxford, England

Tackling should stay because that's how the other team gets the ball back.

Nathan, Lancaster, England

Rugby tackling is a key part of the sport so I think that it should not be banned because it is safe, when coached properly, and fun.

Matthew, Hampshire, England

I think it should stay because how will our future England Rugby team know how to play, if we don't teach it in schools?! Children need to know how to tackle safely and properly in a controlled environment, just like school.

Miss Gaddas (Teacher), Lancaster, England

I play rugby at school. It is tag rugby but we are allowed to push each other over.

Sylvie, Colchester, England

I think tackling shouldn't be banned because the people who like tackling would be sad and might have to play another sport instead.

Amy, Oxford, England

I think that if you take out tackling then the future of English rugby will be terrible.

Joss, Truro, England

I think it is not dangerous and you do need to tackle in rugby. It is important.

Sam, New Milton, England

Rugby is part of our culture and the removal of tackling would change the nature of the game.

Jake, London, England

I think tackling is going to be banned because if they don't know how to tackle they will hurt people badly.

Charlotte, Saffron Walden, England

For someone who has played rugby throughout my life, I feel that there are valuable life lessons taught by the contact element of rugby that perhaps are neglected by other sports.

Mr Borthwick (Teacher), London, England

I think it should be banned. I have never played rugby myself but I know quite a lot of people who have broken bones from tackling in rugby. Also, rugby should not be compulsory in schools.

Shauna, New Forest, England

The fun thing about rugby is tackling. If you take it away, you take away the core of the game.

Fredrik and Lars, Norway

If they take out tackling from rugby they would lose players and lose money. What would be the point of rugby without tackling?

Callum, Truro, England

I believe that rugby tackling should not be banned at school because all sports are dangerous, even non-contact ones such as hockey and football which result in more minor injuries than rugby

Hope, London, England

Taking out tackling would reduce the fun and enthusiasm in the sport especially in Wales and Cornwall, where rugby is an important part of the culture.

Tom, Redruth, England

I think that it shouldn't be banned because if people sign up to rugby then they should expect to be hurt sometimes. If they don't want to take that risk, they shouldn't sign up.

Emily, Northampton, England

I think tackling should be banned because you are more likely to get injuries than in many other sports.

Sammy, Oxford, England

My son of 15 plays club rugby and has done for 10 years, beginning with tag rugby progressing to non-contact and now full contact. He has been coached throughout this time in how to tackle safely and effectively. Tackling is part of the game and when performed correctly should not cause a danger. I do not allow my son to take part in school rugby partly because the pupils that play have not been coached enough and can risk my son being injured, therefore ruining his club rugby.

Mrs Stone (Mother), Bexleyheath, England

I think it should be banned because it's not safe and you can get hurt.

Hanifah, Oxford, England

I think that tackling should be banned because on TV because it gets very dangerous and parents won't want their own child getting hurt.

Matthew, York, England

I love rugby and it makes the game so don't stop it.

Billy, Surrey, England

I think tackling should stay in the game but I'm concerned about people hurting themselves.

Matthew, Lancaster, England

I think tackling should stay in the game. Both teams want to get the ball, but I don't want to see anyone getting hurt.

Christian, Lancaster, England

I believe that tackling should not be banned at school because tackling is the point of the game.

Percy, London, England

Without tackling there's no excitement - it's the same as football without scoring or cricket without batting.

Cameron, London, England

It is good if tackling is banned because the risk of getting badly injured is high.

Viktoria, Norway

I think that contact rugby should be banned, because people who don't want to play rugby are forced to play it. When people grab you and you are tackled it actually hurts, that shouldn't be forced on you.

Dami, Northampton, England

I don't think it should be banned because that's what most people find fun and tackling is the main part of the sport.

Liam, Coventry, England

I don't think rugby tackling should be banned from schools because it is only dangerous if someone is not tackling properly.

Iain, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Tackling should not be banned. It is more important to teach kids how to tackle properly.

Noah, Norway

It's incredibly satisfying when you tackle someone well!

Cosmo, London, England

I think it should be banned so you don't get injured.

Harlie, Oxford, England

I don't think that it should be banned because rugby is supposed to be physical. Other sports also include danger, like Formula 1 with car crashes, and football with broken bones etc.

Abid, Northampton, England

I don't think rugby tackling should be stopped due to the fact that it spoils the game of rugby.

Jamie, Methley, England

I don't think doctors should ban tackling because that's the fun of the sport. In touch rugby as soon someone touches you, you have to pause and give it to them. Also, if someone tackles you, you might be able to get back up quickly and earn points for your team!

Cody, St Gabriel's, England

I think tackling shouldn't be banned because most children enjoy it. Children should have the choice.

Adrian, Oxford, England

Tackling isn't good because I wouldn't want to tackle someone and hurt them.

Jake, Lancaster, England

I think tackling should stay because it is part of Rugby.

Aiden, Lancaster, England

I think tackling shouldn't be banned because it makes rugby fun which brings communities together.

Casey, Oxford, England

It is dangerous. You should still be allowed to play it at school but only tag rugby.

Lucy, Morley, England

I don't think that contact should be banned because if someone wants to play rugby professionally, when they start to play contact rugby when they're older, it will be a big shock to them.

Jacob, Northampton, England

I don't think tackles should be banned because the whole point of rugby is to tackle and the tackling is fun. Tackling is also a stress relief and it takes away your anger.

Neide, Oxford, England

We feel that touch rugby makes the game much easier, but we find it really boring. You have to stop, look around and pass, but if you get tackled you have to stop and restart the game. Tackling is much better because it's more fun. If it's full contact, it's a faster game because you have to try harder. If you only start contact rugby at high school, you are starting later than others. It would be better to start it in primary school.

Class P7C at Towerbank Primary School, Edinburgh, Scotland

I think rugby tackling in schools shouldn't be banned because it's perfectly safe and the tackling is very controlled. It would be sad and disappointing for all children who take part in rugby if it were banned.

Joe, Bristol, England

We should not tackle because people might break your arms, legs and feet.

Jordan, Lancaster, England

I don't think that it should be banned because if people don't want to do it, they should be put into a different group which doesn't involve tackling so that they feel comfortable.

Daisy, Northampton, England

I think it should be stopped because people might break their arms and legs.

Ethan, Lancaster, England

I think that it should be banned because people could get injured badly.

Jessica, London, England