Lowering the tackle height in men's rugby almost halved the rate of head collisions among players, a study at Edinburgh University has found.
The lowered tackle height law was introduced for community rugby by World Rugby in the 2023/24 season in an attempt to improve safety for players.
Researchers at Edinburgh University used video analysis to study tackles from 60 men's community matches in Scotland before the trial and during it, and found the law change resulted in a 45% reduction in head-on-head contact.
Experts previously found head-to-head contact was one of the primary causes of sports related concussion.
Both rugby union and rugby league authorities are facing ongoing legal action from former players who have suffered brain injuries.
The study – which examined 18,702 tackles – also linked the law change to a 29% reduction in head-to-shoulder contact for the tackler and ball-carrier.
During the trial period in the 2023/24 season players were 22% more likely to tackle bent at the waist, the recommended technique to reduce player head proximity and contact.
Dr Debbie Palmer, of the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences at the Moray House School of Education and Sport, and co-director for the UK Collaborating Centre on Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport IOC Research Centre, has been involved in researching concussions in rugby for about 10 years.
She told BBC Scotland News: "We know concussion is amongst the most common injury, but we also know participation in sport, particularly at recreational level, is really beneficial. We want to reduce the risks of injury and keep people involved in sport.
"We don't have injury data within the men's level to say if it has had an impact on concussion rates, but we do know approximately 250 head contacts for the tackler and just over 300 head contacts for the ball carrier potentially have been saved for one season."