It's all academic: key areas in rugby's contract battle

Queensland Reds football boss Sam Cordingley has called on World Rugby to officially classify the hip-drop tackle as a dangerous technique after 19-year-old Wallabies back Treyvon Pritchard suffered a fractured ankle from such a tackle during the under-20s World Cup, when a Welsh opponent left his feet and used his body weight to bring Pritchard down. Cordingley argues the ban would be straightforward for World Rugby to implement, noting the NRL outlawed the technique in 2020 and New Zealand has banned it in junior and community rugby. The incident has drawn additional attention as NRL clubs are reportedly circling the injured Pritchard following his impressive performances.