> Head-on tackles can go higher head-on because you are trying to hold the player up or in place versus taking them down and possibly allowing them a few feet

> Head-on tackles can go higher head-on because you are trying to hold the player up or in place versus taking them down and possibly allowing them a few feet past you to touch the ball down for a try That's the crux of the problem. Low tackles are very efficient at bringing a player down to earth (especially if you're as skinny as I was in the kids' game) but they won't reverse his momentum if he's trying to get a yard beyond you (especially not if he's got the physique and low body position of a professional) or prevent him from offloading. So a rule change to enforce it and ban chest high tackles makes it very easy for a well drilled professional team to slowly move their way upfield with a relentless Warrenball-style series of impacts. Not necessarily safer overall, as well as duller to watch because they're so unlikely to lose the ball or even a yard in the tackle, which also discourages riskier creative plays. Probably you need more of a contest at the ruck to balance things out and give the other side a way of winning the ball back, but most of the rucking rules are there for safety reasons...