'So difficult for everybody': Leeds Rhinos youth boss John Bastian expresses concern after concussion trial penalty fest

The Rhinos and West Yorkshire rivals Bradford Bulls broke new ground at the start of a six-week trial at academy level that will see tackling above the armpit outlawed.

The players struggled with the new rule with a staggering 57 penalties awarded in total in a game won 50-32 by Leeds.

The long-term intention is to roll the trial out to other areas of the game if its effectiveness is backed up by data but it was an inauspicious start at Odsal as a spectacle.

"I understand what the RFL are doing but something has to be better than that for us to make our sport safer because that is very, very difficult to watch and play in," said Bastian, who has been in the youth game since 2000.

"My biggest concern was that if there were going to be 50, 60, 70 penalties then there is no game and no momentum. There is no game for the spectators to watch.

"I'm a big fan of the medical side, looking after players and high shots coming down but on the flip side of it, there were all those penalties for high shots and I'm not sure how many concussions there are.

"Hopefully there are none – and I don't think there are – but there probably needs to be something that's going to benefit and promote the game. That was so difficult for everybody."

Bradford conceded a penalty for a high tackle straight from the kick-off and gave away three more without touching the ball, by which time the Rhinos had scored a try.

The Bulls then won four penalties in quick succession for tackles above the armpit before scoring themselves to set the tone for a stop-start encounter.

There was palpable frustration inside Odsal as players and supporters aired their grievances over the way the game was being officiated.

"It was very complex for both teams and very complicated to play any rugby with any skill or momentum," added Bastian.

"The rules are being challenged by the Rugby Football League. That's fine but it made the rules more complicated tonight.

"We saw a lot of one-out rugby knowing that if we get penalty after penalty, we'll end up in their 20 and we've got a strong chance of scoring.

"If we score, we get the ball back and just go one-out rugby right up to their end again and get penalty after penalty.

"Bradford did it particularly well for 25-30 minutes and we got it right for the last 12 minutes and scored 24 points."

Bulls head of youth Ryan Hunkin felt the rule change had a positive impact around the ruck with only two men involved in most tackles rather than the usual three.

"There was a lot less wrestling," he said.

"We worked on a number of things – getting under the ball, leg tackles, simultaneous flop and making sure we didn't give away penalties around the ground.

"As a spectacle, I don't think it was where it will be in six weeks but it's a start and you've got to start somewhere."