CHRISTIAN Baines, acting as a water boy due to a dead leg, is still adamant that he will retire at the end of the season if the RFU do not change their directive on the tackle law.

The controversial ruling of no higher than the waist is due to come into force on July 1, and Bradford Salem’s skipper said: “It will kill the game. It is too much too soon.

“They need to stop the head-on-head collisions but a lot of time when you are tackling low you are hitting knees, elbows, hips, and that is where a lot of the concussions are coming from, so it can actually make it more dangerous.”

Baines added: “I am 34 so if the RFU don’t change their minds that could be it for me because they will be taking away the game that I have played and loved for 20-odd years.

“My team-mates are not happy either about the ruling. It would take away the physicality of the game that we love.”

Baines, who hopes to back on the field this coming weekend, was speaking in the dressing room after his team had had victory snatched away from them in a 22-22 draw at home to derby rivals Keighley, with visiting kicker Alex Brown successful with a last-gasp penalty.

Keighley came off feeling that it was very much two points gained while Salem walked off feeling that it was very much two points lost.

Baines said: “It showed at the end that they were celebrating a draw and we were disappointed with a draw.

“It is massively unusual to be penalised for feeding at a scrum (as Salem were at the death) and there was too much injury time in the second half, but it was a massive improvement from our display at Keighley (a 29-10 loss in October).

“We have put some hard work in in training and really come together as a squad, and that showed here.

“Caleb McConville’s try gave us momentum and we should really have got the win on the back of that.

“Hopefully we can finish in mid-table or higher.”

Salem are currently eighth on 37 points, with a game in hand on Leodiensian, who are seventh on the same number of points.