Since the start ( 1871 ) a legal tackle has required use of the arms to hold a player .
That does not in itself make a shoulder charge illegal - that would come under foul play , and can be expressed in a variety of ways .
Since the start ( 1871 ) a legal tackle has required use of the arms to hold a player , but that does not in itself make a shoulder charge illegal - that would come under foul play , and can be expressed in a variety of ways .