Ex-World Rugby advisor's grim warning: 'Rugby can only come back to what it was if we have a vaccine'
Barry O’Driscoll these days is very much out of sight, a former World Rugby medical advisor doing what every 76-year-old should be doing during the coronavirus pandemic and keeping themselves to themselves, cocooning and out of harm’s way.
However, when it comes to foreseeing the difficulties that rugby will encounter in trying to restart its stalled sport, the Manchester-based former Ireland international very much has a handle on the myriad of likely difficulties set to be encountered in the weeks and months ahead.
He admires very much what New Zealand have done, clinically shutting down their borders in March and snuffing of the virus to such an extent that they are primed to get back to playing rugby next month, their Super Rugby derby schedule beginning in Dunedin on June 13 and moving on to Auckland the following day.
But the situation remains much more fluid elsewhere, especially in Europe. The French have packed up until September, the Irish are targeting a late August return, while the English just can’t seem to fully get it together yet and permit their clubs the green light to resume training, a negative midweek meeting their latest frustration.
The rugby that does eventually return is also poised to be very different from the game everyone knew and loved before it juddered to a grinding halt nearly three months ago.
It was last week when O’Driscoll, a long-time World Rugby medical advisor, first stuck his head above the parapet in the current climate, warning that rugby’s return-to-play measures must be even tougher than football, the sport his son works in as chief doctor at Arsenal.
The draconian playbook outlined by O’Driscoll suggested uncontested scrums where players wouldn’t even put their heads down, and blowing up rucks and mauls early. Within days it emerged the trade-off could be even much bleaker than that.
With World Rugby open-minded about giving individual unions the options of scrapping scrums and mauls altogether, the London Times reported how the governing body’s law review group are acutely conscious about the high-risk areas of the game being adapted or removed if rugby is to resume in some shape or form in particular countries still hugely troubled by the virus.
O’Driscoll doesn’t feel any vindication in hearing this less than a week after he predicted great change was potentially on the horizon. As a fan, someone who played on the old Five Nations, the situation greatly saddens him but needs much given the prevailing health and safety issues. “Rugby can only come back to what it was if we have a vaccine, an effective vaccine. Until then it won’t be the same game,” he told RugbyPass.
“You don’t want to destroy integral parts of the game, but you don’t have to go too far before it isn’t the rugby that we know really. Do they just do rugby league scrums where they put their hands across on each other’s shoulders more or less and the ball automatically comes back?
“Mauls and rucks will somehow be stopped. The whole point of it is the bodily contact and how the ball is handled so much and moves around. The ball is a great carrier of germs – it’s going all over the field to every player and a huge way to make contact. This is going to change the game more than we can afford to, but one way or another they have got to reduce the mauls, reduce the scrums, reduce the rucks.
“The spread (of the virus) is purely by droplets or direct connect contact with saliva, or contaminated surfaces. In soccer, it’s foot to the ball. But it’s hand to the ball in rugby and guys have been wiping their mouth with their hand, so the ball is going to become a problem as well.
“It will have to be disinfected, sprayed every time it goes into touch. There are all these sorts of things that need to be done to avoid it [the virus] and if there is a second peak there are going to be major problems… young athletes aren’t getting this virus very much, it’s the older people. But you only need one situation (in a match) for a player to go home and somebody else gets it.
World Rugby is reportedly considering dramatic law changes as a way to get the sport running again after the Covid-19 pandemic.https://t.co/xa5jt9yfB0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 23, 2020
“There will be some players worried about playing and you can’t hold that against them. They are justifiable worries. Some players might be living with parents who are getting on a bit or whatever. They are all sorts of domestic circumstances that might make them more sensitive about getting the virus. As we have seen in soccer already, there have been one or two who have said ‘no thanks, we’re going to stay out of it until we get a bit further on’. You can understand that.
“You can’t stop the contact in rugby and I see in soccer they are going to great pains. Most of the Premier League clubs are back at training in small groups, being tested twice a week, training in groups of four and they don’t even see the next group come in so they are completely separated. It’s very expensive and it’s going to cost rugby quite a lot of money as well.
“Insurance is another big problem. Who is going to insure these players now and how much is it going to cost to insure them?”
Quarantine is another troubling issue, particularly for a cross-border tournament such as the five-nation PRO14 and the biggest money-spinner of all, Test rugby. “You only need two or three of those quarantines and competitions will be messed up a lot,” he said, adding his delight that PRO14 still secured a £120million windfall on Friday with the sale of a tournament stake to CVC Capital Partners, quite a deal given the uncertainty the sport finds itself in.
Game changer! https://t.co/ZjZKWU5vje
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 22, 2020
“That was a good move, I thought these (investment) guys might hold back a bit now and wait to see what happens. PRO14 isn’t depending on just one country. There are five. World Rugby will make their own regs (about travel) but a place like Ireland is involved every week with other countries. There is travel involved. It’s going to be interesting.”
O’Driscoll served as a World Rugby medical advisor for 15 years and was in-situ during the 2003 outbreak of SARS, another virus that came out of the Far East, but it never became part of the daily conversation the way the game-stopping global coronavirus has.
“There wasn’t a big reaction to it. It was nothing compared to this because we just don’t know. Because of social media, because of the way news can be spread now, modern technology, this virus is in the news all the time.
“If we don’t get another peak the next generation they may look back and say this was no worse than the flu epidemic and no more people died, but it is much more dramatic now, much more dramatic because of social media.
'I actually had to retire over a Zoom call. I had all the boys, all the staff and there is me getting emotional'
A brutal collision ended @BristolBears centre @whhurrell 's playing career, but his rugby story isn't over, writes @heagneyl https://t.co/7VLM2nDwb0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 26, 2020
“We have had worse pandemics – we are nowhere near the Spanish flu, but every move you make now is spotted and people have to cover their backs. There is no alternative but to go about it this way.”
Being meticulous was how O’Driscoll conducted his rugby business. Cutting corners wasn’t his style and eight years after he stepped away from World Rugby over what he perceived was the lack of importance placed on tackling the thorny issue of concussion, he has no regrets about taking that principled stand to force the debate.
“Rugby has always been part of my life but by the time it got to 2012 I resigned and I felt I had to. I have missed my close contact with the game immensely but I’m very glad I did what I did. I had to do it and in its own small way, it has made things move to where it concussion is now considered very, very seriously.
“It’s eight years and I’m glad I did it. People started looking much more closely and now it’s approached very differently.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
1 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
23 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
6 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments