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World Rugby seriously weighing up reducing replacements

By Online Editors
Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The revolution sweeping through rugby could include a reduction in the number of replacements allowed during a match.

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As the southern hemisphere countries contemplate major changes to the competition structures, World Rugby is turning its sights to the replacement rule.

A number of leading figures in the game, including England coach Eddie Jones, are advocating for the change so as to introduce more fatigue into the game.

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This, in turn, would open up attacking opportunities. A reduced number of replacements would mean fewer interruptions to matches, and there is also a belief in some quarters that the current rule leads to more injuries.

The Telegraph has reported World Rugby is sifting through data from major leagues including Super Rugby as it contemplates making the change.

At the moment, eight replacements are allowed for each side and Jones believes this should be cut by two.

“We have got to get some fatigue back into the game, we have got to get some space back into the game because otherwise we will end up with NFL,” he said this week.

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“I would put the game down to six replacements and the referees less communicating about decisions and get on with the game. And I think we have got to find out some way to tidy up the TMO (video ref).”

Former England hooker Brian Moore is among those saying a cut will improve safety. The current rule meant that too many big and fresh players were charging into the game against tired opponents.

Another former England player, Jeremy Guscott, and top referee Nigel Owens are also backing the change.

World Rugby’s chief medical officer Dr Éanna Falvey said the world body was trying to use good data rather than emotion to base decisions on.

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He said teams would still need three specialist frontrowers on the bench for scrum safety reasons.

“It limits your options, basically,” he said.

“The real issue is whether or not you are prepared to cut down on replacements and having to play without specialist position players like a nine or a 10, because you might need to have a utility back.

“Our first step with this is to know whether reducing substitutions makes a big difference to the injury rate and pace of the game, and if it does, to start looking at the practical solutions to that problem.”

He said a rule change could also lead to body shape changes.

“…bigger players may need to play for 80 minutes rather than 55, which means a player can’t necessarily be 10kg heavier because he won’t be able to get around for the final 20 minutes,” he said.

“The downside is that it may promote more injuries in those players while they are adapting and getting up to speed. But the upside would be that you have lighter players who are more mobile, and able to get around more.

“The argument would be that if you have players who are not quite as explosive, you might see a cut down in the number of injuries.

“But, the reason we have substitutions in the first place is to prevent injuries. It’s difficult to know where the trade-off is with this.”

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Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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