Former rugby players are calling for an end to substitutions outside of medical protocol during matches. The health of the players is at stake.
Stop dangerous rugby! A group of coaches and former players send an open letter to the international federation, World Rugby. They ask that the number of changes allowed during a match be limited to four, only for medical reasons.
Currently, coaches can make eight changes per game, for either tactical or medical reasons. “It would be a terrible negligence to maintain the status quo”, write the signatories, who include Scotsman Ian McGeechan, Irishman Willie John McBride and Welshmen Gareth Edwards, Barry John and John Taylor.
An unnecessarily dangerous game
“Rugby union was conceived as a game of 30 players, 15 by teams. With the eight team replacements currently in effect, many of whom are ‘percussion players’ or ‘finishers’, that number can be increased to 46”, say these former players.
“It transforms the whole game, leads to more collisions and late in the game a lot of fresh ‘giants’ crash into tired players.”, which puts them in danger.
Make the game safer
Only allow changes for medical reasons “will make the game safer, a view shared by important players and prominent members of the medical profession”, say the signatories of the open letter.
They notably cite ex-Welsh player Sam Warburton, who retired from sports in 2019, at just 29 years old. For the old third line if nothing changes “soon, a professional player could die during a match, in front of the television cameras”.
World Rugby Inaction
World Rugby boss, Englishman Bill Beaumont, spoke out in 2020 for an experiment that would only allow replacements for injured players.
“Sadly, over 18 months later, World Rugby has done nothing”, regret the authors of the letter. The issue of concussions, caused by the numerous shocks suffered by players, has been the subject of recurring controversy in rugby for several years.
Former players, such as former England hooker Steve Thompson, have taken legal action against rugby institutions for the brain damage they suffered after the end of their careers.
