Rugby World Cup: South Africa have legally exploited a safety-law loophole, but we should be concerned about their seven replacement forwards
Few, if any, of these life-changing injuries occurred to international players. These catastrophic injuries were almost exclusively in the lower levels of the game, inflicted on players coached to copy techniques and tactics from international teams.
First, with the exception of foul play and offside, all scrum infringements were free kicks, not penalties. So there was no incentive for teams to try and physically demolish the opposition pack seeking a penalty. Teams were incentivised to get the ball out of the scrum. A scrum that takes less time is far safer than a prolonged wrestle. Scrums were not depowered, they were made safer.Second, the concept of having suitably trained frontrowers as substitutes was introduced.
Today’s nightmare scenario is that teams at the lower levels of the game begin imitating the Springboks selection tactics with seven fresh forwards on the bench. Exploiting a loophole in the laws that was never envisaged by its creators. Across this World Cup we will see scrum tactics that have been warped over time by the misguided actions of our legislators who reintroduced penalties for technical infringements in scrums. This has incentivised coaches to teach their forward packs to physically bend, twist and drive their opponent into the dirt, placing all 16 players in great physical danger. All for the sake of a penalty.
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