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'Grossly negligent': Lions legends call for end of finishers and impact subs to make rugby 'safer'

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14th August, 2021
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A group of British and Irish Lions legends want World Rugby to end the era of impact players and finishers by going back to the days of substitutions only for injuries, claiming it will make the game safer.

The signatories to an open letter to World Rugby on the issue include Sir Ian McGeechan, Willie John McBride, Sir Gareth Edwards, Barry John, and John Taylor, according to a report in the UK Telegraph.

They argue it would be “grossly negligent” to continue to allow eight replacements, claiming the risk of injury to players is “unacceptably high” and the game is “unnecessarily dangerous”.

They argue fewer replacements would increase fatigue in the starting XVs and produce less intense and less frequent collisions.

Taniela Tupou of the Wallabies makes a break

Taniela Tupou has been used as an impact substitute this season. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

They believe it will change the average size of player with a premium on fitness and aerobic capacity rather than size and strength.

“Rugby union was conceived as a 15-a-side game for 30 players. With the current eight substitutes per side, many of whom are tactical ‘impact players’ or ‘finishers’, this can and often does stretch to 46,” the letter reads.

“More than half a team can be changed and some players are not expected to last 80 minutes so train accordingly, prioritising power over aerobic capacity. This shapes the entire game, leading to more collisions and, in the latter stages, numerous fresh ‘giants’ crashing into tiring opponents.

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“The simple change we advocate is to allow eight subs on the bench if you must but limit the number that can be used to four and then only in the case of injury. This will make the game safer, a view supported by leading players and eminent members of the medical profession.”

The group accused World Rugby of “doing nothing” after backing a trial for injury-only replacements after World Rugby chief Bill Beaumont voiced his concern the use of eight replacements for tactical reasons had turned the game into one increasingly dominated by “big people… and big hits”.

The Telegraph said the letter also cited the concern of 2017 Lions captain, Sam Warburton, who said he feared that “if something is not done soon, a professional player will die during a game in front of TV cameras”.

“Sadly, more than 18 months later World Rugby has done nothing – yet again it stands accused of all words and no action,” the letter added.

Tactical substitutes were allowed from 1996 in test rugby. Prior to that doctors had to sanction the replacement of injured players.

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