World Rugby must take calls for radical safety changes seriously

Last year, ex-players called for radical changes to rugby to make it safer. Rugby has become fitter, bigger and stronger than ever before. Injuries have risen. Ryan Jones, a former player, has dementia and CTE. World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont is concerned about the state of the game. He supports a trial law in 2020 that would allow players to be replaced only if injured. The letter was published last year. It had a serious impact. Sir Bill is on record as saying rugby has “become a game for big people” and in. 2020 he backed a law that allows players only to replace each other if they are injured, as well as a change in the rules regarding the number of substitutes.

World Rugby commissioned research into the impact of substitutes and the likelihood of injury. World Rugby needs to take the safety changes seriously. There are too many contact situations which are out of control. Jackalling - stealing the ball at the breakdown - is long overdue a law change. Replacements should be limited to five per team and only for injuries. The Love Of The Game campaign is working behind the scenes. John Taylor alerted the group to the existence of the campaign. He believes it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get on top of this issue. It is not working.

World Rugby should take the letter seriously and trust the chemistry of the game.