Rugby: Modern game not protecting its players, argues expert

Published on Tuesday 16 February 2010 23:38

CHANGES to the laws of the game and greater vigilance by coaches, referees and administrators may be needed to lessen the risk of serious injury in rugby, according to a leading expert.

Professor Richard Nutton, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, believes the hazards of playing the sport have grown considerably since rugby union went professional and players became fitter, stronger and heavier. The injuries to Scotland players Thom Evans, Chris Paterson and Rory Lamont in the game against Wales on Saturday have again highlighted the issue of player safety, and shown that the tackle area is now at least as dangerous as the scrum, which has traditionally been seen as the source of most career-threatening injuries.

An honorary medical adviser to the Scottish Rugby Union, Professor Nutton has no wish to emasculate rugby. But he does believe that, while keeping the essential character of the game intact, the authorities should seriously consider reforms.

"I think more could be done," Professor Nutton said yesterday. "Those in positions of responsibility for players' welfare could take safety a lot more seriously.

"Those of us involved have been concerned about the growing incidence of serious injuries. It reflects how the game has changed in the last 20 years, and I don't think all the authorities are facing up fully to that reality."

The professor is convinced there needs to be better documentation of injuries worldwide as a first step. Once a fuller picture has emerged of how the most serious injuries are being caused, he believes the International Rugby Board, the world governing body, will have a better idea of how to legislate.

"In Scotland we have the advantage of being a relatively small country and so it is easier for us to record serious injuries," he said. "There is a very poor system in some other countries, where no records are kept. You've got to have knowledge first. Then you can make decisions about what you should be doing to change the game.

"There are two areas of the game which require attention. One is the front row, particularly in scrums, and the other is illegal tackles, especially high tackles which involve the head and shoulder region. And in addition, in schools rugby there's an issue of mismatch in physical maturity.

"It's a contact, collision sport, and there is always the risk that someone will sustain a catastrophic injury that will result in immediate death. It has happened before, and unfortunately will happen again. But we can reduce the risk of it happening by getting referees to come down very hard on dangerous, illegal tackles.

"We also need to pay better attention to refereeing the scrum consistently. Some referees still allow the two packs to engage from some distance away, and there is a liberal attitude by some regarding tackles of borderline legality."

The authorities, both within Scotland and further afield, have tried to bring about greater consistency in refereeing, and there is no suggestion they condone that "liberal attitude". Similarly, rather than implying that any governing body has a callous attitude towards safety, Professor Nutton thinks they have simply yet to come to terms fully with what has happened to the sport since it abandoned amateurism.

"We've got to acknowledge the change in rugby since it went professional. Players' body mass and strength have increased considerably – and not just at the elite level. Schoolboys are emulating the body-building work that professionals do, so the issue of bigger hits is percolating down to a younger level," said Nutton.

"Conditioning does provide some protection in certain cases, but if you're caught in a particular way, such as was the case with Thom Evans, you've got no way to protect yourself no matter how strong and fit you are.

"A double tackle, when one player is pinioning you to prevent ball release and then the other comes driving in, can be particularly dangerous. One thing that would lessen that danger is if people were encouraged to tackle below waist level all the time – that is, the traditional rugby tackle instead of around the shoulders.

"There is also an issue about so-called clearing out at the breakdown. Traditional rucking has just about been banned because of worries about the dangers of being stepped on, but being stepped on is a damn sight safer than being cleared out by a player coming into a breakdown at speed."

Professor Nutton added that he was sure the SRU were aware of the problem. "The SRU have an enlightened view, and are very fortunate in having Dr James Robson on board. He's very concerned about the changes in the professional game."

At the start of last year the SRU launched a nationwide campaign called 'Are You Ready To Play Rugby?' It was designed "to ensure that a consistent approach to player safety is adopted across Scotland by all coaches, teachers, referees and volunteers".

The IRB, which invests what it calls "significant sums" in player welfare, research and education, held its inaugural Medical Conference in November 2009. It was agreed to adopt a scheme to ensure injuries are recorded uniformly across unions.

"The IRB and its 117 member unions take the area of player welfare extremely seriously and there is a collective commitment to a progressive approach on all medical issues as we look to grow the game around the world," a spokesperson for the IRB said.