Ex-Scotland boss slams World Rugby (again) after France and Ireland ‘abuse safety law’

Outspoken pundit Matt Williams has once again criticised the bench split in rugby, calling on the game’s governing body to make changes.

The former Scotland head coach made headlines before the Rugby World Cup when he criticised the Springboks’ split of seven forwards and one back among their replacements.

Williams stated that South Africa were ‘abusing the bench’ and that they were compromising safety by using the tactic.

France v Ireland selection

Although France and Ireland haven’t been as radical as the Boks, they have gone for a 6-2 split in Friday’s Six Nations clash.

That has drawn the ire of the ex-Leinster and Ulster coach, who believes that it is risking the safety of the players.

“Let me be really clear, this is a tactic that is absolutely legal, and is a very smart tactic,” he said on Off The Ball. “What everyone is forgetting, and I’m old enough to know, I lived through guys becoming quadriplegics.

“We have a bench in rugby because of the way the quadriplegia and serious injuries hit the game through the ’80s and ’90s. They put a bench there to stop that, so that people could be substituted in positions where they were trained and it was safe.

“Now, this is an abuse of a safety law! There’s just no two ways about it. There’s no getting around it. It is.”

Williams’ concern primarily lies with how it could influence those below the professional game, and he has urged World Rugby to take action.

Getting more serious injuries

“The current coaches are saying, ‘well, look, everyone is doing it, why shouldn’t we?’ and that’s correct,” he said. “Andy Farrell and Fabien Galthie are doing it, and the Springboks are more than entitled to do a 7-1, they are.

“But, if this is done at the lower levels of the game, we will get injuries again. We will start seeing guys and girls getting badly hurt at scrum time.

“If you are down in a lower division and the other team bring on a new pack, and you’re a young tighthead, or an old tighthead, or you’re not good enough, it only takes a few seconds.

“I saw it. I was at a game, my club, we had a guy that became a quadriplegic. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I never want to see it again!

“There is no way ever, on God’s green earth, I am going to change from that. That is the historical facts about why we have a bench.

“It appals me that World Rugby have not acted to change that by simply saying that three of the players on your bench have to be specialised backs. It’s all they’ve got to do.

“Now, the already say three of your bench must cover hooker, tighthead and loosehead, so they’re already doing that. If they did that, this whole problem will go away.

“It is really wrong of World Rugby to not do it!”

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