World Rugby proposes scrum adjustments to curb coronavirus

Rugby’s governing body, World Rugby, has already began plans for the return of the game amid the pandemic.

As part of the organisation’s efforts to ensure that players remain safe, a tinkering of the game’s most important set-piece, the scrum, is top of the agenda. According to reports, scrum resets could be deleted to reduce the risk of the transmission of the virus during games.

Research conducted by World Rugby has found that up to 50 per cent of high-risk transmission risk exposure moments come during the game’s most famous set-piece. This is a move that could possibly see the permanent scrapping of scrum resets which are also said to take up approximately four minutes per game.

However, World Rugby chief medical officer Martin Raftery added that the proposed ideas would not be forced onto national unions.

“It’s just going to point them into a direction if they want to trial it.”

Raftery also warned that testing players for the virus will pose a great challenge for the game.

“Doing the testing is a good idea but it’s not infallible. You’re going to miss people who are infected while they don’t have symptoms. You have to assume there are people who may be on the field who can transmit that virus.”

Other proposals to be put forward to World Rugby’s executive committee this week include limiting head-to-head tackles, reducing team huddles, changing kit at half-time and banning spitting.

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