All eyes will be on subs being rolled

IN keeping with its reputation as rugby with a difference, the SuperSport Rugby Challenge will be the first domestic tournament in which rolling subs will be used.

Starting with the opening matches of the campaign this weekend, teams will be allowed 12 rolling substitutions each game, four of which must be reserved for players in the front row, with sides that causes uncontested scrums being penalised by being reduced to 14 players.

The main reason for the change was to curb the scourge of games finishing with uncontested scrums, according to SA Rugby’s referee manager Banks Yantolo.

“The decision to allow rolling substitutions, which we’re already used in our U19 Provincial Championship, was done with player welfare and safety, especially at scrums, as well as reducing the likelihood of uncontested scrums to protect the integrity of the game, in mind.”

The reaction from the coaches has been encouraging, with Griquas coach, Peter Engledow, particularly excited, having trialled rolling subs from his time as a coaches’ coach for the RFU in England.

“It’s actually not new, we used it when I was working for the England Rugby Union (RFU),”he said.

“We trialled it there and we used 10 rolling subs back then, and it worked extremely well. I think that it is beneficial, especially in the frontrow.

“In the past, many teams, us included, would bring a prop off and then you would have to fake an injury to bring the prop back on. This was the only way that you could do it, so this eliminates all that.

“It’s clear and you can also use it quite strategically, even with the seven subs.”

Engledow’s counterpart in last year’s final, John Dobson, made similarly encouraging noises, even though he also pointed out some potential flaws.