Changes to limit injuries discussed
In the wake of Sam Warburton’s shocking retirement this week, some of rugby’s top brass used Friday’s opening of the Rugby World Cup Sevens at AT&T Park as a platform to address injury concerns in the game.
Just ahead of one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments, Warburton, who captained Wales a record 49 times, sparked debates about tackling rules and training regimens when he said he couldn’t return from neck and knee surgeries.
“Before, when you got knocked in the head, it was something brave to carry on playing,” said World Rugby vice chairman Agustin Pichot, the former Argentine captain. “The game has changed. The safety of the players is priority No. 1.”
Pichot met with the players association last month to discuss possible limits on training and intimated that there may be changes coming with regard to high tackles.
Training limits are more problematic than tackling rule changes, because the rugby governing body can make suggestions to national teams, but players also log time with a variety of club teams in a sport that is played nearly yearround.
Warburton, 29, played for the Cardiff Blues as well as making 74 appearances for Wales. During his career, he had a plate inserted into his jaw, shoulder nerve damage and surgeries on his knees and hamstring. World Rugby chairman Bill
Beaumont also retired from his playing days in England at 29. He told a roundtable of media members in a suite at AT&T Park that every injury is analyzed and studies are being done about training loads.
“Rest assured, we have player welfare always at the forefront of everything we do,” Beaumont said. “We are player-centric.”
USA to host again? It’s never too early to start considering which country will host the 2027 Rugby World Cup 15s, and the United States appears to be in the running. World Rugby CEO Brett
Gosper said the bidding process won’t start in earnest until 2020, but Beaumont said the United States will be considered among a number of other sites.
“We’re in a lucky position with the Rugby World Cup, in that we’ve got many countries that would like to host it,” Beaumont said. “Obviously, USA would be an exciting country to go to. …
“World Rugby has to have a philosophical debate. Do you always keep chasing the dollar? Or, do you look at promoting the game? Obviously, we’d like to do the two together, but sometimes that’s not always possible.”
France was selected as the 2023 host, and the United States is expected to make a bid for the 2027 tournament in a pitch that may include pairing with Canada. Argentina and England are expected to be interested, too, and Beaumont also mentioned Ireland among possible contenders.