Weber questions ‘ridiculous’ proposals
All Blacks and Chiefs halfback Brad Weber has labelled a proposal from World Rugby’s medical group to ban scrum resets as ‘‘ridiculous’’.
World Rugby wants to reconfigure the game’s laws to reduce the transmission risk of Covid-19, with a medical group proposing scrum resets, along with upright tackles, team huddles and spitting, be scrapped.
Five-test No 9 Weber, who is back training with the Chiefs and preparing for their opening game against the Highlanders on June 13 in the new Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, was adamant scrum resets shouldn’t be canned when he spoke to media yesterday.
‘‘I think that is ridiculous,’’ Weber said. ‘‘Because when you are making tackles or cleaning out, it [the contact] is pretty much exactly the same.
‘‘You may as well play touch rugby. That is what they are suggesting.’’
World Rugby has stated all proposals are limited to the duration of the pandemic.
Given New Zealand appears to be winning the battle against the virus, with no new cases reported for a fourth consecutive day yesterday, New Zealand Rugby will be expected to adopt a common sense approach when considering the guidelines.
Meanwhile, Weber accepts Chiefs coach Warren Gatland may have no option but to rotate players during the 10-week Super Rugby Aotearoa competition.
New Zealand players have often stated derby games are the toughest to play, and although Weber wasn’t enthusiastic about having to surrender his position he accepted Gatland has to preserve his players.
‘‘New Zealand derby games take it out of you more than any other game and I think it will take your whole squad in some form,’’ Weber said.
‘‘I don’t know exactly how they [the coaches] are going to do it.
‘‘Personally I would love to play every minute of every game, but I have got an understanding that these derbies take it out of you physically.’’
If Weber is rested Gatland can slot All Black Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi into the No 9 jersey; but given his sharp form before the competition was halted it seems likely Weber will start most fixtures.
Weber, 29, said the ferocity of the derbies usually mean he’s still aching several days later.
With games to be played in the afternoons rather than at night, a lack of dew is likely to encourage teams to adopt an open game plan and more tackling appears imminent.
‘‘Definitely still pretty sore on Monday, and sometimes depending on how much tackling I have had to do, it will roll over to Tuesday as well,’’ Weber said.
‘‘Certainly by the last training run on Thursday you have recovered enough to go again.’’