Limit numbers at the breakdown to reduce brutality

RHYS Webb insists rugby hasn’t gone soft and has proposed an innovative idea as a means of improving player welfare.

Webb has had his fair share of injuries and with World Rugby looking at numerous ways to protect the players at the centre of the sport, he believes a solution could be limiting the number of players at the contact area to four players.

“Rugby isn’t going soft and I’ve experienced that more than ever in France,” he said.

“It’s just brutal and I know concussion rates are going up. We have to look after player safety because otherwise there’s no sport.

“You can get nasty injuries anywhere on the pitch, but for me the contact area is the problem. I think if someone is over the ball, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make it a oneon-one contest.

“That would make it a fair battle and reduce the injury rate. Once the ball carrier takes the ball into contact, you could limit it to one jackaler from either side. With the carrier plus the tackler, that would make four players in total.

“If one person is jackaling and can’t be moved by the opposition player, then it’s a penalty for holding on. If he moves him, then fair enough and it’s play on.”

Webb is keen to stress his idea is just one of a number of potential options World Rugby could look at.

“It would make the game a lot safer,” Webb said. “Yes it would mean the defensive line would have more players in it, but it would also open space up around the ruck.

“I think it would be a good idea to try something different to protect the players. I see the guys going into jackal now and they have three or four other players trying to clear them out. It’s brutal.

“When your head is down on the ball and you’ve got people taking either leg and targeting your shoulders, it’s just dangerous.”