I'm convinced that the benefits would be seen almost instantly if we cut the bench in half so that there are four substitutes, instead of eight. The game needs shaking up and that's a decent shake-up. We would see more skill, more fitness, and more tries. It challenges everyone to raise their attacking game, and takes away the biggest contributor in weighting the modern game in favour of defence.
Gatland argued recently that South Africa's 'bomb-squad' bench which now features seven forwards and just one back - was not what the replacements law was introduced to do, because their strategy means that now your forwards only have to play for 40 minutes.
Rugby union used to be about trying to fatigue the opposition forwards to the extent that gaps appeared in defences and led to more attacking opportunities. Now, with coaches being able to change over half a team through replacements, who come on the pitch bursting with energy, while those who been on from the kick-off are tiring, it is stacked heavily in favour of defence.
Cutting the number of replacements is a contentious subject, with many pros and cons. If I'm South Africa I don't want anything to change, because we're dominating world rugby - and the power of our bench has helped to secure two World Cup titles in succession.
If I'm New Zealand I have always believed that we have the biggest number of skilled players of any nation, and we are keen to utilise our depth of players with great skill-sets against teams of lesser ability. For instance, our fifth-choice blindside would probably get in the England team, and it would be the same at scrum-half, centre, and wing.
So, my guess is that South Africa and New Zealand will probably want to retain the current status quo of eight replacements.
Denne historien er fra January 07, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra January 07, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
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Baxter: I want to make things better
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Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
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Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
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New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.