Rugby union’s authorities are set to call for a review of the law around scrums that allows for players to be shown a yellow card just for being outmuscled.
The issue was highlighted starkly in South Africa’s 24-13 victory over Ireland last weekend. The props Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy were both sent to the sin-bin for repeated scrum infringements when they failed to cope with the power and strength of the Springboks’ front row.
At one point Ireland had only 12 players on the pitch, and although some of their yellow cards were due to ill-discipline, the props’ difficulties have caused much debate in the game.
Ireland are penalised by the referee as another scrum goes down
DAVID FITZGERALD/SPORTSFILE
The law is now expected to be on the agenda when the Six Nations’ top executives meet before the tournament in the new year. From that, a proposal could go to World Rugby’s Shape of the Game conference in February where law changes can be brought in, usually after trials.
However under World Rugby’s rules any subsequent law change would only take effect after the 2027 Rugby World Cup and so would not be seen as an attempt to spike the Springboks’ guns before the tournament.
Those in favour of a review of the law do not believe that the scrum should necessarily be de-powered, but that players should not be ordered from the field just for being weaker or less technically proficient than their opponents.
One senior rugby figure told The Times: “In what other sport can you be sent off basically for not being as good or as strong as your opponent? The dominant scrum is already gaining a penalty as an advantage and then that is compounded by a yellow card. A yellow card should only be shown if a player tries to gain an advantage by breaking the rules or for dangerous tackles.”
McCarthy appeared not to know what he had done wrong after being shown a yellow card
NIALL CARSON/PA
World Rugby has already taken steps to reduce the number of scrums — teams who are awarded a free kick cannot opt for a scrum instead. Similarly, when a player is held up over the tryline play is restarted with a drop-out from underneath the posts.
Insiders said it was possible that Porter or McCarthy were sent to the sin-bin for what the referee believed were deliberate infringements.
Nigel Owens, the former Test referee, has warned against moves to change the law. He wrote on X: “De-power the scrum any more and you may as well watch a rugby league match. It will destroy the community game if there is no place for your good old-fashioned type of prop. Keep meddling with the game and you will destroy it.”
However the Australian Matt Williams, former head coach of Scotland, said the laws had swung too far towards the powerful scrums.
He told the podcast Off The Ball: “If you have a five-metre scrum, you go for a pushover try, no problem at all, that’s a great skill, but that was just horrible. All those people that came to watch that game and on TV, it was a disaster.
“Not only was it a disaster because you had so much scrummaging and penalties, there were yellow cards coming out from scrummaging, which completely ruined the game.”