Matt Williams: Future of rugby at stake unless we learn from past scrum horrors

To those who played through rugby’s dark days, when reprehensible scrum laws caused catastrophic spinal injuries, the Springboks’ selection of seven forwards on their bench literally sent chills down our spines.

This was another in a long line of many retrograde steps that have diluted the spirit and intent of safety laws created decades ago to stop life-changing spinal injuries from scrums occurring.

Many in the current generation of players, coaches and legislators have forgotten the gross human tragedy that the game inflicted on players in the past through disastrously antiquated scrum laws.

Tragically, I witnessed a catastrophic spinal injury. A day that I can never forget.

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After he packed down in a scrum on Sydney University Oval in 1984 he became a quadriplegic. Words cannot express the confusion and pain of that day

My clubmate from Western Suburbs Rugby Club in Sydney, Grant Harper, was a newly married 24-year-old tighthead prop. After he packed down in a scrum on Sydney University Oval in 1984 he became a quadriplegic. Words cannot express the confusion and pain of that day. A day of unfathomable anguish that is etched into the minds and hearts of all his clubmates.

I adore and support the game of rugby because I believe in its positive virtues for our youth and it has given me so much in my life. So as the World Cup, the sport’s greatest festival, starts I do not write about this topic lightly. I am compelled because after that South African selection, the reactions of so many have revealed that the game is suffering a collective amnesia of its past mortal dangers.

Sadly, Grant Harper died in 2011. It is in his memory that I am writing.

Harper’s catastrophic accident was only one of many that was sustained during that period. Many clubs and schools carry a horrific legacy from a scrum that was set many years ago.

Few, if any, of these life-changing injuries occurred to international players. These catastrophic injuries were almost exclusively in the lower levels of the game, inflicted on players coached to copy techniques and tactics from international teams.

As the toll of life-changing injuries mounted during that era, the outcry turned to outrage. Eventually, administrators listened and enacted a vast tranche of scrum-safety laws.

A scrum that takes less time is far safer than a prolonged wrestle. Scrums were not depowered, they were made safer

Encompassed within the expansive and positive changes — that included stopping the Bison-like charge of frontrow engagements — were two crucial aspects.

First, with the exception of foul play and offside, all scrum infringements were free kicks, not penalties. So there was no incentive for teams to try and physically demolish the opposition pack seeking a penalty. Teams were incentivised to get the ball out of the scrum. A scrum that takes less time is far safer than a prolonged wrestle. Scrums were not depowered, they were made safer.

[ Owen Doyle: How can it be safe for South Africa to bring on seven forwards in the second half? ]

[ Rugby World Cup: This time Ireland have nothing to whine about in Bordeaux ]

Second, the concept of having suitably trained frontrowers as substitutes was introduced. This was to ensure that if a frontrower was injured, a player with trained scrummaging skills could safely replace them. To ensure player safety, rugby moved from 15 players to 23 with specialists for each position on the bench.

The spirit of the time is best expressed in the creation of the “Mayday” call. This is when a player in the scrum feels they are in a potentially dangerous position and calls out Mayday. Both teams are trained to immediately stop pushing and drop to their knees.

When it comes to players’ spinal safety, there are not two opposing teams. We are all responsible.

Thanks to the actions of that generation of administrators, scrums became safer and spinal injuries became exceptionally rare.

These safety laws were designed to protect all our players, especially those below the professional level.

Today’s nightmare scenario is that teams at the lower levels of the game begin imitating the Springboks selection tactics with seven fresh forwards on the bench. Exploiting a loophole in the laws that was never envisaged by its creators.

If an amateur or semi-professional team, where the players are not as physically prepared as professionals, is allowed to substitute seven fresh forwards to scrummage against a fatigued amateur pack, their opponents are in a highly-dangerous situation.

Across this World Cup we will see scrum tactics that have been warped over time by the misguided actions of our legislators

Our administrators have an overriding responsibility to ensure that scrum laws provide a safe environment for all players, not only professionals.

Across this World Cup we will see scrum tactics that have been warped over time by the misguided actions of our legislators who reintroduced penalties for technical infringements in scrums. This has incentivised coaches to teach their forward packs to physically bend, twist and drive their opponent into the dirt, placing all 16 players in great physical danger. All for the sake of a penalty.

In this madness, where the enormous risks far outweigh the tiny rewards, rugby has forgotten the tragedies from our past and lost its moral compass regarding the physical safety of our players in scrums.

South Africa have legally exploited a loophole in the safety laws. Some people have said to me that it’s smart rugby that could win the Boks the World Cup. That is an example of how much we have forgotten about our past horrors.

To me, and many of my generation, it is a shameful tactic that exploits a law created for the spinal safety of our front rowers. We should deplore it for the callous, cynical and careless action it is because it places winning above the safety of our players.

It is time for World Rugby to find the courage of past legislators who acted decisively for player safety and take action

As the Mayday call tells us, when it comes to spinal injury and player safety, there are no teams, we are all responsible. As the current world champions and an iconic team, the Springboks have a grave responsibility to set the highest of examples for the greater good of rugby.

That is the spirit of the game. Our current laws and their application by this generation of legislators, referees, and many coaches are a mile behind that high intent.

It is time for World Rugby to find the courage of past legislators who acted decisively for player safety and take action.

If they do not then I truly fear that the heartbreak endured by so many at Sydney University Oval in 1984 may needlessly and cruelly be inflicted upon another generation of players, families and communities.