Progressive Rugby - Haskell and Cudmore launch new lobby group

According to the attached article in The Guardian, James Haskell and Jamie Cudmore are launching a group to lobby World Rugby to make changes to improve health and safety in the sport.  Yet, importantly they acknowledge their support for the physicality in Rugby:

Progressive Rugby as reported in the Guardian wrote: The group are avowedly supportive of “the core physicality that comes with an 80-minute game”. They understand, too, that rugby cannot turn back to a “‘rose-tinted’ memory of the pre-professional game”. The preservation of tackling in schools is another policy they wholeheartedly support.  

Not surprised to see Haskell as part of this, but Cudmore who might have concussed a few people during his career is a bit of a surprise.  I didn't see a web site for their group yet, but will be interesting to follow.  There are other groups working towards mostly the same ends, so we can see whether they amalgamate or at least cooperate to bring pressure but also urge common sense reforms.  Time will tell. What do you think? What reforms will make Rugby safer, but retain the physical essence of what Rugby is?

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/feb/18/jamie-cudmore-james-haskell-progressive-rugby-with-letter-to-world-rugby

I'm by no means an expert and without the detail or explanation in the article i couldn't say if some of the ideas like getting back to having people on the field for 80 mins more often would reduce, increase or maintain any sort of injury. An early point of law changes must has me banging my head on the desk. Think that rules on high tackles etc work fine, we just need players and commentators to get with the programme. Wouldnt hurt to actually implement the actual laws on binding to join rucks either.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'm by no means an expert and without the detail or explanation in the article i couldn't say if some of the ideas like getting back to having people on the field for 80 mins more often would reduce, increase or maintain any sort of injury. An early point of law changes must has me banging my head on the desk.  Think that rules on high tackles etc work fine, we just need players and commentators to get with the programme. Wouldnt hurt to actually implement the actual laws on binding to join rucks either.

Agree completely the current laws should be properly enforced, and if not, then changed. Still seems like a remnant of the amateur days to enforce laws as World Rugby seems fit.

It would be very interesting to see a full list of recommendations from Haskell and Cudmore because I believe players, or former players, should have significant input on the future of the sport.

I do find it a bit amusing to see Cudmore involved here. Though he was usually thoughtful, he also had just a wee bit of a temper. Maybe we wants to legalise a punch or two????

Cudmore took Clermont to a Labour tribunal (I think) and won for not implementing concussion rules but let him back out on the field after he showed clear signs of concussion on different occasions.

His take is players like him will always want to get back on the field and play big games and that the medical staff aren't always looking out for the health of the player but rather what everone wants (rather then what is needed)

So yes Cudmore was a hothead who has some great videos of fights etc but even players like that deserve to get the correct medical help.

If you look at Sexton, if he was a normal person he would be told no contact sport but as a professional he won't be told that even though it's what best for him.  They only need to worry that he makes it 2-3 years but he has to live with in for hopefully 50 years.

It's hard to crush people's dreams but if it needs to be done then those systems should be in place which they don't seem to be. The speed people can come back from injury which is sometimes very quick and seem surprising highlights some of these issues.