In the wake of Scotland coach Gregor Townsend’s expressed unease regarding mouthguard technology, World Rugby has issued a staunch defence of its efficacy. Townsend’s concerns were prompted by an incident involving prop Zander Fagerson’s sidelining for a head injury assessment during the Calcutta Cup match.
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According to World Rugby’s Lindsay Starling, the governing body remains steadfast in its confidence regarding the data provided by new smart mouthguards. “That is to put it into perspective regarding how rare and small these numbers are in terms of the players coming off,” Starling emphasized.
Starling further elaborated, stating, “We are confident in the data that comes from the mouthguards and confident in the technology. We wouldn’t be introducing this on such a large scale if we weren’t confident in the data that is coming from them.”
In response to concerns raised by Townsend, Starling underscored the significance of the technology’s findings, noting, “When a player is being removed during a match because of a notification that has come from the mouthguard, that is because the player has sustained an impact above this threshold and needs to be removed and checked out by a medical professional.”
World Rugby’s stance reflects a broader commitment to player welfare, with Starling emphasizing the evolving understanding of head impacts beyond clinical concussion. “We’ve known for the last decade-plus that concussion is a topic that requires a huge amount of attention,” Starling stated, highlighting a shift in focus to encompass all head-impact events.
Despite Townsend’s reservations, World Rugby remains resolute in its confidence in the utility of smart mouthguards, signaling a continued dedication to enhancing player safety in the sport.
“3/10” – 5 players who flopped in the third round of the 2024 Six Nations
We examine five players who struggled to deliver during the third round of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, while England, Ireland, and France secured wins.
#1. Josh Adams (Wales)
Rugby Pass 3/10: “Scrambled on defence and offered a release with a big right boot. His leading role in the blitz defence meant he missed as many tackles as he made. Replaced by Mason Grady on 57 minutes.”
Rugby Dump 4/10: “Not the force he once way, Adams looks out of sorts at the moment and will be under pressure from the likes of Mason Grady who was superb when he came on.”
Planet Rugby 4/10: “Relatively quiet and spent most of the game defending but missed more tackles than he made. Would have liked to impose himself on the game more.”
Wales Online 5/10: “Didn’t get many opportunities to show his class with ball in hand but there were a few aimless kicks, and he missed a tackle on Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan in the first-half. Worked hard during the second-half but it wasn’t his day.”
Telegraph 5/10: “Tough day, copping an early blow tackling Aki before being steamrolled by Sheehan. Was later crunched too by a big Van der Flier tackle.”
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