World Rugby study suggests scrapping scrum resets to combat Covid-19 spread

Scrum resets could be scrapped as part of World Rugby's plans to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission during rugby matches.

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A recent study by the game's governing body found that up to 50% of "high-transmission risk exposure time comes at scrum-time.

Removing scrum resets, which take up an average of 3.6 minutes per game, and immediately awarding a free kick would reduce that exposure time by 30%.

Front-rankers and locks are most at risk according to the study, spending an average of 13.4 minutes in high-transmission risk situations.

Other recommendations to be put forward to World Rugby’s executive committee this week include limiting head-to-head tackles, reducing team huddles, changing kit at half-time and banning spitting.

World Rugby's chief medical officer Martin Raftery, who co-authored the study, told Australia's Sydney Morning Herald that the new proposed regulations would not be forced onto national unions.

"It's just going to say 'here's the research we found, if you think you want to trial it, by all means you can trial it."

Raftery added that testing every player for Covid-19 would not be a simple solution for tournament organisers.

"If you're testing asymptomatic people - it varies on when you’re testing people - but it can have a false negative, meaning that the person has the virus but they don't test positive in up to 50% of cases. Doing the testing is a good idea but it's not infallible.

"You're going to miss people who are infected while they don't have symptoms. You have to assume there are people who may be on the field who can transmit that virus."

- Compiled by Sport24 staff