Former Test referee Nigel Owens has revealed the two law changes he would make if he had carte blanche to do so.

The Welshman was posed the question on an episode of World Rugby’s Whistle Watch, where he dissects officiating decisions from the weekend’s action and answers fans.

Owens said that he would change the number of replacements teams are allowed in order to speed up the game. He believes that this will result in lighter players as the big men will have to play for longer periods of time.

Changing the bench

The make-up of the bench has been a hot topic in rugby since the Springboks‘ deployed the Bomb Squad tactic to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups.

Springboks coaches Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber really caused a stir when they selected a bench consisting of seven forwards and just one back against the All Blacks before the 2023 Rugby World Cup and would make use of the tactic twice more during the tournament, including the final against New Zealand.

It was met with strong resistance from some quarters, with ex-Scoltand coach Matt Williams slamming it as ‘against the spirit of the game’ and said that it was ‘discriminating against backs’.

Earlier this year, France adopted the tactic for the first time against Italy in the Six Nations and did so again versus Ireland and Scotland, which helped them clinch the title.

And if it were up to the former official, this tactic would not be allowed.

Owens was posed the following question by Ben John on the episode: “If you were to restart rugby and start afresh, what laws would you get rid of because you think they affect the flow of the game and what would you replace them with?”

He replied: “The first thing I do, I would reduce the amount of substitutions.

“I think eight players on the bench is too much. So I’d reduce that and change the way you can use them, so it can’t be a tactical substitution.

“It can only be, as it used to be years ago, for an injured player. I think that would open the game up because you would have players then who would have to play 80 minutes and instead of carrying 130kgs they may have to carry 115kgs because they need to last 80 minutes.”

The number of replacements could be up for debate at World Rugby in the near future after Scotland boss Gregor Townsend voiced ‘misgivings’ of teams essentially fielding two forward packs during a Shape Of The Game event in London.

“If you want my view, I don’t think the bench was set up to suddenly have a new forward pack coming on. But that’s for World Rugby to decide what you do with the bench, and to make any changes,” Townsend said before facing France’s 7-1 split in the Six Nations.

💣 Gregor Townsend doubles down on ‘Bomb Squad’ criticism after airing view at World Rugby summit

💣 Matt Williams claims World Rugby ‘oligarchs’ are blocking laws that don’t ‘benefit’ Springboks

“I don’t think it’s brought anything positive to the game”

That is not the only change that Owens would make as he hit out at the goal-line dropout, which World Rugby added to the lawbook in 2022 after successful trials.

This occurs when :

a. The ball is played or taken into in-goal by an attacking player and is then held up, grounded or otherwise made legally dead by an opponent.
b. An attacking kick, other than a kick-off, restart kick following a score, drop goal, drop-out or penalty attempt, is grounded or made dead in in-goal by the defending team.
c. An attacking player knocks on in the opponents’ in-goal.

Previously, when an attacker was held up over the line, the attacking team would be awarded a scrum but Owens is clearly not a fan.

“I would get rid of the goal-line dropout,” he stated.

“I just don’t like it at all. I don’t think it’s worked.

“I don’t think it’s brought anything positive to the game. So goal-line dropout, get rid of it now, would be my view.”

💣 READ MORE: 👉 Jean de Villiers: How the Springboks hold the key to ‘defusing’ the Bomb Squad after France’s Six Nations success

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/get-rid-of-it-now-nigel-owens-pinpoints-two-laws-hed-rubbish-including-one-to-depower-the-springboks