Does it really matter, World Rugby, who carries water for the players?

So, World Rugby are so concerned about what Rassie Erasmus can achieve as a “water-carrier” they have decided to amend the laws of the game. It is an absolutely ridiculous move if you ask me.

This week – and no doubt as a result of Erasmus carrying water and being in touch with the Springbok players during the series against the British and Irish Lions last year – World Rugby announced “Water carriers cannot be a Director of Rugby or Head Coach” among other new regulations pertaining to non-playing personnel and what they can and can’t do on the field during a match.

I can’t help but wonder why now?

There are several questions we can ask about this new development, one of them being, “Why should a director of rugby or a head coach not be ‘hands-on’ during rugby matches?”

In France, the coaches are allowed to stand on the touchline and talk to their players, as you see in football, so why not in rugby?

It’s not as if Erasmus at any stage brought the game of rugby into disrepute while carrying water and instructing his players of patterns he or someone else had picked up on during the Lions series’ matches?

He only found a more beneficial and simpler way of communicating with the Bok players. Whether it’s the director of rugby or head coach or physio or team doctor passing on information and messages makes no difference, surely?

And what if current head coach Jacques Nienaber all of a sudden opted to use the title team physiotherapist (which he is) interlinked with coach, would he be allowed on to the field with water to talk to the players? Would World Rugby have an issue with this as well?

And the argument that individuals entering the field of play are wasting time also doesn’t hold up because there are so many breaks in play already, it makes no difference.

The time it takes for the officials to sometimes make their TMO decisions is way longer than the time it takes for a water carrier to quickly pass on message. And the same goes for the time wasted on resetting the scrum sometimes.

Innovate

Rugby and sport is ever evolving and changing and perhaps in this case World Rugby should have considered the greater entertainment aspect before singling out certain individuals for what they can and can’t do.

Sideline interactions between coaches – be they head coaches, directors or assistants – and their direct involvement in the actions on the field, is one aspect that could add value to a rugby match. It could add spice and allowing some of these individuals to pass on messages to players, irrespective of their job title, is surely not something that’s going to detract from the game.

It’s time World Rugby got with the programme and looked to innovate and embrace new ideas and trends, rather than suppress and “punish” coaches, fans and teams for something that is a little different, and for me, a non-issue.

Heck, whether Rassie wants to carry water for his players is not a big deal.