Why rugby’s bomb squads are bad for the game

The now infamous 7-1 forward split on the bench hit the headlines last year when World Rugby announced they would not be outlawing the practice. The innovation, first used by South Africa and made more prominent by France in the 2025 Six Nations, is controversial in some quarters.

While not quite at culture war levels, the use of extra forwards has prompted a strong rebuke, as either dangerous, against the spirit of the game, or both, from plenty of those involved in the game.

One of those is Owen Doyle. A former international referee and current Irish Times columnist, he joins Nathan Johns to talk through World Rugby’s latest law development.

Should the 7-1 split be outlawed, or is it simply a case of clever innovation, leaving the rest of the world to catch up?

This episode originally aired in April 2025.

Produced by John Casey.

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