Scrum injury risk higher: Dr Burry

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 44

Scrum injury risk higher: Dr Burry

PA Wellington Law changes this season permitting more sustained pressure in scrums have increased the risk of scrum injuries, according to a former All Black, Dr Hugh Burry. Dr Burry, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union’s medical advisory committee and a member of its technical committee, said yesterday that the situation had been created when the stringent experimental scrum laws were relaxed in two key respects. The changes permitted scrums to move 1.5 m instead of Im, and the ball can now be trapped. The result was that the scrum was now under pressure longer. “If these changes, along with the other provisions relating to binding and setting, are applied pro-

perly there is unlikely to be any trouble,” Dr Burry said. “Unfortunately, refereeing standards vary and that is when you have problems.” There was criticism at the time of the change back to trapping as there was evidence that the ball passing unimpeded through the scrum had played a big role in the elimination of serious spinal injuries in scrums last season. A dozen spinal cases were dealt with by Burwood Hospital’s spinal unit in 1984, mainly from scrum mishaps. There - were two cases last year, each occurring in other facets of play. Last Saturday, a Hutt Valley Marist president’s grade player dislocated his neck in a scrum mishap and was flown to Burwood. He is paralysed

and it will be at least three weeks before doctors are able to assess his chances of recovery. Dr Burry was unfamiliar with the circumstances but was very concerned about a return to even a limited version of power scrummaging. “Changing the movement of the scrum to one-and-a-half metres was to equate this distance roughly with the locks’ feet. “This was considered a handy reference point, one that referees could assess more easily, but the critical effect has been to increase the length of time the scrum is under pressure,” Dr Burry’- said the elimination of power scrummaging had been an aim of the law changes: “I would be very unhappy to see that reinstated even to a limited degree,” he said.