New Zealand and Crusaders prop George Bower has warned of the risk of speeding up scrums as part of a raft of fan-centric innovations for the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific.
Time restrictions on goal kicks, set pieces and a streamlined TMO process headline the changes set to make the competition faster this season.
Referees will enforce 90 seconds time limits on conversions, 60 seconds for penalty kicks, 30 seconds for scrums and lineouts to be set, and 5 seconds for the ball to be used at rucks.
ALSO: World Cup-winning coach wants maul banned
“I guess for a lot of us front rowers, we have a long process [for scrums], it’s a whole crouch, bind, everything with that. It looks like a lot of us will have to speed it up in order to stay under the time,” the 22-Test-capped Bower said on New Zealand’s Stuff.co.nz.
“We actually came up with solutions around speeding up your setup and making sure your neck is in the right position as fast as you can before they call ‘set’.
“I guess the international boys probably have a little bit more experience with a faster setup time. But it’s something we will have to tell our young boys to speed up… we’ve got to look after our necks. If your neck gets caught in the wrong spot, it’s pretty dangerous.”
MORE: Wales stars threaten strike for England clash
Meanwhile, TMOs will only interrupt play for serious, clear and obvious incidents of foul play when the Super Rugby season kicks off on Friday, 24 February.
“You’re like, ‘thanks TMO, take your time’,” Bower, who can cover both tighthead and loosehead, quipped of the breaks their interjections had previously allowed, before admitting the changes would speed up the game and make it more enjoyable for spectators.
“It just means we will have to be a bit faster and fitter and more on our toes, as you’ll go from one play to another.”