Cocker v Deano

[MurphysLaw]

Cocker got one over on Deano in last night's game between Edinbra and Newcastle.

Deano has made a point about not being able to register a prop, when his three regulars are injured, and I do have some sympathy with him on that point.

However, that aside, the much changed team selection from both sides seems to show a marked difference in approach.
Edinbra got stuffed in their previous league game, after resting most of their first choice players, but they returned to pretty much full strength for last night. By contrast, Newcastle were at pretty much full strength for their away win at Saints last week, but changed 13, (some injuries, but many rested), for last night's game.
Different leagues; different priorities? This seems to happen quite a lot with the celt teams.
Newcastle more concerned about their league position? (should we consider the same?)
Is this one advantage of ring-fencing?

[biffer]

Agree with you about the replacement props, and Edinburgh didn’t object to a replacement being registered. However as someone on the Glasgow message board pointed out, maybe there would be more leeway shown if coaches didn’t push, and go beyond, the limits of fair play.

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

Deano has made a point about not being able to register a prop, when his three regulars are injured, and I do have some sympathy with him on that point.

Not the first time a club has asked to be allowed to make a change to their squad out of the usual permissible window.

Scarlets had all three tight heads out at the same time (one with a broken leg and then two with broken arms in the same game) and the only other tight head on the books wasn't Europe registered. They were allowed, as per standard rules, to make a single change and requested to be allowed to make two as long as they were both tight heads but this was refused. They ended up having an illegal bench as they couldn't cover all three front row positions.

Deano is right - specialist positions can only be played to specialist players due to risk of injury and player welfare. By not letting teams make changes when necessary then they are saying that player welfare is irrelevent.

[Dangerous4]

Deano was right in his view.

[4071]

Falcons had a loosehead starting at tighthead and a 7-man bench. This is clearly not a safe situation.

It's strange that the rules relating to registration for the tournament are paramount, even over player safety.

Falcons even have a tighthead who could have played, so it's not as if they would have been bringing in a ringer. There should have been leeway for Falcons to register their extra tighthead and de-register another player. It is hardly their fault that one tighthead retired with injury just before the season started and FIVE registered tighthead options were all ruled out over the last few weeks (Wilson, Mulipola, Welsh, Mullen and Davison) .