Numbers are growing very very fast across the playing population in Ulster – IS it time to introduce subs in Q2, 3 & 4 rugby?
Official argument is guys sitting on benches not playing – a very valid argument, if there is one thing every player in Ulster wants its to play! So if people are sitting on benches for entire games and not playing this is a bad thing.
However: how many times have you seen the same XV out for more than 6 weeks in a row anyway, extended I, II & III XV squads are rotating all the time and with the guys moving out of school into the local rugby club contributing to make the game in Ulster better and better all the time, is the time not right to re-assess this rule which the teams repsect religiously.
Playing with 11 or 12 guys for entire games due to in game injuries can turn some games into a farce and in fact probably takes the competitive edge off any game, 2-1 odds are not bad for any Ulster team but this is Ulster sides playing against other Ulster sides, its a completely level playing field, so one player off the park makes a big difference. We play man on man rugby here so it affects the game enormously.
Please feel free to leave a comment on this page in the interests of debate – We would not be surprised if the majority of players and coaches would vote for a change in this respect – the rule has been observed for a considerable time.
