Finding a balance: Paul Sculthorpe says aggression can win England the World Cup

Paul Sculthorpe has backed the RFL on player safety but says England boss Shaun Wane believes aggressive players will win England the World Cup.

Super League’s major talking point at the start of the season has been the no-nonsense approach from officials.

Three red cards were seen on opening weekend, and nine players have been banned.

The RFL clarified its stance with chief on-field officer Dave Rotherham stating that the changes are only in sentencing guidelines, with no real changes in rule interpretation on the field of play.

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St Helens legend Sculthorpe is involved with the RFL as part of the England set up.

And he is torn between understanding the need to ensure player welfare, while wanting to preserve the big collisions that make the sport so compelling.

He told Love Rugby League: “I’m against foul play.

“Foul play has no place in the game, especially cheap shots and things like that.

“But we cannot get away from it being a physical sport. 

“I sit on England meetings with Shaun Wane who is one of our most experienced coaches. We talk about England winning the World Cup and he wants players who are physical, are going to be aggressive. 

“Yes it has to be controlled but you are asking for somebody to get off the line and put shots in legally. And it’s done at 20mph.

“There are going to be miscalculations, but do we really want to see players banned for three or four weeks at a time for that? 

“I get foul play, but there’s a common sense element to see if it is careless, reckless, intentional. We always have to remember that it’s a physical combat sport and the reason people fall in love with the sport.

“It’s the reason a lot of us play it and the reason a lot of people love watching it; because of the impacts and we cannot lose that.

“We cannot lose it, it is one of the things that makes the game great.”

Player safety

Sculthorpe says he is fully behind the RFL in making player safety paramount; adding that the responsibility now rests more than ever with the players to ensure they stay on the pitch.

The Great Britain legend is also critical of the group of players pursuing legal action against the sport retrospectively for concussion injuries.

He added: “I completely get the RFL point of view as I see it from the inside. There is a duty of care for the RFL in regards to players and concussions. 

“We only have to look at this ongoing issue with players wanting to sue the sport. That I don’t agree with. You signed up to play this sport and you knew the risks so I am dead against that. 

“Players have just got to be smart now and shouldn’t try and incite people. The way Barrie (McDermott) and Moz (Adrian Morley) played unfortunately the game has gone away from that.”

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