For this weekend’s Six Nations fixtures, there will be 35 replacement forwards to just 13 backs
South Africa's RG Snyman shows his 'Bomb Squad' tattoo after the 2023 World Cup Final. Photograph: Julian Finney/World Rugby via Getty ImagesMore often than not, the forwards provide the grunt in the physical exchanges and the backs provide the finesse, but backline replacements are becoming an endangered species with more and more coaches opting for 6-2 and even 7-1 splits.This meant that of the 48 replacements across the three matches, 36 were forwards and just 12 were backs.
In the 2019 World Cup, Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus named six forwards and two backs on his bench for the knockout matches, including their 32-12 victory over England in the final, a tactic which earned the ‘Bomb Squad’ moniker. Similarly, current Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend reportedly aired concerns about the growing use of forward-heavy benches at a World Rugby meeting recently. He suggested the Bomb Squad tactic – which effectively allows teams to replace almost their entire forward pack – is not in the spirit or best interests of the sport.
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