Smart mouthguards have come under the spotlight again ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific final after Ethan Blackadder was mistakenly sent from the field during the Crusaders’ 21-14 semifinal win over the Blues.
The mouthguards, compulsory in training and matches, were introduced ahead of the 2024 season by World Rugby,and are supposed to send an alert to medical staff so a player who has suffered a significant head knock can be withdrawn from the pitch for a concussion test.
But confusion reigned in Christchurch on Friday night with eight players across both teams sent from the field for a head injury assessment, including Blackadder, who was instructed to leave the field instead of Scott Barrett.
In the 26th minute with the Blues leading 14-7, prop Joshua Fusitu’a was yellow carded after a dangerous tackle head clash with Crusaders captain Barrett, and, before play resumed, referee James Doleman ordered Blackadder from the field due to an alert from his mouthguard.
Blackadder was puzzled and questioned Doleman who checked with another official and said it was due to a mouthguard alert.
Crusaders captain Scott Barrett. Photo / Photosport
Two minutes later Barrett was called from the field and Blackadder returned.
“A little bit of confusion here, they actually took the wrong player off,” Sky TV’s Mils Muliaina said from sideline commentary. “So it wasn’t actually Blackadder’s mouthguard that went off, it was Scott Barrett’s.
Sky commentator Justin Marshall was also puzzled asking: “how on earth do they get that wrong?”
Speaking to Newstalk ZB, Crusaders assistant coach Matt Todd said the situation was confusing and is hoping to avoid a similar calamity in Saturday’s final against the Chiefs.
“We probably didn’t have that many all season combined,” said Todd. “Not sure if it was just a really physical game or something else.
“To be honest, I’m not sure how it happened, that’s more the head coach’s area, but it was certainly strange.
“I don’t know how you get the wrong player in that instance. In big games, you don’t want to be losing players for unclear reasons. It’s got to be better than that.”
Super Rugby cited “technical issues” and that led to a temporary changes to the process, where players would be checked by an on-field doctor before deciding to take them off.
At the time, Barrett was critical of the technology.
“Honestly, I think it’s probably a step too far,” Barrett said after the Crusaders’ 33-29 loss to the Chiefs. “When you’re getting dragged and you’re looking round for what actually happened.
“We want player welfare, and that’s paramount, but I think if you’re influencing the game when key players are going off and they don’t know what for, I think that can be frustrating for a player.
“I think there needs to be a happy medium somewhere within it. Potentially, it could be trialled within training.”
