Today’s rugby news as one Wales and Lions international dies and England legend backs Gatland’s call

Dual code Wales international dies

Tributes have been paid to former dual code international Malcolm Price, who passed away on Saturday, aged 86.

Price was capped twice by Great Britain during his time in rugby league, while he also played for Wales and the British and Irish Lions in union, even scoring two tries to help beat the All Blacks on the 1959 tour.

In his own country, he participated in league games for Oldham, Rochdale Hornets, and Salford in addition to Pontypool and the Barbarians. He was admitted to the WRU Hall of Fame in 2019.With our daily email, you can have the most recent rugby news delivered right to your inbox for free.

In honoring him, former Rochdale Hornets player Brett Garside stated: “Malcolm was a very well-known gentleman to all amateur teams and did a lot for the amateur game in Rochdale.”

“I can speak from personal experience when I say that Malcolm is the most courteous and humble person you could hope to meet. I would like to extend my sympathies to his daughter Elise Price and her family, on behalf of the entire community.”

Guscott backs Gatland

England and Lions legend Jeremy Guscott has backed Wales coach Warren Gatland’s call to slash the number of tactical substitutions allowed in matches.

Gatland recently said a trial should be introduced with reduced numbers of replacements, even suggesting the game should consider returning to the days when substitutes were only allowed for injuries. He cited South Africa’s use of seven replacement forwards at the Rugby World Cup as “not what they were intended for”

Guscott, writing in his Rugby Paper column agrees. He said: “The number of tactical substitutes is something I’ve wanted for a long time, and it’s great that a coach of Warren Gatland’s stature now feels the same. It’s now a matter of some urgency, and I would not mess around by trying to trial it.

“I’m convinced that the benefits would be seen almost instantly if we cut the bench in half so that there are four

replacements, as opposed to eight. That’s a good shake-up, just what the game needs. There would be an increase in ability, stamina, and attempts. It removes the main factor that tilts the current game in favor of defense and challenges everyone to step up their attacking game.

“In the past, the goal of rugby union was to wear down the opposition’s forwards to the point where defenses would crack and additional attacking opportunities would arise. It is now highly stacked in favor of defense, with coaches having the ability to substitute players who are full of energy, for those who have been playing from kickoff, therefore changing over half the team.”