Former Test referee Nigel Owens says any further attempts to depower the scrum will turn rugby union into rugby league.

Owens has pushed back firmly against calls to reduce the influence of the set-piece in the game after outspoken pundit Matt Williams argued that World Rugby must step in following Ireland’s defeat to the Springboks in Dublin.

The Boks’ 24-13 victory was built on overwhelming scrum dominance. Ireland conceded a stream of penalties, were marched backwards repeatedly, and finished the match with four players yellow-carded and James Ryan sent off for a dangerous clean-out on Malcolm Marx. A first-half penalty try highlighted the extent of the pressure from the world champions’ pack.

Williams, who has long criticised forward-heavy benches and set-piece-centric tactics, said the scrum had become too influential and was “never meant to dominate the game”.

ALSO: Bok scrum a thing of beauty in Rassie’s eyes

Speaking on Off The Ball, he argued that the Boks were simply smarter within the current laws, but insisted the sport must curb the scrum’s power.

“We saw a masterful team performance from South Africa,” said Williams. “They exploited the laws brilliantly – at the scrum, at the breakdown. But I feel sorry for referee Matthew Carley. The scrum is there to restart play, that’s what the lawbook says. It was never meant to dominate the game.

“When I played, it wasn’t a penalty to be pushed off the ball. It shouldn’t be a penalty when you’re pushed off the ball – that’s the contest. South Africa are the best in the world at that incentive; they get the long-arm penalty. It was a disaster. Yellow cards from scrummaging completely ruined the game.”

MORE: ‘I’ve never seen a scrum like that’

But Owens – widely regarded as one of rugby’s greatest referees – strongly rejected the idea of reducing the scrum’s influence.

Responding on X, Owens warned that tampering further with the set-piece would fundamentally damage the sport.

“Rugby is a game for all shapes and sizes,” he posted. “Depower the scrum anymore and you may as well watch a rugby league match. It will destroy the community game if there is no place for your good old fashioned type of prop. Keep meddling with the game and you will destroy it.”

MALLETT: Boks wanted to hurt Ireland

Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images