Owen Doyle: Positive vibes from World Rugby summit could be spoiled by a fly in the ointment

There will be no law changes. That is the most welcome, but also the most unexpected, conclusion from World Rugby’s Shape of the Game conference. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall in London. It’s a shame, really, as I would have enjoyed being there. However, the outcome is a very good result and its importance cannot be over-emphasised. While I have recently been on the case of World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson, it is now important to give credit where it is due. The well-worded, unifying statement issued post-conference tells us “there was universal agreement that the on-field game is in a strong position across global and international competitions”. That is one hell of a clear...