Top rugby referee Nigel Owens has hit out at critics who believe rugby has gone soft in his latest column.
There has been plenty of debate over the months as World Rugby look at new ways to combat the risk of head injuries in the sport.
One of those laws was to lower the acceptable height of a tackle to 'below the nipple line' which was recently trialled during the World Rugby U20 Championship and U20 Trophy.
But Owens disagrees that the game has gone soft, saying rugby is getting more physical.
"I refereed the New Zealand versus South Africa Rugby Championship match in Wellington last weekend," he wrote in his WalesOnline column.
"It was a great game of rugby, one of the classics no doubt, and credit to the two teams for that. It was brutal and physical in the contact areas, but never during the game was it dirty.
"There wasn't even any foul play. It was no-holds-barred and, as I say, brutal – perfect evidence that the game has not gone soft. No way has it.
"I almost winced at some of the challenges, but they were legal, and the players on the end of them simply got up, dusted themselves down and dished out the same medicine to their opponent next time."
Owens stressed that player welfare has to be the priority, and that is why sometimes calls can seem harsh.
"Players in the modern age are bigger, fitter, stronger and there is more ball in play time, up to 45 minutes in some games.
"The laws are there to try to make a very physical game, which if anything is getting more physical, not softer, as risk-free as we possibly can, but still keep it recognisable as we know rugby to truly be.
"I can totally understand why people raise issues about this, that a 6ft 6in player tackling a 5ft 10in player could end up around his head or neck area in what seems an accidental fashion. But in a way that's irrelevant. Start your tackle in the right position and everything should be fine.
"Look, do we get things wrong on this matter as referees sometimes? Yes, we do, myself included. I think we're always open and honest about that - well, at least we should be. I will be more than happy to hold up my own hands and admit when I have got a decision wrong.
"Do players get things wrong from time to time when they make a tackle? Are they too high, do they lead with the shoulder to the head? Yes, they do, and when that happens, it's our responsibility to take the appropriate action. Sanctions will follow."
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