Alix Popham: Contact training changes must be mandatory, says ex-Wales forward

Former Wales flanker Alix Popham believes a reduction in contact training needs to be mandatory across all levels of rugby union.

World Rugby guidance will limit full-contact training to 15 minutes a week after research showed 35-40% of injuries occurred in training.

Popham, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia when aged just 40, says the change should be compulsory and introduced immediately.

"It needs to happen now," he said.

Popham, 41, is among a group of former rugby union players - which includes England World Cup winner Steve Thompson - who have made a claim against rugby union's authorities for negligence.

The group has led calls to reduce physicality levels away from match-days.

World Rugby boss Alan Gilpin says the new guidelines reflect the governing body's "ambition to advance welfare for players at all levels".

While there is an expectation that the guidance will be followed throughout the sport, Popham says there should be no choice.

"It's definitely a step in the right direction, but I think it needs to be mandatory, like the NFL did 11 years ago," he told BBC Radio Wales.

"I think guidelines, they won't be stuck to if a team is under pressure and they missed a load of tackles on the weekend. That's where the pressure comes on the coaches and things will go over that 15 minutes.

"I think there have been teams in the NFL who were in that situation and did the extra contact sessions to try to get up to speed and were fined because of that.

"I think it needs to be mandatory across the board from all levels from grassroots up to professional teams."

World Rugby is to monitor and review the implementation of the guidance, with governing body figures suggesting limits on training loads may soon be mandated and teams obliged to follow the guidelines to be eligible to compete at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.