Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend says “extra work” is required to make sensible mouthguards “appropriate” after an alert prompted the short-term withdrawal of prop Zander Ferguson in Saturday’s Six Nations win over England.
Fagerson went off for a head harm evaluation (HIA) after six minutes at Murrayfield, with Elliot Millar-Mills taking his place, earlier than being given the all clear to proceed.
“Sure it was [an alert] and I noticed the deal with once more – only a regular deal with,” Townsend stated.
“I believe we’ve got to actually watch what we’re doing right here. Belief in expertise that is not been confirmed.”
Good mouthguards are getting used within the males’s Six Nations for the primary time this yr.
They report the acceleration drive (G-force) and route of drive concerned in contacts, referred to as “head acceleration occasions”, and may present real-time knowledge to a physician or official on the sidelines.
Fagerson is the second Scotland participant impacted by the brand new expertise after hooker George Hooker went off the sphere for an HIA within the defeat by France.
Townsend added: “What we have been doing over the previous couple of years is ensuring that any signs which are seen, plenty of folks can flag up whether or not somebody goes off for an HIA.
“Zander was taken off for 10 minutes after what appeared like a standard deal with however there was a spike alert from the mouthguard.
“I do know in Tremendous Rugby there have been a few alerts and gamers have been saying, ‘there’s nothing unsuitable right here, I’ve simply made a deal with’, so we have to observe that since you do not wish to be taking our greatest gamers off the sphere for 10 minutes if there are not any points round concussion.
“We wish to shield our gamers, that is for sure, however there is a bit extra work to do earlier than this expertise is appropriate.”
Townsend was requested if he believed the expertise had been rushed in.
“It is a new factor within the Six Nations and it isn’t been used at membership stage previous to the Six Nations,” he responded. “I might hope they’d be taught from this incident and clearly George Turner went off for 10 minutes within the earlier recreation.
“[We need] to ensure it is as near correct as doable. That is what we wish.
“We have now a number of eyes watching and gamers at the moment are excellent at saying, ‘I’ve had a head harm right here, I’ve to go off’.
“I believe we simply have to do a bit extra work right here earlier than we transfer on.”