Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend says “extra work” is required to make good mouthguards “appropriate” after an alert prompted the non permanent withdrawal of prop Zander Ferguson in Saturday’s Six Nations win over England.
Fagerson went off for a head damage 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 mentioned.
“I feel we’ve to actually watch what we’re doing right here. Belief in know-how that is not been confirmed.”
Sensible mouthguards are getting used within the males’s Six Nations for the primary time this yr.
They document the acceleration power (G-force) and course of power concerned in contacts, often known as “head acceleration occasions”, and may present real-time knowledge to a health care provider or official on the sidelines.
Fagerson is the second Scotland participant impacted by the brand new know-how after hooker George Hooker went off the sector 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 regarded 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 flawed right here, I’ve simply made a deal with’, so we have to look at that since you do not wish to be taking our greatest gamers off the sector for 10 minutes if there are not any points round concussion.
“We wish to defend our gamers, that is for sure, however there is a bit extra work to do earlier than this know-how is appropriate.”
Townsend was requested if he believed the know-how had been rushed in.
“It is a new factor within the Six Nations and it is not been used at membership degree 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.
“Now we have a lot of eyes watching and gamers are actually superb at saying, ‘I’ve had a head damage right here, I’ve to go off’.
“I feel we simply must do a bit extra work right here earlier than we transfer on.”
