With the Six Nations now in full swing the last thing the game needs is further condemnation about how it’s played but last week the sport found itself being called a form of ‘child abuse’ because it allows physical contact.

According to academics from three universities, Winchester, Bournemouth and Nottingham, letting children (5-16 year-olds) take part in contact sports contradicts existing British laws that prohibit child abuse.

The leading author Eric Anderson (professor of sport at Winchester University) said: “Injuries remain the same so we stop parents hitting children around th...