A top ref says taking scrums and tackling out of school yard rugby would do far more harm than good.

Researchers writing in the British Medical Journal have called for potentially harmful contact to be removed from the school version of the game.

International referee Nigel Owens says he'd rather see scrums and tackling made safer.

He told Mike Hosking getting rough on the rugby field is far less risky to children, than not playing any sport at all.

"There is more risk in a child not participating in an active sport - when he's sitting in front of the television with sugary drinks playing Playstation for hours and hours."