International referee Nigel Owens suggests fewer substitutions could help make modern rugby union safer.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today Programme, he said big and strong players tend to run directly at opponents rather than trying to go past them.

But with fewer substitutions, Welshman Owens believes players would need to be smaller and lighter which would "reduce the impact" of collisions.

But he added a lot of research needed to be done first.

Owens was joined on the programme by Alex Rieder, a regular for English Premiership side Wasps until last year when his latest injury turned out to be his last - and he retired at just 28.

Rieder now wants a change in the rules to prevent further career-ending injuries and highlights a lack of enforcement of the law that prohibits players charging into a ruck to clear out players.

"I worry that could be an area where someone could have a seriously catastrophic injury," he said, with players "flying into it without repercussion".

Owens has taken charge of 76 Test matches in an international career that began in 2005 and will be in the middle when France host England in the 2020 Six Nations' opening round on Sunday, 2 February.

He said World Rugby is doing everything it can to minimise the risk of injuries.

"The negatives of playing the sport are outweighed by the positives by a long way," he said.

"It's a physical sport, a lot of people go through rugby without having a serious injury. Unfortunately for some people, they do receive an injury or they're unlucky."

But Owens believes there are "simple things" which could change the game and points to how it used to be played.

"If you think 20 or 30 years ago, or even less than that, your aim as a player when you had the ball was to beat the man in front of you and that was to try to either dummy a pass or side step around him.

"What you see now, because of the physicality and big men in the sport, is instead of running around the player they run through them.

'We're always looking at things'

"It comes down a lot to the coaching, the way the game is played and the players playing the game."

And he thinks allowing fewer substitutions could be the way forward with players having to adapt their approach in games to avoid impact and stay on the pitch longer.

"We as referees and referee managers in World Rugby, we're always looking at things that need to be applied firmer, which contributes to the safety of the game and that is an ongoing process," said Owens.

"It is a physical game and unless you change it beyond total recognition of what the sport is, you are going to have to accept that there is going to be a risk of injury, but a minimal risk if you compare it to people that are injured everyday in walking about doing nothing."

Owens' views echo those made by Welsh Rugby Union chairman Gareth Davies in November 2017.

Davies was worried about "nastier collisions and nastier injuries" in the game.

For the latest Welsh rugby union news follow @BBCScrumV on Twitter.

Saracens have been urged to be more transparent with fans over how they came to be relegated to the Championship, says Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs.

Childs said the club needed to "take ownership" of the process that led to their unprecedented punishment for not complying with the salary cap.

This latest sanction comes just over two months after they were given a 35-point penalty and £5.36m fine for non-compliance with the £7m cap in each of the last three seasons.

Childs said Saracens "have got a number of questions to answer to their fans" and, speaking to BBC Sport, he also confirmed Saracens opted to be relegated to the Championship instead of allowing a mid-season forensic audit.

Childs, who has been in the role since September, dismissed recent criticism of Premiership Rugby's handling of the matter, saying it was "a little unfair" and that other sports leagues around the world had complimented them on their decisive action.

The current salary cap regulations do not include a provision to automatically relegate a club, leading to confusion among fans over how that eventuality came about.

On the calls for improved transparency surrounding the initial judgement from November - which has not been published - and this recent decision, Childs told BBC Sport: "I think that is an important request. I think Saracens need to do some of that as well, quite frankly. They accepted the decision and they need to communicate with their fans.

"They are the ones that have the transactional relationship with them in terms of ticket sales and other bits and pieces. I can fully understand why there are levels of disappointment from that, and rightfully so.

"Let's not shy away from the fact that these guys got nailed for cheating for three years and they couldn't prove that they weren't doing it again this year. So they have got a number of questions to answer to their fans.

"We will help them and work with them in order to do that but they have got to take ownership of some of that."

It is understood that if Saracens gave their approval for the judgement to be made public, he would revisit the matter.

Childs said the decision on Saracens' relegation came as a result of "exceptional circumstances", which were an accumulation of their repeated breaches, their lack of contrition towards other clubs and their response to the judgement.

"We have been in intensive conversations with them since November," he said.

"The outcome of that was that they were unable to provide necessary confidence of compliance for the current season.

"In addition, we were trying to get the club to cooperate with a mid-season forensic audit to put this issue to bed once and for all, and we couldn't get their cooperation.

"All those pieces were moving in tandem and that left us in this exceptional circumstance where the longer it went on, it actually became inevitable that relegation was pretty much the only consequence, the only outcome that we could actually work with."

He added that Saracens, who return to Premiership action at Harlequins on Sunday, were first presented with the option of relegation "between Christmas and new year".

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – CTech Manufacturing and IMSA have announced a new, multi-year partnership making the manufacturer of high-quality aluminum pit carts and cabinets the official cart provider for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The integrated marketing partnership will serve to further align CTech with IMSA teams and other stakeholders, as well as introduce CTech products to IMSA’s fan base of auto enthusiasts and DIY’ers.

Elements include the introduction of an annual IMSA VIP Fan Experience Sweepstakes with CTech products included as part of a Grand Prize package, digital advertising across IMSA.com, on-site branding, and “tech tours” at track for CTech customers and prospects. CTech product also will be integrated into IMSA’s at-track operations, including the featured use of a new IMSA Timing & Scoring Stand/Pit Cart as well as CTech products by IMSA’s Technology and Technical Inspection teams.

“CTech has long, established relationships inside the IMSA paddock and is a natural partner for us,” said IMSA Senior Vice President, Marketing & Business Operations David Pettit. “The new timing stand and other CTech products we will begin using this year will greatly enhance IMSA’s service to our stakeholders on pit lane and in the paddock. In addition, we are excited to begin to educate our broad fan base about CTech’s products and support this part of their business as well.”

The company, which was founded in the early 1990s by Jim Greenheck – a racer himself – out of a need for a lighter, stronger, higher-quality aluminum cabinet for racing trailers, developed its exclusive MotionLatchTM drawer and door handle for “One Hand One Motion” opening and closing/latching for transport. The patented design made MotionLatchTM an industry leader since its development and pushed CTech into new markets, fueled by customer requests.

“Over the years, CTech Manufacturing has been a part of the majority of championship-winning IMSA teams by providing the storage solutions they need to support a successful racing effort,” said CTech Marketing Director Darrell Martin.. “We are proud of this relationship and look forward to growing our business in 2020 by partnering with IMSA, further reaching the teams in the paddock, as well as IMSA’s significant fan base throughout the U.S., and beyond.

“Born in the racing industry over 25 years ago, it’s a big step for our growing company to formally align ourselves with one of America’s most historic racing series. We’re confident this new partnership will present advantages for both CTech and IMSA alike.”

WILLOW STREET, Penn. – After winning his first American Flat Track championship last year, Cory Texter will return to the G&G Racing for the upcoming season to defend his title in the AFT Production Twins class.

Texter scored three wins during the most recent season and earned eight top-five finishes in route to the championship. Texter will once again team up with G&G Racing.

G&G Racing is a father-and-son-owned team based in Southern California. John and John “L.J.” Gronek are pleased to bring Texter back on board for the upcoming season.

“We are really happy to bring Cory back to the team,” L.J. Gronek said. “We learned a lot about setup last year, and we are adding a few new components to our program this year that should be a real benefit in our efforts. ‘CTex’ has a never-quit attitude and works hard. He was talking about the 2020 season just days after he won the Production Twins title at the Meadowlands Mile in New Jersey, so that says a lot about his will to win and improve.”

Texter is excited about the opportunity to stay on the Yamaha MT-07 DT in his return to G&G Racing.

“It has been a long off-season so far, but I feel that staying on board the Yamaha MT-07 gives me the best opportunity to make another run at a championship,” Texter said. “The Yamaha is a great motorcycle, and I am very excited about the new aspects to our program that we are working on for 2020. We’re a small team, but we are very efficient and work hard every day. John and L.J. have been like family to me, and those are the type of dudes you want to go into battle with every weekend.”

Roof Systems of Dallas, Texas will be joining the team as a sponsor. Roof Systems owner Jerry Stinchfield is a major contributor to the sport of flat track racing.

“As many know, I am very passionate about the American Flat Track series, and I really want to get more involved in the Production Twins class,” said Stinchfield. “I really like the work ethic of Texter and his team. Cory does a lot for amateur racing and frequently gives back to the sport, so I wanted to do the same for him. I am excited about joining his efforts and helping his team contend for another championship.”

In addition to a new partnership with Roof Systems, Texter will also have support from aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessory titan Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties.

NORWALK, Ohio – American Endurance Racing has released its Summit Racing Endurance Championship Series schedule.

The six-race season begins Feb. 14-16 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. Additional events are scheduled for PittRace on April 3-5, Watkins Glen Int’l on May 8-10, New Jersey Motorsports Park on June 26-28, Summit Point Motorsports Park on Sept. 11-13 and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Oct. 23-25.

The Endurance Championship Series is designed for amateur drivers who want to try their hand at endurance racing. Every race in the series has multiple classes with cars grouped based on their qualifying times, creating an even playing field. Competition is intense, but not at the expense of having fun.

Any production-based car built for road racing qualifies. You’ll see everything from BMWs and Porsches to Subaru WRXs, Mustangs, Mazda Miatas, and even the odd Honda Civic.

Classes are set based on the cars that compete at each race. AER looks for groups of cars based on each car’s fastest qualifying lap time plotted on a timeline. AER has developed its own software to monitor lap times. If a car is running considerably faster or slower than the rest of the class it is in, AER has the option to move it to a more appropriate class during the race.

Most events run from Friday to Sunday. Qualifying is on Friday afternoon where every driver runs at least five laps in the car they will be driving. There is a seven- to nine-hour race on both Saturday and Sunday, with mandatory stops based on the length of the race to give teams a reasonable and safe amount of time to change drivers, fuel and service the car, etc. If your team is organized, you can fill your car with five gallon fuel jugs in three minutes and be competitive.

Anyone with a racing license with a major sanctioning body, a driver who has competed in five 24 Hours of LeMons or Champ Car races or a driver with a proven record of substantial track time or has previously done other types of racing are allowed to compete.

Cars that are eligible to race include any production-based race car built to compete in sanctioned road racing with the SCCA, NASA, IMSA, World Challenge or similar organizations, top Champ Cars, including EC, or Class A LeMons cars.