When Sir Gareth Edwards crossed for the try which, perhaps apocryphally, became known as the greatest in the history of the sport, the Welshman’s reaction was significant. In that, there was not one.

While those packed into Cardiff Arms Park in 1973 basked in the euphoria of the Barbarians’ unforeseen start against New Zealand, Edwards retained his sangfroid. There was barely a smile from the great scrum-half, let alone histrionics. Only one player congratulated Edwards on his try, the late Irish openside flanker Fergus Slattery, and even then the reasons for doing so looked to be more out of proximity to Edwards – Slattery was in support – than any emotional catharsis.

There are many famous tries in rugby’s historical canon that follow Edwards’s example. When Jean-Luc Sadourny scored what became known as the “try from the end of the world” against the All Blacks in 1994, sealing a famous French series win, there were air-punches thrown by some of Les Bleus in celebration but Sadourny barely flinched, and Philippe Saint-André was the only player to celebrate with him. No melodrama, no hyperbole; and no team to this day has defeated New Zealand at Eden Park since.

The same could be written of Saint-André‘s iconic 1991 try against England, “one of the most sensational that Twickenham has ever seen”, according to commentator Nigel Starmer-Smith. Two players celebrated with the French wing; the rest headed back to their own half. Very good try; back to the coalface.

Drawing comparisons between then and now is almost always futile but on the theme of try celebrations it is not. Tries might have been worth a point less for most of the amateur era but they were also so much more infrequent in those days. If anything, players would have been forgiven for expressing their elation in a more dramatic fashion.

In 2026, it is commonplace for players to celebrate tries, often wildly. There are some who have developed unique celebrations that are well known throughout rugby, those with their finger on the pulse. Perhaps, the Premier League – and football, generally –  is to blame (it usually is) for the way the sport has gone, but try-scorers celebrating their feats really could not be considered even close to the most offensive of rugby’s ills. And, in any event, the genie is well and truly out of the bottle.

What is far more egregious, however, and is starting to become more common, is replacements, warming up behind the try-line, mobbing a try-scorer after they have touched down. It has happened a couple of times in the Prem this season and it is, frankly, pathetic. Performative, posturing nonsense, which is going to lead to someone getting hurt. Those defenders who the scoring team’s replacements have had to push past to celebrate would be forgiven for engaging in some argy-bargy, given that their noses are being rubbed in it.

The most obvious question is: why are replacements not warming up behind the posts which their own team are defending? That way, they will never be in the vicinity of their team scoring a try. This is a regulation which just should be implemented immediately.

But, if it is not, there is already recourse for referees to intervene. World Rugby’s law 3.7 states: “If a player re-joins or a replacement joins the match without the referee’s permission and the referee believes the player did so to gain an advantage, the player is guilty of misconduct.” And 9.27 is: “a player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship.” Both sanctions are a penalty and both apply to this latest scourge which, although not quite commonplace yet, is increasing in regularity and needs nipping in the bud.

So, a plea to rugby referees everywhere: the next time replacements rush in to celebrate with a try-scorer, penalise them. And keep penalising them. It is not in the spirit of rugby in any way. If this kind of behaviour continues even after referees have penalised players, then a 20-minute red card should be introduced as a deterrent. It is so anti-rugby and so comically gratuitous, achieving absolutely nothing whatsoever.

It is total bluster, unnecessary bravado and it just needs to stop. It is classless, too, unlike the try-scorers of yesteryear who offered dignity and respect until the last.