Proposed changes to Rugby Union rules

[bane]

from interview with Paddy O'Brien

probable before world cup:
- adoption of U19 scrum rule where front rows must touch before engaging to ensure front rows no more than arm length apart (to reduce force of hit and associated injuries).


others proposed (but not before next world cup):
- penalties replaced by free kicks for everything apart from foul play
- legal to collapse rolling mauls
- players on feet can use hands in rucks
- if ball is passed to player inside 22, ball cannot be kicked out on the full
- any numbers allowed in line outs, even if teams uneven


all trying to speed up the game, and help remove (subjective) influence that refs currently have on the game

[Steam]

Sounds okay to me, I wonder if they've had any practise games to try and see how it goes?
I dunno about the rolling mauls rule though. What's wrong with a rolling maul?

[Colapop]

Yeah these rules are known as the Stellenbosch (sp?) rules. They've been playing them there as an experiment for the game. The rules have not changed signifigantly in the last 2 years so it must be time to stuff around with them.
Collaspsing a maul - The reason why it was outlawed was so that the northern hemisphere teams had something to use when their kickers were crap.
Hands in the ruck - it happens now so why try and enforce it? Instead why don't they alloow players to legally ruck hands or bodies off the ball? Rucking is not stamping down on a player, it is drawing the foot over the ball to move it to the back of the ruck.
There are too many needless penalties handed out because refs (not all) cannot keep up with the game and miss things, hear the crowd reaction and guess there's a penalisable offence.
If they allow any number of players in a lineout then all you see is a bunch of players collapsed in one part of the field and there'll be an endless round of scrums - so why not have a scrum everytime the ball goes out?

The way I see it, they should do a couple of things;
Reduce penalty goal points to 2. Who cares if you can kick one from halfway?
Enforce the offside line. Waikato utilised the 'rush' defence the other night. The better team won on the night but both sides were allowed to be too far offside too ooften and not getting penalised for it.
Through 90 deg screw in the scrum - should be abolished. Scrummage straight, it's not that hard.
Enforce cross runners as obstruction. Too many players are creating semi obstruction by running into supporting players (not the tacklers) taking the second phase support out of play. Sure it doesn't affect the tackle but it has a big impact on ensuing phases.

[Swoop]

Rule #1 of pointy-ball games: Turn off the tv and go and do something enjoyable.

[Colapop]

I propose an amendment to that rule - If you're not interested, don't comment. You must have some interest - you've made the same comment in two threads both clearly labeled as rugby threads...

[Swoop]

I propose an amendment to that rule - If you're not interested, don't comment. You must have some interest - you've made the same comment in two threads both clearly labeled as rugby threads...

I am interested!
In the fact that this fully paid and professional "game" is sucking large amounts of money away from other sporting codes.
Imagine what could be achieved if more of our best riders had some decent financial backing to be the very best in the world.

[Dooly]

Leave the scrums alone, I love watching the scrum contest being a grizzled old front rower.

The other rule changes sound ok.

[Biff]

It should stay illegal to bring down a rolling maul. Doing so is blardy dangerous.

I'd also like to see them keep the penalty kick. Free kicks are generally used for technical infringements, while penalties are normaly used for dangerous/foul play. You need to differentiate between the two. Although I'd vote for the 2 point penalty kick.

As for the hands in a ruck thingy - let them do it I say. Ref'ing hands in a ruck can be a freakin nightmare, and yes - the wise arse spectators, all of whom are totally unbiased, well sighted and fully versed in the rules of the game do like to form their own opinion - or most likely join in agreement with the guy standing next to them, even though they never saw the incident themselves

It's one thing saying that we (yes I'm a rugby ref) blow our whistle simply because we didn't get to the break down in time, but it's a freakin hard to call to make sometimes when you arrive at a ruck when you've already got both teams scrambling for the ball. "Hands off - (eenie meenie miney mo) you'.

As for scrummaging - it can be virtually impossible to scrummage straight - if the other prop dips or twists his (or her) shoulders (on purpose most of the time). The more experienced front rows know how to play this game, some don't bother pushing at all when so that the scrum moves more than 90 degrees. A very diffcult area to manage, so you need to have some tough laws around the scrums. Leave the law as they are I say. HENGAUGE!!

[bane]

It should stay illegal to bring down a rolling maul. Doing so is blardy dangerous.!

I thought that as well... however Paddy said they've done the research and found no major injuries associated with collapsed mauls - as a ref, whats your experience?

As for the hands in a ruck thingy - let them do it I say. Ref'ing hands in a ruck can be a freakin nightmare!

agree, good rule change - everyones doing it anyways.

[Colapop]

Ref's arriving late is a real issue. They should be made to be super fit premier athlete's!

In all seriousness reffing is not easy and I don't begrudge the guys doing it one bit as long as the rulings are consistent to both teams - good or bad. As a coach I always try and coach my players to move the ball out of congested situations as quickly as possible. a) It frees up the ball for continuity of play and b) It avoids the ref getting involved and the possibility of decisions having to be made.

[Biff]

I thought that as well... however Paddy said they've done the research and found no major injuries associated with collapsed mauls - as a ref, whats your experience?

A 'tweaked' neck and an over-extended elbow joint is all that I've witnessed while refeering a game when someone collapsed a maul. Although Ive heard plenty of 'ahhhhhhhhh's coming from the poor bastard who has the entire maul collapse on him. I've heard of dislocated elbow joints and concussions from fellow refs due to collapsed mauls though. In fact we were visited by the head of Canty's referees assocation last season who asked us to come down hard on anyone collapsing either a scrum or maul because of the inherent dangers involved.

Hmmmm.

They should be made to be super fit premier athlete's!

I don't, on the whole, believe I arrive late at breakdowns. It's not so much about fitness (although this is an issue) but correctly positioning yourself in order to get to the next breakdown asap, and even second guessing the play. Although doing so can mean that you guess wrong, and do end up late when the ball does next go to ground.

If I was still super fit I'd still be playing! Or alternatively pay me a moderate wage and I would get fitter ( as it is it costs me money for refing North Canty matches, as is the case for most if not all refs around the country). Or maybe, just maybe, those gobby arses (not you) who sit on the touchlines/bar stools and whine at refs should have a go themselves, providing they are prepared to make split second decisions, often when there are bodies lying all over the place hampering your view, while being judged by a boat load of people that who are never going to agree with any decision you make unless it's in favour of the team that they support.

The power of the whistle corrupts.

[Lil_Byte]

from interview with Paddy O'Brien

probable before world cup:
- adoption of U19 scrum rule where front rows must touch before engaging to ensure front rows no more than arm length apart (to reduce force of hit and associated injuries).


others proposed (but not before next world cup):
- penalties replaced by free kicks for everything apart from foul play
- legal to collapse rolling mauls
- players on feet can use hands in rucks
- if ball is passed to player inside 22, ball cannot be kicked out on the full
- any numbers allowed in line outs, even if teams uneven


all trying to speed up the game, and help remove (subjective) influence that refs currently have on the game

No problems with the scrum rule as when I was a bit younger I totally stuffed my neck (and still paying for it now) cause of propping against one of those narly old players (at an internationl level though????)

No problems with any of the other rules either come to think of it - it may create a more open fast moving game of rugby