Playing pool in a bar in South Africa is seldom straight forward. You walk up to the table, put your money in the slot, rack the balls and shake hands with your soon-to-be opponent.
They’ll then say something like “new rules, old rules, or new-old rules”?
Steve Deane writes that new rules tend to be those used in English pubs, with extra shots awarded for fouls. Old rules are a bit closer to New Zealand’s ‘miss the black and you lose’ interpretation.
New-old rules are a mix of the two.
They’re also what rugby seems set to end up with in a couple of months’ time.
The likely introduction of at least some of the Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) – or Stellenbosch Rules, as they are alternatively known – into Super and test rugby might be designed to make the game simpler and easier to understand, but the teething period ain’t gonna be pretty.
The debate over which laws, if any, to introduce into the Super 14 is far from concluded.
On November 15, Sanzar will meet (actually they’ll tele-conference, but you get the point) and discuss their response to the IRB’s request that the Super 14 be used as a guinea pig for the ELVs.
As it stands, it’s likely at least some of the ELVs will make their way into the competition.
These could be as benign as shifting the corner flags off the paint 2m to allow tries to be scored in the corner with more ease; or they could be as drastic as allowing players to use their hands in rucks and replacing most penalties with free kicks.
Whichever rules make the cut, there’s certain to be a decent amount of head-scratching and temple-rubbing before the players, referees and fans become fully accustomed to them.
The settling in process can be expected to take the majority of the Super 14. But, by finals time, you’d hope most of the players would have the rules sussed.
Unfortunately for the players who then make the All Blacks they will be asked to unlearn the new rules for the visits of Ireland and England, as the IRB have shifted the date for the introduction of any ELVs at test level from June 1 to July 5.
With no plans in place to test the ELVs at the top level of European club rugby, the alternative would be the English and Irish players experiencing the ELVs for the first time in the test matches.
That hardly seems fair, either.
The whole process has “reconditioning window” (a new catch phrase for colossal rugby cock-ups) written all over it.
Perhaps the best solution would be to simply let the players decide the rules on the day.
STELLENBOSCH EXPERIMENTAL RULE VARIATIONS
CORNER POSTS
Now positioned 2 metres back from touch, in line with the goal line and dead ball line.
INSIDE THE 22
If a team passes or takes the ball back into the 22m area and then kicks the ball out on the full, the lineout is where the ball was kicked, unless a tackle has been made or a ruck or maul has formed.
LINEOUT AND THROW
A quick throw-in can be thrown backwards in the direction of the defender’s goal line.
No maximum number of players in the lineout. Teams do not have to match numbers.
The receiver (halfback) must stand 2 metres back from the lineout.
TACKLE AND RUCK
Players must enter through the gate.
There are now offside lines at the tackle (extending the full width of the field).
If the ball is unplayable – free kick to team not in possession of the ball when the tackle took place.
Most offences at the tackle are now sanctioned with a free kick.
The halfback may not be touched unless he has his hands on the ball.
Players are permitted to use their hands in the ruck.
Players who deliberately or repeatedly offend any law are liable to penalty kick, yellow card, etc.
MAUL
A maul can now be pulled down. This must be done by grasping a player between the shoulder and hips and bringing the maul to ground.
Players joining the maul must do so through the gate.
If a maul becomes unplayable free kick to team not in possession at the start of the maul.
Truck and trailer is permitted when breaking away from a maul; not permitted in general play.
SCRUM
The offside line for backs (except the halfback) is now 5 metres behind the hindmost foot.
KICKOFF AND RESTART KICKS
For all kick off and restart kicks, any infringement by the kicking team (e.g. player in front, ball kicked into touch on the full) will result in a free kick to the non offending team at the centre of the halfway line/22 metre line.
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:05 am
The only two rules that have ruined the game for those that like forward play are hands in the ruck and pulling the maul down…
In th ARC rucks and mauls almost always end in a mass free-for-all wrestlemania stalemate… actually slowling the game down…
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:24 am
Free kick to opposing team when ball is unplayable at the ruck is an open invitation to slow down and kill the ball. Makes no sense
November 3rd, 2007 at 10:04 am
I do not like the ruck or maul laws.
You are not allowed to ruck players anymore now they can use hands too?
As far as I understood it the team with possession at the ruck were allowed to use hands to get the ball out but had to be on their feet.
Other team – no hands.
I have no problem with that.
Hands in ruck is going to slow the game down even more, stop quick ball and thus stop a more attacking approach or tries being scored.
A free for all.
I have a problem with the maul currently as it is nothing more than obstruction.
I also have a huge problem with players (team that has possession) joins the maul from the side, or in front of the ball-carrier at the back.
1) Blow entering from the side equally strict for both sides.
I also have a problem with pulling it down.
The only change they needed to make was that the ball carrier must be leading the maul, and not as is currently the case where the ball carrier has blockers in front of him. Maul like that but give the opposition a fair chance to compete for the ball.
It is the only area in rugby where opposition is not given a fair chance to compete for the ball.
Ridiculous.
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:53 am
INSIDE THE 22
If a team passes or takes the ball back into the 22m area and then kicks the ball out on the full, the lineout is where the ball was kicked, unless a tackle has been made or a ruck or maul has formed.
This last part makes no sense, does it?
How can a ruck or maul be formed if
the ball is kicked out on the full?
Formed where? Next to the field?
Will the linesmen and bench-players
be allowed to join?
Forcing the scrumhalf to play the ball
when it is available at rucks will surely
speed up the game?
Right now the 9 is allowed to slow play
down, looking right and left, allowing
players to form up, catch their breaths,
giving commands, chatting up the ref,
calling players in and only then play the ball.
The worst problem IMO is the endless
aerial ping-pong that has become an
integral part of “attack”.
The solution is the Koshuis Laws:
► Only allowed to kick into touch from
within your own 22.
► If a ball is kicked from anywhere,
and the opposition touches it first,
the opposition gets a scrum on the spot
from where the ball was kicked.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:21 pm
You are miss-reading the law.
It means if a team takes the ball back into their own 22 and there is then a tackle,ruck or maul (phase) they are then allowed to kick out on the full and have the lineout where the ball goes into touch.
Much the same as an existing different law that refers to the same “phase” issue where if you are awarded a free kick within kicking distance of the opponnents poles you may not have the scrum half take the free-kick and then pass it to the flyhalf to have a drop goal attempt. There has to be a “phase” first. ie. tackle, ruck or maul etc. before you can take a drop goal attempt.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Then for clarity sake – and for
ignoramuses like myself – they
should add
. . . unless a tackle has been made or a ruck or maul has formed in the 22 before the kick
was made.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Oops! Only half my comment
appeared.
I added:
But lets have your views on the rest of
my comment – not the tongue-in-cheek-bit
about the wording of the law.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I agree it is worded stupid.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Aerial ping pong sucks.
Forcing a player to play the ball at the base of the ruck will create a huge load of new confusion.
How would the lawmakers determine WHO has to play the ball?
They cannot say the scrumhalf has to play it as soon as it is available, because that will just cause the scrumhalf to stay away from the ruck and therefore he is not able to play it.
They can’t say the first player who arrives at the ruck once it is available has to play it. What happens if it is a 135kg prop, who can only pass the ball 3m?
Then you also have the fact that a team should be allowed to organize their attack before deciding to use the ball. You cannot force them to play the ball if they are not ready.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Valid points.
But they want a quicker game, and
surely this is the biggest
slow-down?
If the ball has clearly been made
available at a ruck, the ref can
shout” “Ball out! Play!”
(I did hear this once in the WC,
I think the ref was Walsh.)
If it then is not played, the oppo
can be allowed to round the ruck and
play it themselves.
BTW what happened to the old
use-it-or-lose-it?
Stopping aerial ping-pong is easier:
At Stellenbosch all the Garry Owens
were stopped in their tracks when this
law came into being
It also leads to a much safer game.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Stop aerial ping-pong by employing primary school laws.
You are only allowed to kick the ball from within you own 22, no-where else.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Did you guys not get any footage from the ARC this year?
Besides the kak rucks n’ mauls… they’ve adapted pretty well by the end of the season and the game is quick… the Aussies will definitely be at a slight advantage this S14 if the laws are enforced…
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Some comments during the week:
JACQUES ROGGE is die voorsitter van die IOK en het ‘n passie vir rugby – maar nie die soort wat in die Wêreldbeker in Frankryk gespeel is nie. En daarom is daar geen kans dat rugby deel van 2012 se Spele in Londen sal wees nie.
“Aanvallende rugby moes plek maak vir ‘n patroon wat net op verdediging gemik is. In byna elke wedstryd was dit ‘n geval van een losgemaal ná die ander terwyl spanne vir mekaar gewag het om strafskoppe af te staan.
“Die reëlskrywers sal ‘n daadwerklike poging moet aanwend om die spel oop en aantrekliker te maak. Een manier kan wees om vinniger besit uit losskrums te verseker,” het die IOK-baas gesê.
Die moderne toeskouer, bemarker en borg soek opwinding – waarde vir geld en groot getalle toeskouers. En totdat dit nie gebeur nie, sal rugby geen ware wêreldsport wees nie – wat nog ‘n Olimpiese sport.
November 3rd, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Bryce-in-OZ,
OBVIOUSLY the OZ players will have a head start after playing a whole comp with the new rules.
From the above comments it appears the ONLY problem rule is still the ruck/mauls/breakdowns. These should be easily handled if the plurry Ref pings the first player going to the ground…..they will of course go to ground, spread-eagled all over the ball, at least half-a-dozen of them because they ALL know the Ref wont ping the first infringement.
Personally, I’d like to go with the new laws immediately, but still using the old ruck/maul laws, and go back to the original lineouts whereby, all forwards except the the thrower had to line up. It can’t be a lineout if one side had 7 forwards and the other side two, and not-withstanding, the thrower can throw the ball backwards to his own players if he wants to….this law is plainly stupid.
There is always a major drama that goes on when players have a choice in deciding on different formations….every team uses this tactic to have a breather.
Bryce, I do detect you are now not so belligerent towards the new rules ! We should go with the obvious better changes immediately, but give more time to sorting out rucks/mauls and the failure of Reffs to police the game according to the rule-book.
Patrick.