All Black captain Richie McCaw on Friday welcomed the apparent backtrack by the English Rugby Football Union (RFU) over experimental law changes it had lobbied not to have adopted.
“Having watched the autumn internationals, the main issue is the kicking. It’s the fear factor, particularly the fear of making a mistake in your half.”
AFP
RFU chairman Martyn Thomas said this week that he wants the governing body, the International Rugby Board, to look at the tackled ball laws in a bid to simplify the breakdown and help promote an attacking game.
Games during the November internationals have been dominated by defence-driven teams with an increasing reliance on kicking, the ping-pong aerial displays often booed by crowds.
The flowing game has largely been conspicuous by its absence with a woefully small number of tries scored.
Of the 13 Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) trialled in the southern hemisphere last season, 10 were adopted.
Crucially, the sanctions experiment, which saw most offences punished with a free-kick rather than a penalty, was not, the RFU and other northern hemisphere unions arguing that it was a “cheat’s charter”.
Under the ELVs, only three infringements at the tackled ball area warranted a full penalty: foul play, offside play and not coming straight into the ruck or maul.
The reform effectively took the onus off referees at ruck time and allowed the game to open up.
“They figured it out, huh?” chortled All Black skipper McCaw on Friday, speaking ahead of the All Blacks game against France in Marseilles.
“It was frustrating the fact that we didn’t all go off and try the same things,” he said of the ELVs that were not trialled in the northern hemisphere.
“The fact they’re saying that now, at least they’re acknowledging that but I think we’re locked in for the next couple of years, but I guess over the next two years some thought has to be put into what’s going to help.
“The free-kick kept the game flowing and infringements didn’t actually stop the game as it does now with penalties.
“Teams defend and there’s still going to be a contest at the breakdown. I think teams are pretty good at that now. There’s always going to be a fight. I don’t know how they’ll change or if they will change that because that’s the nature of rugby, it’s a contest, so I don’t know the answer.”
McCaw admitted, however, that flowing rugby at Test level was a difficult thing to carry out because of the pressure.
“Super 14 is a bit different: teams chance their arm a bit more because you can always get it right next week,” he said.
“But for the one-off Tests you’re perhaps a wee bit more conservative at times.”
IRB chief executive Mike Miller was quick to urge England, who scored one try in their last three games, to look at their own style of play.
“There are certain concerns in certain countries but, if you take a global perspective, you’ll find the views coming from England are not necessarily shared around the world,” Miller said, quoted by The Guardian newspaper.
“I think there are more issues in England, based around the style of play and the number of matches. A lot of it comes down to mentality, particularly from the managers and coaches.
“Regardless of the IRB or the laws, people need to look at themselves and what they’re doing. Everyone bears the responsibility of having an attractive game that people want to play and watch.”
Miller acknowledged it was “very unlikely” substantive changes to the laws would be rushed in before the 2011 World Cup.
“There will be discussions about kicking and around the breakdown but if you talk to six people you get six different solutions,” he told the paper.
“Having watched the autumn internationals, the main issue is the kicking. It’s the fear factor, particularly the fear of making a mistake in your half. But Australia, New Zealand and Wales still want to play.
“Rugby is meant to be a flowing game. There are still some countries who can move the ball and score tries and others that can’t. You have to ask yourself: is it the game, is it referees, is it the laws or the individual countries themselves?”
November 27th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Fook, why don’t they just say they you can’t kick a penalty for posts from out of the 25 or further than the 10 metre or something like that. They’re trying to change a law in one place to affect the way the game is played in another.
Flipping paw-paws
November 27th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Only way to stop the kicking
is to allow teams to catch
a mark anywhere – then get
a scrum from where it was
kicked.
Worked in koshuis rugby.
But I think the ruck laws
are even bigger culprits.
Scrap this “you must be on
your feet” shyte.
As it is very few contesting
players are free standing.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Easy.
Go watch or play rugby league.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 6:28 pm:
Thanks. Perfect conversation killer.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I’ve some of the League 4-Nations games recently.
No set pieces.
No rucks.
No forwards.
No stoppages.
No time wasting.
Few kicks.
Few controversial referee calls.
Lots of running.
Does not appeal to me but it seems you guys will really enjoy it. Why do people want to change Union to be more like League? Why don’t they just switch?
November 27th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 6:52 pm:
Who’s you guys? I was just making the point that the law makers are going a*se about face trying get the desired effect in the game.
Personally I don’t mind the game as it is now. The conditions and the opposition a far bigger determinants as to how the game will be played.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Reply to Ollie @ 5:52 pm:
Up there you suggest to outlaw the long range penalties. The most spectacular ones, like those only Steyn, Steyn and Carter can land. So you are actually saying to the talented freaks, you do not want them in the game. They should go play something else. You would prefer to watch mediocre kickers that can land only easy kicks.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Are they launching this in SA on Dec 11 also?
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=invictus+movie&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10
November 27th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 7:15 pm:
Starts in Austria only on the 19th Feb 2010 – Good for us because we start our training in Feb and will use this movie to promote rugby!
PS: What would better the game? IMO:
1. take out the HIT in the scrum – bring back the 60/70′s style of binding.
2. tackling only allowed below the nipples! No kidding – will free up the offload in the tackle and make for exciting open rugby.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 7:11 pm:
Actually I was pointing out how the law makers are wanting to change one aspect of the game by changing the law in a different one.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 7:11 pm:
simpler way and doing it under the radar is to change the ball -make it softer or lighter so it is harder to kick long distance
November 27th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Reply to JT @ 7:20 pm:
i’m with you on the scrums. Scrums need to end successfully more often. A setpiece that always concludes with another setpiece or a penalty is very for the game.
For the rest I’m happy.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
..very bad…
November 27th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
In American Football the running game is considered more boring. Fans prefer the spectacular skills involved in the aerial passing game.
When they run, they don’t pass because of the turnover risk.
In League they also do little passing because of the turnover risk, only they have no aerial game so its all boring all the time.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 7:36 pm:
Hence more rights to the attacking team at the break-down. They played the S12 in 2001 like that and the games were the best running rugby ever!
Just IMO
November 27th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
PS: the non rugby Austrian thinks the most spectacular thing at rugy is the Line-out!
Running lines and passing does not do it for them.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Anyway – I am off to the pub with my WP jersey
to watch Stade v Toulon!
Tot later!
November 27th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
In the old days the lineouts
were the biggest mess thinkable.
Then lifting was okayed, and
the lineouts have become a
crowd pleaser.
I just want the same to happen
to the scrums.
And the rucks – which has become
such a grey area open to various
interpretations.
There were instances where teams
admitted they were scared to
contest.
As for the kickathons I’ve put
forward my solution – silly as
it may sound.
What I don’t want is league.
Neither do I want spectators
and sponsors turning away
from union because of the
way it is played.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Reply to JT @ 7:41 pm:
After posting saw your bit on
the Austrian view of lineouts.
Hehehe.
Don’t forget to tell them it’s
the most historic jersey still in
existence.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Reply to JT @ 7:40 pm:
Its an aerial setpiece played in 3-dimensions.
Passing and running lines takes place in 2-dimensions only and when the backs are scared they switch to running in the same direction as passing and then it becomes 1-dimensional.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
The garyOwen is now lets say in its 3rd 4th or even 7th version….
Optimum plays come and go
Klevah teams adapt with the laws and availability in players to play a multitude of styles that wiLL work on field.
Expect the barbarian “ruNNing version 7″ ( for lack of a beTTer classification) to come the party, as the “with it” style in 2012-13. Until the “with it” teams tour mudviLLe to coLLect the aNNualRugbyDole!
The beauty of Union is that it can adapt and stiLL prosper.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Fyndraai,
i find nothing more boring than league.
Running?
Running for the sake of it into eachother
is unimaginative a dull.
Players become bash’bots.
Dull.
The idea is to have the ball moving,flowing,with momentum.
If you slow it down ,
you loose possesion.
Thats universal.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
As for the yankee football,
absolute meatheads.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Reply to WiLLem @ 8:09 pm:
Nee, ek dink die kick-and-chase
gaan die norm word – bloot omdat
dit omtrent die enigste uitweg
oor is soos die reëls nou staan.
Die Bokke het gewys hoe suksesvol
dit kan wees – ander spanne
probeer dit reeds namaak.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Reply to Duiwel @ 8:11 pm:
hehehe
thats why the SPCA USA insisted that them meatheads be covered with helmets!
November 27th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Reply to Duiwel @ 8:11 pm:
Is Aussie Rules nie nog
kakker nie? En tog trek
dit tien keer meer gatte
op sitplekke.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
But as varietyFare GridIron is cOOl!
November 27th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 8:14 pm:
Jy is reg as die rEEls nie verander word nie Boerman…
wat reken jy is die kans dat die rEEls dieselfde gAAn bly vir 10 jAAr?
November 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Reply to WiLLem @ 8:18 pm:
Die ander oplossing is om
voorspelers te verbied om
deel van die agterlyn te
wees.
Maar dit sal weer iemand
soos Bekker se loopbaan
kortknip.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 8:23 pm:
November 27th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
ZA NEWS:
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/90cdc12e8bee477883eeb00ba44d7782/27-11-2009-10-41/Malema_as_never_seen_before
7 MINUTES. But Snor is on at
around 2 minutes into the clip.