Rugby Has Massive Problems !

[Da Munch]

Clean up the breakdown (and scrums) and you improve the game 10 fold over night.

Yeah the rolling away at the breakdown at super rugby made massive difference in the first year. As others have said it's a blight on our game that paddy didn't push this in the RWC, the OZ-SA game should be dragged up at every opportunity as an example of how not to ref a game.

 

[Bowside]

Yeah the rolling away at the breakdown at super rugby made massive difference in the first year. As others have said it's a blight on our game that paddy didn't push this in the RWC, the OZ-SA game should be dragged up at every opportunity as an example of how not to ref a game.

I think about 100,000 saffas on facebook agree with you.

 

[dougdew99]

I don't get why Rugby has to be massively popular... it doesn't make any difference to me how many millions of people are watching it. As long as the Super and International games are shown on TV then I am happy.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I just dont see the point in taking away from the advantage that penalties give. Maybe in the short term you would be right and we would get have a season of good games, but then teams would learn to infringe more at the breakdown to slow play knowing that nothing either will come from it(if bryce is reffing) or they will at least be able to realign the defence to face the penalty.

Clean up the breakdown (and scrums) and you improve the game 10 fold over night.

Yeah, that's an issue. Teams will eventually devise tactics to overcome or exploit such changes.

As for cleaning up the breakdown and scrum, the question is how? At present they seem to be more at the mercy of the referee than the laws.

 

[Mr Doug]

I don't get why Rugby has to be massively popular... it doesn't make any difference to me how many millions of people are watching it. As long as the Super and International games are shown on TV then I am happy.

Sadly, it's all about dollars......the rest of your comments, I totally agree with.

 

[waratahjesus]

Yeah, that's an issue. Teams will eventually devise tactics to overcome or exploit such changes.

As for cleaning up the breakdown and scrum, the question is how? At present they seem to be more at the mercy of the referee than the laws.

I don't think there broke, I think there interpreted to far apart, make it consistent and the game will flow better.

 

[mark_s]

The scrum is so easy to fix, there are many suggestions on this site and others but they all revolve around taking the power hit out of it. There is so much more to scrummaging than the hit yet thats the cause of most penalties and resets.

The ruck, I dunno if we are seeking something that doesnt exist there. League got rid of rucking years ago yet their play of the balls are still messy. I think its more important to have consistent interpretations than anything else, but focussing on the tackler first usually results in cleaner rucks.

 

[Schadenfreude]

I don't get why Rugby has to be massively popular... it doesn't make any difference to me how many millions of people are watching it. As long as the Super and International games are shown on TV then I am happy.

I have a bit of missionary zeal in me I guess. I think of all those heathens who have never seen a good game of rugby - and I feel sorry for them.

 

[Bowside]

The ruck, I dunno if we are seeking something that doesnt exist there. League got rid of rucking years ago yet their play of the balls are still messy. I think its more important to have consistent interpretations than anything else, but focussing on the tackler first usually results in cleaner rucks.

I think the referee needs a sort of ruck checklist. First he looks at tackler rolling away, then players going off their feet, then the opposing defensive line. Of course he also has to penalise players not coming through the gate - at any time. I think they need to have a zero tolerance approach but rather than blow every little thing up, play more and longer advantages instead, as this will encourage teams to chance their arm and play more positive rugby. Also think rucking needs to be reintroduced for the times in which the referee is incompetent. But I suspect the mothers have killed that one off as they dont want little johny getting cut up in the rucks. Also have a certain amount of ruck penalties before carding. They seem to have it worked out at about 3 in scrums, but with rucks a team can infringe 8 or 9 times and walk away scot free.

 

[RugbyFuture]

train people who used to be forwards rather than just backs to ref, that'll fix the problems.

 

[Sully]

train people who used to be forwards rather than just backs to ref, that'll fix the problems.

Can I have an ATV to get me around or do I have to do that running shit!

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I don't think there broke, I think there interpreted to far apart, make it consistent and the game will flow better.

Neither do I. Actually you refer to exactly what I was alluding to. Sort out the issues with individual interpretation and the game will flow far better than it can when official interpretation is so wildly inconsistent.

 

[waratahjesus]

There with you, I hate when a northern v southern ref is talked about. Why can't they all go to camps together and be taught how to interpret ratter than decide themselves

 

[Blob]

I think the referee needs a sort of ruck checklist.

I'm pretty sure that already happens.

I would be very surprised if this website or any other punter website comes up with anything that the IRB ref committee (whatever) haven't already thought of. As far as I'm concerned the very first thing to do is to get fans to understand the laws and the processes that already exist around refereeing.

 

[Dam0]

I think the referee needs a sort of ruck checklist.

I'm pretty sure that already happens.

.

Yeah we do. The way I was taught (and do it) is to have a 4 point checklist at every stage of the game. At a tackle its:
tackler away,
ball carrier releases,
next arriving players ok (where from/on feet)
when (if) ruck forms - offsides

I try to run through this list in my head every time we have a tackle. Took a bit of practice this year but it started to pay dividends to my control of the breakdowns when I could do it automatically. It gets your thinking in order, no point in worrying about the arriving players if an offence has been committed earlier, ditto the ball carrier.

Still, its not as easy as you would think, it happens bloody fast once you get to a decent level.

 

[Blob]

Yeah we do. The way I was taught (and do it) is to have a 4 point checklist at every stage of the game. At a tackle its:
tackler away,
ball carrier releases,
next arriving players ok (where from/on feet)
when (if) ruck forms - offsides

I try to run through this list in my head every time we have a tackle. Took a bit of practice this year but it started to pay dividends to my control of the breakdowns when I could do it automatically. It gets your thinking in order, no point in worrying about the arriving players if an offence has been committed earlier, ditto the ball carrier.

Still, its not as easy as you would think, it happens bloody fast once you get to a decent level.

Thanks for the explanation.