Bring Back Rucking

[liquor box]

When I played high school rugby in the 90s rucking was fine. Only things similar to rucking that were outlawed were stomping and mountaineering. Was a stamp of pride to look at your legs, especially the calves, and see them coated with marks post-game. Means you did a good job.

The very first time I was tackled in a Rugby game I was stomped, it hurt and from then on I was all about revenge! If you were on top of the ball and I saw you then your body was fair game.

I think there is a huge gap between rucking for the ball in a competitive manner and rucking a player to hurt them and this is why you should be able to ruck.



I wonder if "Blade" style boots hurt more of less?

 

[Clawhammer]

It annoys me no end when players are lying around the ball slowing the play down. However, as someone who had an orbit broken courtesy of some enthusiastic rucking when I was 14 I can understand why parents might not be so keen on it in junior rugby.

 

[#1 Tah]

Clawhammer - sweet name!

 

[rod]

As long as I and most others here would love to see it brought back, think it has pretty much gone the way of the dodo. Mum's and Dad's fearing for little Johnny's safety and tv look. The refs need to clamp down harder on the breakdown, even more so than last year with yellow cards early and often for repeat offenders and players deliberately slowing down opposition ball, attackers bridging and the tackled player not releasing when swamped in his own half.

with out rucking its boring

 

[Rassie]

Was called a loose scrum not a ruck. Would King Richie have been so effective when it was still legal as he is without it?

far as rucking is concerned if you fell on the wrong side and purposefully sealed the ball off you know what was coming next TIGER STRIPES courtesy of a size 11 boot!

This is rugby today

A player is tackled then rolls around for a bit adjusting his body position in an attempt to place the ball back advantageously for his teammates. Meanwhile the tackler pops back up to his feet and squats over the tacklee trying to rip the ball from the tacklee's grasp or, at the very least, to stop its release. In the meantime everyone else in the vicinity either dives to the ground to seal off the ball, launches themselves like a human torpedo at the developing pile-up or stands to one side of the melee with arm raised to signal that they know what they're doing even if no one else does. Everyone else fans out across the pitch in a leisurely fashion secure in the knowledge that the ball is not going to emerge anytime soon, while the referee scratches his head at the pointlessness of it all.

 

[It is what it is]

My experience with rucking is that it never actually got anyone out of the way until the momentum was well and truely stopped anyway.
All that ever seemed to happen was that you get slow ball and there was never any penalties, just some forward with a few extra stripes down his back.
If the refs were to penalise tacklers not rolling away and defenders diving on the ruck, there would be no need to bring back rucking.

So I say: He's not rolling sir, when are we gonna see a yellow?

Rucking was effective in getting people out of the way the next time they thought about doing it Crow.

 

[rod]

rucking rules

 

[Scoey]

My experience with rucking is that it never actually got anyone out of the way until the momentum was well and truely stopped anyway.

It was the fear and likelihood of rucking that ensured your momentum was not lost.

The game is poorer without it.

 

[Proud Pig]

Come on everybody, one of the most glorious sights in a game was when an innocent young winger, probably an insurance salesman by trade, would decide he was man enough to go where the big men play. He would run inside, his perfectly coiffed hair billowing in the breeze as he danced around the tall timber. Then suddenly a back-rower with less chromosomes than teeth cuts through him like he was made of butter. He would then lay on the ground in the fetal position as a bunch of real men, miners mostly a couple of coppers, dived in on top him to fight for the ball, as only real men can. Then the crowning moment of this glorious spectacle as his rag doll like body is rucked out the back and left lying in a puddle of his own misery. A kindly prop wanders over to say reassuringly "What the hell do you think your doing here, get your arse back out on the wing, you big nancy."

 

[Bullrush]

Come on everybody, one of the most glorious sights in a game was when an innocent young winger, probably an insurance salesman by trade, would decide he was man enough to go where the big men play. He would run inside, his perfectly coiffed hair billowing in the breeze as he danced around the tall timber. Then suddenly a back-rower with less chromosomes than teeth cuts through him like he was made of butter. He would then lay on the ground in the fetal position as a bunch of real men, miners mostly a couple of coppers, dived in on top him to fight for the ball, as only real men can. Then the crowning moment of this glorious spectacle as his rag doll like body is rucked out the back and left lying in a puddle of his own misery. A kindly prop wanders over to say reassuringly "What the hell do you think your doing here, get your arse back out on the wing, you big nancy."

That was looooong time ago.

Can't imagine anything like that happening to Jonah Lomu, Julian Savea, Digby Ioane or Alesana Tuilagi.....

 

[Proud Pig]

I know it was a long time ago but in my day there was two types of wingers. One type had a bit of pace even though they had a bit of a mincing running style. They would giggle their way around the field and pat each other on the bum. The other was the completely uncoordinated kid who couldn't tackle, pass or catch the ball and was basically shoved out there because "at least on the wing he couldn't hurt himself."

In my day Lomu, Savea etc... would all be flankers and told if they didn't like they could go play league with all the others pansies who were afraid to break a nail. We only had wingers so it gave us someone to laugh about over a brown ale and a woodbine at half time.

 

[Dan54]

Geez PP, I thought whole backline were only there to be laughed at in our day, except for maybe the odd big second five that couldn't be played in the loose trio because he wasn't quite big enough!!!

 

[Mank]

I remember in u19's comparing tag marks, it was a sign you had a good day. No wonder tattoos and hairstyles are so important now.

Love it.

 

[Nusadan]

In the seventies, Sydney High had a reputation for being less than clean in their rucking amongst other things.
So, on my recollection, it was not surprising I got 'tagged' once but well in on my side whilst playing them in the 16A's, however afterwards at a party that evening, the Firsts XV winger went one better by showing me a plethora of tags on his back!

 

[churchills cigar]

Nothing more satisfying than matching tram track across ones body after a game

 

[redstragic]

The very first time I was tackled in a Rugby game I was stomped, it hurt and from then on I was all about revenge! If you were on top of the ball and I saw you then your body was fair game.

I think there is a huge gap between rucking for the ball in a competitive manner and rucking a player to hurt them and this is why you should be able to ruck.



I wonder if "Blade" style boots hurt more of less?

I played grade 11 and 12 in the 1st's for my school at 7. The tag marks i was most proud of were the ones that bled through a clean shirt after coming off and having having a shower.

By the time i got to colts and seniors they were staring to run scavenger type hookers so i ended up in the front row. The tag marks were nowhere nearly as severe but the neck injuries made up for that.

 

[Bullrush]

I really don't get the joy and excitement people seem to get over rucking. You either stomped on someone lying helpless on the ground or you were the getting stomped on. Wow. That's so tough?!?

Me.....I prefer getting a good hit on in a tackle and stopping someone dead in their tracks or running over and thru a few players in a big bust. Breaking tackles or making big tackles. Stomping?!? Nah....you guys can have it.....

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think it depends on the position you played, BR. As an ex-flanker, getting rucked meant that you were being enough of a pest to slow the ball down. It doesn't really hurt either. I got rucked on the head once by some boofhead prop and it left a huge rake mark down one whole side of my face but it only stung for a bit (metal studs are much better than moulded).

Rucking serves a purpose and the game is poorer for it's absence IMHO.

 

[Bullrush]

I think it depends on the position you played, BR. As an ex-flanker, getting rucked meant that you were being enough of a pest to slow the ball down. It doesn't really hurt either. I got rucked on the head once by some boofhead prop and it left a huge rake mark down one whole side of my face but it only stung for a bit (metal studs are much better than moulded).

Rucking serves a purpose and the game is poorer for it's absence IMHO.

As a loosie myself I understand the purpose of it. I never really got the 'macho' crap around it (for lack of a better word).......it's just stamping on someone. No skill or ability needed.

 

[Scoey]

I don't think anyone's claiming it to be something that requires skill or ability. It played/plays an important part in the game and the game is poorer for it.