Super 14 data suggests northern hemisphere misgivings about rugby’s experimental law variations are off the mark.
Statistics released today by the Australian Rugby Union have shown the humble scrum has dramatically risen in importance under the controversial ELVs, opposed by several of the powerful Six Nations.
European critics have feared the International Rugby Board’s trialled laws will unfairly lessen the influence of the bread-and-butter set-pieces.
But ARU chiefs say the statistics compiled over the first four rounds, and especially the quality of play in the past fortnight, have shown northerners need not worry about their introduction.
On average, there are slightly more scrums under the ELVs and significantly more tries scored following them.
In the 2007 Super 14, only 19 per cent of the tries scored came following scrums compared to 25 per cent in the 28 games thus far this season.
With less full-arm penalties, lineouts have taken a hit with their average number falling from 31 to 26, and less tries scored from them (29 to 20 per cent).
ARU high-performance manager Pat Howard, who coached Leicester to England’s 2007 club premiership, endorsed the new laws and believed they were an immediate success in the Super 14, where pay-TV ratings have also jumped.
Howard said the extra importance on the scrum stemmed from the new law putting backlines back 5m from the No.8’s feet.
“It’s an excellent attacking platform now with that extra 5m, and Auckland (Blues) particularly, 25 per cent of their tries are first-phase scrum tries and 50 per cent come from scrums full stop,” he said.
“The lineout is a little less important (but) there’s still a massive impact on getting your set-piece right.”
ARU supremo John O’Neill, hoping to continue the trial in the Tri-Nations, agreed it had improved the spectacle and hadn’t changed the essence of the game.
The biggest change from the ELVs revolved around the number of penalties, which have dropped from an average 19 to 12 as referees have the ability to better control the game with free kicks (2 to 16).
Most other early data showed little change with the average number of tries (five), rucks and mauls, and the amount of ball in play (33 to 34 minutes) similar to 2007.
But the number of tries has doubled in the past two rounds after an average of three were scored in the first two weeks as teams adjusted to the ELVs.
Howard cited the Crusaders-Western Force and Chiefs-Cheetahs matches last weekend as examples of classic matches under the new laws.
“We’re starting to get some good try counts, some open rugby, some good skill level, big defence and at the same stage the set pieces are still very, very important,” he said.
Howard believes the laws, pushed heavily by the IRB who would like to implement trials in Europe later this year, could be sold to the north.
England, where much of the reluctance resides, particularly would welcome the extra advantage at scrum-time.
“I think the trial has been successful,” the former Wallabies back said.
“The club game over there has tries being scored and this would add to the pace of it but at the same stage still emphasise the set-piece mentality.
“It would work very, very well for them.”
More Australian viewers are tuning into the Super 14 this season.
In 2007, the highest audience was 138,000 for NSW’s draw with the Force. Already this year, the Waratahs have attracted more for two home matches (185,000 versus the Hurricanes and 173,000 versus the Brumbies) on Fox Sports.
SUPER 14 STATISTICS AFTER FIRST FOUR WEEKS UNDER ELVs
Ball in play (average)
2007 – 33 mins
2008 – 34 minsScrums
2007 – 20
2008 – 21Lineouts
2007 – 31
2008 – 26Turnovers
2007 – 11
2008 – 14Catalysts for tries
2007 – Lineout 31%, Turnovers 29%, Scrum 19%
2008 – Scrum 25%, Turnovers 21%, Lineout 20%Penalties/Free kicks
2007 – 21 (19pen + 2fk)
2008 – 28 (12pen + 16fk)
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