Who supports the return of rucking?
Roar Rookie
By rugbyguy, 3 Dec 2009 rugbyguy is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- rucking rugby, Rugby Union
I often hear the old boys going on about rucking and why it should be re-instated. As someone who played back when rucking was allowed, I can see both sides of the argument.
In New Zealand, the consensus seems to be, among the older generation at least, that rucking was a vital part of the game. I am interested to know if this opinion is shared elsewhere?
Personally, I am in favour of rucking. It would help sort out the mess that is the breakdown. We still call it a ruck, yet rucking is illegal?
I remember being on the bottom of rucks and I can assure you I was very motivated to roll out the way on my own before I received assistance from the oppositions’ sprigs.
The last thing anyone did on purpose was lying on the ball or lying in the way to slow the ball down, as happens all the time now. Rucks seldom became unplayable and hands were kept off from the ball.
When players were allowed to ruck, quick ball was more readily available to teams with skilled forwards.
On the other hand, I also remember taking a shower with stripes of missing skin down my back and chest when I wasn’t able to get clear in time. I remember seeing more then a few players get carried away with their feet.
The difference between a stomp and legal rucking is a fine line which, under the stress and adrenaline fueled excitement of an aggressive game like rugby, was often crossed.
Rucking looks horrific and barbaric to those unfamiliar with rugby. In a sport already seen as quite barbaric to most of the world’s population, rucking was just a bit too brutal for the marketing types to expand rugby’s audience.
But I would like to know if the constant chorus to bring back rucking comes from the older generation everywhere or just here in New Zealand?
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- Explore:
- rucking rugby, Rugby Union
sheek said | December 3rd 2009 @ 6:46am | Report comment
Well, rugby union is another sport, like cricket, being destroyed by their jelly-backed, slimy international boards. Far from saving & promoting rugby, the IRB seem intent on ruining the sport through their collective idiocy.
Sometimes I actually think the game was better back in the 80s. Okay, you had stacks on the mill in rucks & mauls, but at other times, there was breath-taking play. And there were far greater individual characteristics. France, Wales & Australia generally ran the ball; NZ & Scotland were big on rucking; England, Ireland & SA were the maulers, & so on.
The above of course, are very broad generalisations. These days, it’s sometimes impossible to see anything different being offered from one international team to the next. And how the hell can you play a game, when you’re frightened of being penalised by the ref?
Even more so than back in the 80s.
Ai Rui Sheng said | December 4th 2009 @ 3:14am | Report comment
I did a quick poll of our players, it took thirteen months as we have more than 2,000,000, and they wanted to know what a slipper was. When it was explained they thought it an excellent idea and that we could recruit more players from the police force and prison guards.
CraigB said | December 3rd 2009 @ 6:50am | Report comment
rucking is essential as it draws direct attention to stray hands and bodies. It also removes the ref saying ‘hands away 7, 7 hand away, 7…’ It is this that is allowing defenses to allign and contain attacks.
One the upside I saw the slightest of returns of rucking in the Wales vs Aust Test just gone. On a couple of occasions the welsh half was seen to stepping on a few fingers to speed up ball. No one said anything… Maybe it will come back by stealth
RickG said | December 3rd 2009 @ 6:59am | Report comment
“One the upside I saw the slightest of returns of rucking in the Wales vs Aust Test just gone. ”
I commented in the Wales test report that one of my highlights of the game was where a Wallabies player was lying near the ball at the breakdown and the Welsh forward rucked him away with his boots. I’ve become so accustomed to the SH interpretation that when the ref blew the whistle I expecte the penalty to be against wales. To my pleasant surprise it was against the Wallabies player for slowing the play down. A perfect example of where it should be used, and dare I say it an English ref using a bit of common sense.
Definitley bring it back.
Bruce Ross said | December 3rd 2009 @ 6:56am | Report comment
“I also remember taking a shower with stripes of missing skin down my back and chest when I wasn’t able to get clear in time.”
The rake marks were always a matter of pride under the showers. I don’t think anyone ever gave the game away because they were worried about being rucked.
One of the most important aspects of using the slipper was that it encouraged people to stay on their feet. Flopping is completely out of control.
Unfortunately rucking with intent will remain just a fond memory.
Ai Rui Sheng said | December 4th 2009 @ 3:17am | Report comment
Never had the pleasure as I made a promise to my mother that I would never get tackled. I was famous as king of the hospital pass. Many here think that means I am a philanthropist.
Tim O'Connor said | December 3rd 2009 @ 7:31am | Report comment
Stephen Jones came out in favour of it about two weeks ago, as did Mick Cleary in the Telegraph.
General consensus up here seems to be more or less back to; if you get a boot, proper rucking rather than stamping, for just lying there, it’s your own damn fault and good luck to you.
Dasher said | December 3rd 2009 @ 7:32am | Report comment
I’d be interested to know what your national side’s current players think of that idea considering how much they love to lie all over the ruck.
Dean Pantio said | December 3rd 2009 @ 7:59am | Report comment
sigh
Anything constructive to add?
Dasher said | December 3rd 2009 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
Ha yes I threw that in there for a laugh. Couldn’t help myself. I wholeheartedly agree with the article. It is a tricky subject but something that needs to come back into the game for a large number of reasons. For me, rucking:
- limits/prevents infringements by giving some power to players to punish offenders
- frees up the ruck area and creates quicker ball by getting lazy tacklers’s bodies out of the way
- does the ref a few favours because he doesn’t have to yell at flankers and/or blow his whistle as much
- adds to the unique spectacle of rugby despite looking pretty barbaric.
CK said | December 3rd 2009 @ 7:50am | Report comment
It may be a fine line between rucking and stopming, but it’s not invisible. If a player is nowhere near the ball and they’re being treated to a little tap dance, then they’ll be pinged for it. If you’re on the ball, you’ll get off it pretty quickly.
Bring back the boots. Wear the tram tracks down your back as a badge of honour.
CaughtOffside said | December 3rd 2009 @ 7:59am | Report comment
Rucking is still allowed… i just read it in the Laws..16.3 f. I think the problem is that too many players were rucking the player, not the ball. If players ruck for the ball, not just on a player for fun, then no problem. Sure you may end up with some collateral damage, but if the intent is the ball….. play on.
Now, the problem is getting it through to dumb players like me who used to see a body on the ground and go Yippeee… However with more education and better coaching on what can and cant be done, then there is no reason why you cant ruck now.
Wylie said | December 3rd 2009 @ 8:13am | Report comment
Ahh – so you’re the guy who fractured my orbit by ‘rucking’ my head in the ruck when I was 16?
CaughtOffside said | December 3rd 2009 @ 1:38pm | Report comment
Exactly the stuff that we dont want to see, right. Yes Rucking the ball, or the player on the ball should be permitted, and is under the current laws. “Ruckers” should do something positive with their feet to remover the “offending” player.
mitzter said | December 4th 2009 @ 7:05am | Report comment
Rucking the player is currently completely illegal in the current rule setup
- 16.3(f): Players must not use their feet in a rucking motion with players on the ground.
AndyS said | December 4th 2009 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
Rubbish – the actual wording is:
“A player rucking for the ball must not intentionally ruck players on the ground. A player rucking for the ball tries to step over players on the ground and must not intentionally step on them. A player rucking must do so near the ball.”
http://www.irblaws.com/downloads/EN/law_16_en.pdf
Rickety Knees said | December 3rd 2009 @ 8:00am | Report comment
Like Bruce – my ruck marks were worn as a badge of courage. IMHO rucking needs to return to the game. Yes their is a fine line between rucking and stamping and the latter should not be tolerated in any shape or form. I would like to think that in these days with TV and the Citing Commissioner that stamping could be kept to a minimum. Certainly the return of rucking would return the game to its roots whilst simplifying and speeding it up.
Brett McKay said | December 3rd 2009 @ 8:08am | Report comment
Short answer: everyone does….
rugbyguy said | December 3rd 2009 @ 9:15am | Report comment
I’m pretty certain the All blacks are for rucking, the coaches anyway at least in public, idont recall exactly but im pretty sure that graham henry has stated his support for the return of rucking to the game, the halfbacks are the only ones who seem to actually do any rucking though,the rest of the NZ rugby seems to prefer hitting the ruck at speed and bulldozing the opposition off the ball. perhaps todays players just dont know how to ruck, its been out of the game for so long that some of the young players probably have never seen proper rucking