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The newest set of law changes by the IRB is only coming into effect on the first of August, however the SARU have decided to implement the new laws at the start of the new Currie Cup season, which kicks off this Friday.
The main priority of the new laws are to improve continuity in rugby matches and reduce risk of injuries, however in my view their priorities are all wrong.
Before I get into that, let’s look at the new laws and how it will impact the game.
Scrum
There will be a new scrum engagement sequence and there will be more focus on a straighter scrum feed.
Props will now be required to pre-bind before the ‘hit’, resulting in the scrum call being changed from ‘crouch, touch, set’ to ‘crouch, bind, set’.
In other words the front rows crouch and using their outside arm, each prop must bind.
A loose head prop must bind on the opposing tight-head prop by placing the left arm inside the right arm of the tight-head and gripping the tight-head prop’s jersey on the back or side.
A tight-head prop must bind on the opposing loose-head prop by placing the right arm outside the left upper arm of the opposing loose-head prop and gripping the loose head prop’s jersey with the right hand only on the back or side.
The props must not grip the opponent’s chest, arm, sleeve, or collar.
As for the scrum feed, referees have been told to more strictly police a straight feed by scrum-halves into the scrum to allow more contesting at scrum time.
Rugby pitch dimensions
Rugby fields must be no longer than 100m in length and 70m in width, while the in-goal area should not exceed 22m in depth.
Judicial sanctions
Judicial officers may now apply sanctions of less than 50 percent of the lower-end entry and in some cases no sanction for offences.
In the past they could only apply a minimum of 50 percent of the entry-level sanction.
Yellow cards may now be expunged from a player’s disciplinary record in the case of mistaken identity, while red cards could be expunged if a judicial officer believes the offence did not warrant a red card. This was not previously allowed.
Ok, so let’s now get down to the brass tacks here.
It is obvious that the IRB’s decision to look for the umpteenth time at how to change the setup of the scrum in order to reduce the number of collapsed and reset scrums is a high priority for them.
By removing the ‘hit’ they are now effectively removing a part of rugby that has been a contributing factor for dominant packs over a period spanning a century of tradition.
By constantly looking at ways to speed up the scrum, the IRB is effectively only concerning them about the amount of ‘entertainment value’ ball in hand will provide to the spectators out there that has become accustomed to highlight reels and the fast forward buttons on their remote.
Rugby has never had a tradition of being all things to all people, but rather a sporting code where supporters appreciated the core value of each facet of rugby.
However the demands for instant satisfaction, entertainment, or should I say, what is deemed entertainment by a generation who is more interested in results than the process necessary to achieve the results are slowly but surely taking away from the core values of a sport once dominated by physical prowess and skills.
You only have to look at the areas the IRB is not addressing.
The breakdown is the one area of rugby union more prevalent than any other facet of the sport, on average there are as few (if you can call it few) as 100 rucks to as many as 200 rucks in any 80 minutes of contest.
It has also become the most contestable area and therefore the most controversial.
It is as wide open to interpretation as a gymnastics judge deciding your fate for a potential gold medal based on the angle at which he may or may not see you point your toes.
Unfortunately I can only assume the IRB is less concerned about whether a match is won by the superior team or the team ‘getting away with the most transgressions’ than the entertainment it provides.
They are less concerned about the controversies surrounding results, the incredible complicated laws surrounding rucks which make it rather impossible for two referees to officiate the breakdown area with any consistencies.
Over the past few weekends I have read complaints across a number of websites where the referee took centre stage in post-match discussions rather than the actual performance of players.
The questions I leave you with are these:
– Has the IRB now come full circle where the governing body of rugby union is now more concerned with the entertainment ‘value’ required to broaden their market? Rather than keeping our sport free of controversy which will ultimately result in a sport comparable to WWF where the match in itself is a pre-ordained arrangement, where every move is rehearsed and planned by opponents and the entertainment value is based on being a farce rather than a true battle of skill, power and credibility in results?
– Does the IRB concern themselves with the validity of rugby union or just the bottom line in their financial statement at the end of the financial year?
– Is the responsibility of the governing body only the bottom line, or to keep our sport intact with the core values I would expect them to protect?
I love rugby because in my mind it is how during times of peace we have a vehicle which allows us to compete on equal terms with the richest and biggest countries in the world, based on the physical battle, the necessary skills and vision to prove our dominance on a match to match basis.
I want rugby to retain the values I hold dear, not only in the sport, but in life as well, if it becomes a sport where ‘smarting up to the referee’ becomes the catalyst for results, and where controversy of interpretations dominate post match discussions, then sadly what is left?
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.