The following is my prescription for a revamp of the laws at the breakdown. They borrow from proposed changes, existing laws, and a thread that has popped up recently that perhaps we should reduce the number of laws.
I ask Rugby Roarers to visualise what could happen in a game if the following laws were introduced and if you were a coach how would you operate under these laws.
By all means tear the ideas to pieces to see if there is a better system out there.
Assuming we will never see rucking reintroduced, then I suggest five laws
1. at the breakdown allowed to play the ball with the hands or feet
2. must come from an onside position (allowed to come in from the side provided onside )
3. can step over players on the ground but not allowed to ruck them
4. if a maul develops and ball not cleared after a count by the ref of, say, five, then team going forward gets a short arm kick
5. as soon as half (or player in that position) touches ball with feet or hands, then ball in play. Can’t pick up ball and join maul because would put maul offside. Defenders allowed to attack half through the middle of ruck/maul or from the side provided they come from behind their own last player’s feet.
6. if a player from either side dives over the ball an immediate short arm free kick
Everything else except for foul play allowed.
OK, visualise all kinds of scenarios and let’s try to see what would happen.
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