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The single most damaging rule change in rugby over the last thirty years has been the removal of traditional rucking methods. The resulting confusion of how to manage the breakdown has since been an ongoing debate.
Says Warren Gatland: “Players will ride the line and that is no different from last year. Since rucking was removed, it has become much tougher for referees because where once players would know what was coming if they were on the wrong side of the ruck, now they make the tackle, hold on then make a slight effort to roll away.”
My argument for rucking is that rugby it is the last great world sport where two nations battle in full physical contact. It is as close to team martial arts as you can get.
You have four divisions on the field: tight forwards, loose forwards, inside backs and outside backs. These four divisions are used to contest with the other teams divisions with a wide array of tactics and skills not seen in other sports.
Players should be allowed to use both hands and feet, but not at the same time.
Rucking defined: “to use the base of the boot in a stroking motion to clear the ball (while a ruck is formed). The base of the boot can and may be used on opposing players hindering the immediate clearance of the ball. The use of rucking should not breach the gentlemen’s rules of physical contact.”
Rucking has been removed by the IRB. Currently any lifting of the boot is considered too risky by any team as a means of clearing the ball.
There was no trial period with the right of refusal (unlike the ELVs).
The motivation behind removing rucking comes from TV money. I concede the vision of rucking is not attractive. I would suggest that broken legs and necks are not attractive (nor is it to me), and as these injuries are mostly sourced from scrums and the tackle, these contests in rugby have not been treated the same way rucking has.
And nor should they be.
But somehow rucking has fallen foul of the ‘not nice on TV’ brigade.
If rucking was given the same level of importance to the game as scrums and the tackle, then rucking would still be in use today. This is a critical mistake.
The IRB have under-estimated the importance of rucking.
Rugby should be considered a potential health hazard and playing the game is acceptance of this hazard. If you want to watch or play rugby, you must accept that it’s closer to boxing than it is to football.
There is going to be a little blood, lots of bruising, and some minor soft tissue damage from bodies smashing into each other.
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.