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For the love of all that is great and holy in the magnificent (yet rapidly deteriorating) game, bring back rucking.
I am not some old school proponent of violence for violence sake, but I am for the free following competitive nature of rugby union.
Every single negative influence on the game can be traced back to that one stupid decision.
Too many restarts?
What do you expect to happen when the ball gets stuck. Players can kill the ball with a worst case scenario of giving away a penalty. That’s it.
For anyone who knows anything about rugby, any refereeing decision stemming from the breakdown is 50/50 at best. For any team desperate enough, it’s worth the risk.
Game too slow?
How many times have we watched halves just standing there with the ball at their feet?
If the defending team didn’t have to delicately avoid any contact with lazy players on the ground, it would be a different story.
As players use you as a door mat, you will not casually wait while the halfback catches his breath.
It will get the ball out and everyone will be on their feet quicker.
ELVs?
While some made a difference to the speed of the game, they would be completely unnecessary if rucking was allowed. The game reached the zenith of its popularity when people saw that the game was a hard contest that revelled in the continuity and toughness that players exhibited.
I’m not and will never condone the “dancing” on players and dangerous play should never be accepted.
However, the referee can never know what’s going on inside the ruck and swift firm justice will always stem the cheating.
It is this area that is most killing the game. Commentators commend players for pushing the boundaries of the law. The problem is, half the time, it’s blatant cheating and the other half kills the ball and causes a restart.
Every rugby fan loves the contest of the scrum. But not 50 times a game.
We already have U19 law variations, and for the safety of children, keep rucking out if you must.
The referee should be there to gently administer the rules of the game, not be the deciding factor in the result.
What made this game great was that if cheating occurred, it was dealt with firmly (usually fairly) and players got on with playing the game.
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.