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It’s time for matches in Rugby Union to not be decided by teams who kick the most penalty goals.
Call me a disgruntled Brumbies fan, but it really concerned me, and I’m sure others as well, when the Brumbies lost to the Bulls in Pretoria even though they scored five tries to two.
I was left to wonder why the game is still played like this. It’s ludicrous that the team who scores the most amount of tries in a match can ultimately lose the game.
I might get some banter for this even though Rugby Union is not my first choice code but my family and close friends love the game so it has grown on me in recent years. It is sometimes hard for fans like myself to enjoy this game when teams often win games by kicking penalty goals rather than scoring off the main objective of the game which is to score tries.
Throughout the full match in Pretoria the Brumbies conceded a total of nine penalties whereas their South African counterparts only conceded six.
Ok, maybe the fact that the Brumbies lost this game is because the Bull’s contain a certain South African fly-half by the name of Morne Steyn, who when it comes to International Rugby has a success rate of over 85% which is almost double that of English great Johnny Wilkinson but it’s painful to see a team lose a match when they are playing “attractive Rugby” which is drawing the fans back to Bruce stadium.
In total the Brumbies made 9 line-breaks, 11 offloads and 13 line-outs won during the game, whilst conjuring up a total of 5 tries to the Bulls 2.
Brumbies centre Christian Lealilfano also managed a conversion rate of 3/5 whilst Morne Steyn only had half of his conversions converted but somehow lifted his game when it came to penalty goals, converting 7/8 of his penalty goals which is a very impressive success rate of 88%.
So the question continues to be disputed amongst fans. Should the amount of points be reduced when it comes to penalty goals?
Don’t take this the wrong way, I think teams should be punished for conceding too many penalties, but the 3 points seems a bit harsh especially when the team trying to play the more “attractive” brand of rugby (which is scoring tries) is on the losing end.
Games that generate way too many penalty goals are not winning any fans over.
Perhaps penalties should only result in a territory advantage and not points. Given the three points currently on offer, too many questions arise about both the style of play and the integrity of the game.
Changes need to be made both for the fans and the player’s enjoyment.
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.