- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It’s the end of August, end of the summer, the rain has stopped, it’s getting darker, and that means it’s rugby time again. In this part of the world anyway.
Season kicked off this weekend with the first round of league matches between the fiery Irish, excitable Italians, moany Welsh and dour Scots in the Pro 12, followed by the sensible English Premiership kicking off the next day. As for the French, they started two weeks ago, or maybe they never stopped since last season. Who knows?
There’ll be plenty of niggle and knocks between the six competing nations at various stages this season, during the Pro 12, the 6N, and of course with the Heineken Cup due to renew a few rivalries, and some scores to settle from last time round.
On top of that, the English and French have started a pre-season row, by flying kites about their new Franglo Cup that they’re threatening to start in two seasons time unless they get their way on re-structuring the Heineken Cup to their satisfaction by the end of October.
It’s a story that has been choking up the fan blogs as everyone tries to get their tuppence worth in. Bluntly, for the new competition agreement starting in the 2014/15 season, the Franglos want the Pro 12 to lose 4 teams from the H Cup and drop into the Challenge Cup, and run the comp only until April. And the Pro 12 teams can’t be selected by country anymore, they have to qualify from top 6 only in the Pro 12. And of course, the French and English teams will want a bigger slice of the money pie.
On the face of it, it looks like Scotland and Italy could lose out on representation. And the other Pro 12 teams lose finances. There’s lots of name-calling, cries of whinging, foul deeds, and general self-interested blubbering by all parties concerned.
This season also sees a few new law introductions being made for the start of this season, for the first time ahead of their SH counterparts. Some of them are already visible in their effect, particularly the scrum call and the 5 sec rule behind rucks. SH fans might want to watch a match or two to see the new changes in play:
• Scrum call is now “crouch”, “touch” and “set”.
• At the ruck the new 5 second use it or lose it ref call.
• More involvement of the TMO and through use of video technology in the build-up to a try.
• A “concussion bin” a a five-minute period for player to be assessed at pitch side if they’re able to continue. A temp sub is allowed for that period but they can’t kick at goal – (Bloodgate anyone?)
• For a quick throw-in, a player may be anywhere outside the field of play between the line of touch and the player’s goalline – this is best understood with the IRB’s useful graphic on its website.
• A conversion kick must happen within 90 second of try being awarded.
Should be a good season.
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.