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.
Derm
Roar Guru
I've known a few groundsmen who might have turned on an extra sprinkler or two before a game.....
Jock M
Guest
Kovana, Thank you for your kind words. I realise that teams like the All Blacks do steal the occassional ball but I firmly believe that the chances of a team losing the ball at the breakdown are very slim. Perhaps you could get hold of some stats but I believe that the retention rate is about 90%. The fact is that the game has been significantly altered because the player with the ball can go to ground and push it back and his team mates are able to use their hands as well. Added to this is the fact that the tackled player has to roll away and players must enter the ruck or maul in a certain way. The game really is quite a farce now, with the litany of laws which are designed with a view to increase TV ratings but are in fact destroying the very soul of the game or should I say have destroyed the soul of the game.
kovana
Guest
Jock M, its hard to take you serious anymore. You dont watch rugby, you dont watch the new rules, yet you are commenting about the Defensive line of rugby as if you still are watching the game? "Note how the breakdown is not a contest but merely a chance for the team with the ball to recycle." Then how did NZ continually turn over the ball at Ruck time vs Oz? Why did Saffa surrender possession to Argentina at Ruck time as well? Sorry, Jock M. If you were watching the games last week you would have seen the ruck turnovers..... But its okay, you dont watch rugby anymore... You just like to talk about it. Good on you.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
If dry, hard grounds allowed all sorts of play then one wonders why the Wallabies are so staggeringly inept when confronted with wet weather and teams with strong forwards... Let me rephrase; some people are comfortable with wet weather rugby because that is the weather they are used to. Anyway, this tired old argument only ever seems to be rolled out by Australian rugby fans and not Kiwis or those why actually play in varied climates probably because you don't get any mud bath games like previously. Do you think people in the UK let there pitches turn bad?
cjones
Guest
Good reply Po, Short and to the pointt
Matt
Guest
Bakkies, I can see how the 2nd prop sub would give the impression of removing the need for utility props. But the fact is that if, for example, the loosehead and the replacement looseead prop get injured in either scenario then you're going to uncontested scrums. Having two specialists on the bench (and no utility) just means you have a wasted specialist should two guys in the same prop position get injured. Who's to say that if a team wanted to go to uncontested scrums that they wouldn't just fake a second prop injury? Of course I could be wrong in my reading and understanding on the reasons for this change, which I thought was to avoid the spate of uncontested scrums in English and French club rugby? And to now have an extra player on the bench just reduces the aerobic demand of these guys and increases the costs on each squad (which is fine for French club rugby I suppose). Personally I'd like to see scrums become something more similar to lineouts. A fast, safe, controlled and contestable way to restart play. Lineouts form with a set off side line where opponents cannot cross, the ball must be thrown in straight and you cannot jump before the throw (supposedly). You can form a maul from a lineout, to advance the ball using your pack, but you cannot obstruct the ball carrier from an offside position. Scrums should not allow pushing prior to the ball being fed. The ball should be fed straight (and refereed accordingly). No one should be allowed passed the halfway point of the scrum, just as in the lineout, which means scrum halves cannot advance around offside to stick a leg out from the ball being cleared. And most importantly, the scrum cannot advance further than 1m. This means teams must hook for the ball and seek to push the opposition off the ball upon the feed (not unlike out jumping an opponent in a lineout). This also means that scrums as safer as you don't have teams fearing being pushed many metres backwards while still bound and have one set of forwards walking over the others while necks are in dangerous positions. Similarly, if a poor scrum means you lose the contest for possession, but don't fear being driven forever backwards then you don't have the encouragement to fake injuries in order to avoid such a drastic disadvantage. Or course, just like a lineout you could peel off a scrum and form a legitimate maul, but you can't have guys in front blocking the ball carrier without anyone tacking him first.
Matt
Guest
Variety? Surely Justin has the point right at the start. Hard and fast pitches allow for any style of play, but they encourage ball in hard attacking play. Poor pitches and weather also allow for any style, but encourage negative defensive rugby with a lot kicking and chasing. Which is the best scenario there? Surely by stating that people like wet/cold weather because 'that's what they grew up with' is just confirming that this nostalgic mentality is the only real justification. As for the NFL, who have of course been adapting for professional entertainment for a lot longer, I don't think artificial pitches or closed roof stadiums have done the sport any damage? If anything it has helped it grow and to make it more attractive for fans and players.
Derm
Roar Guru
Well I think that's the kind of statesman role the Irish like to bring to their international brethren. Sobriety in everything. :)
Derm
Roar Guru
Yes.
Jock M
Guest
Kovana, Thank you for your reply. I am not a League fan but I loved Rugby as it was. I urge you to pay particular attention when you watch your next Rugby match. Note how the breakdown is not a contest but merely a chance for the team with the ball to recycle. You will note that the defence in many instances does not bother competeing for the ball but stands out in a defensive line. I believe that it would not be difficult to show how similar Rugby is to League by organising some games where the ruck/maul rules are changed to allow competition.Perhaps these games could be filmed and made available to the wider Rugby community. Once again I thank you for your reply.
kovana
Guest
It looks like league to you because i gather you are actually a league fan. Since you are the one constantly trying to compare Rugby with league, i suggest YOU write down the rules for us instead ok. Again, i find it strange. You have confirmed you dont watch Rugby, yet you comment continually on rugby forums and complain about the new laws as if you have watched them. Jock M, i suggest that you reinvent yourself.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
And some people like watching rugby in wet and cold weather because that's what they grew up with and they like the variety. This isn't the NFL.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Wow, Pot Hale. A lot to digest in here! Thanks for enlightening us. Your posts bring a lot of sobriety to this site.
Derm
Roar Guru
Sounds sensible. Was just curious because the IRB tends to make a hash of introducing these trials of new law or variants of same. They set dates for introduction and then abandon them. Nothing to do with NZRU - they asked and were told go ahead. You wonder about the November Internationals - there will be a TMO protocol for these and the 23rd man will be used. Will they have the other 5-7 laws in place too? Or just some of them? Or none of them?
allblackfan
Guest
Pot hale, worth noting that the ITM Cup trialled the extra prop law LAST season. Due to the compressed nature of the tournament caused by the RWC, NZRU asked for and got permission to trial it. And b4 you ask why the ITM is getting all this leeway, it's probably because there's less money sunk in it compared to the other, fully-professional tournaments (not to mention the positive attitude of players and match officials) so you can afford to experiment without offending the broadcaster. They trial new laws in NZ first to see how it works then if it does they implement it elsewhere.
allblackfan
Guest
it's a trial that's why. the laws are being tested now to see if further refinements are needed.
Indio
Guest
How do you know? You don't watch rugby, remember??
Jock M
Guest
Kovana, looks like League to me. Do me a favour-write down what the laws are for a Rugby breakdown and a League play the ball and we will compare the two. They will barely differ-League-play the ball standing up.Rugby-lie down to play the ball and push it away with your hands.
Derm
Roar Guru
They? The French or the whole of the NH, kovana? :)
Indio
Guest
The results of the ITM to date shows the lowest WINNING score was Northland's 29-27 win over Waikato. While some of the high-scoring may be attributed to the new laws under trial, the scheduling of daily matches from Tuesdays through to Sundays is generating a lot of interest and high profile for rugby, creating a carnival-like atmosphere. I think the 5-second rule generates a higher-paced game as the ball is recycled quicker, forcing both the tackled player and tackler to return to their feet as quickly as possible for the next phase. Slowing down the opposition's ball may become less of a tactical ploy with only 5 seconds to use it once it's available - barely enough time for the tackler to get back into the defensive line. Anaerobic fitness trainers will be highly sought-after commodities in the near future...