- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
At last some common sense is creeping back into rugby league’s law-makers.
Competitors at the fast-approaching Rugby League World Cup may be allowed a little more leeway from match officials if tempers flare in the heat of battle.
The NRL’s controversial “one punch and you’re off” edict, implemented after the Paul Gallen-Nate Myles flare-up in this year’s State of Origin series opener, has been modified by the Cup’s rules convenors.
Punching an opponent will still be deemed illegal but the resultant penalty – and its extent – will be solely determined by the on-field referee.
A punching incident may still draw a 10-minute spell in the sin bin but it could also mean a caution and a penalty kick with the guilty party to remain on the field.
Andrew Hill, secretary of the Rugby League International Federation, confirmed this week the on-field referee would make a decision on foul play.
Hill said: “There is nothing specific on the ‘punch and you’re off policy.’ It will be interpreted by the on-field referee.
“Games will be refereed according to the international laws. Our rules panel has worked through the different interpretations and have agreed on the way the World Cup will be refereed and interrupted.”
Roarers will undoubtedly be divided on this issue but I think it is a sensible way to go.
To a degree, the zero-tolerance rule introduced by the NRL this year was successful. Ugly all-in brawls are now a thing of the past and the accompanying physical danger to unsuspecting or unwilling participants has greatly dissipated, if not gone forever.
But what I have not liked about the no-punch edict is the rebirth of sly niggle – an unseen face massage, a hand in the wrong place, a ball in the face, and so on – cheap and intentional acts to draw a fierce reaction from the victim, namely a punch.
If any of this niggly nonsense occurs during the World Cup, I’ve got no qualms about the victim defending himself as best he can.
If he lashes out with a punch, so be it. From there, it’s up to the man with the whistle to sort things out which seems fair to me.
While discussing the World Cup rules, it is significant that the panel has elected to run with the NRL’s shoulder charge ban.
In addition, corner posts won’t be deemed part of the touchline which means that the code’s extraordinary troupe of acrobats will wow northern hemisphere galleries with their spectacular try-scoring feats.
Matches will be refereed by just one man who must check with the video reviewer before awarding tries.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.