- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Australian rugby fans will have the opportunity to vote on proposed law variations for the upcoming National Rugby Championship.
A committee comprising Ewen McKenzie, Rod Kafer, Bob Dwyer and Wayne Erickson have narrowed down over 600 submissions from fans to a 12-point shortlist designed to make the game more entertaining.
One of the most controversial would see play restarted by a scrum to the non-kicking team, on the mark of the penalty after all attempts at penalty goal.
While viewers find penalty goals and scrum resets the two most boring and frustrating aspects of watching rugby, the committee decided against the obvious idea to reduce their prominence and have instead proposed putting them together in a potentially endless loop.
“If you multiply two negative numbers, you get a positive number. That’s simple mathematics. Our theory is that if we stick penalty goals and scrums together we’ll get a positive outcome,” said one member of Committee after their final meeting.
Meanwhile, the Georgian national team are said to be thrilled at the idea such a law change could eventually become part of the IRB’s laws of the game.
“We are not as good as the top teams at most parts of rugby, but we have very good props,” said Georgian captain Mamuka Gorgodze.
“With this change we would just have to win one penalty in the opposition half to win any game by a big score. We could kick goals and continually destroy weak scrums on the same spot for an entire match. It is a great idea and has our 100 per cent support.”
Another interesting change would give captains the ability to choose which opposition player goes to the sin bin when a yellow card is issued for repeated team infringements. The committee cited player welfare when asked why it would be positive for the same star players to be sin binned out of the game on a regular basis.
“While our most terrific Qantas Wallabies will not play many games in the NRC, we’ll often use it to get Qantas Wallabies back up to speed after injuries, or to give certain Qantas Wallabies game time when they miss out on the 23-man squad. By ensuring they get yellow carded every time their team gives away a few too many penalties, we’ll reduce their chance of injury, which can only be positive for the Qantas Wallabies,” said an ARU spokesperson.
The final shortlist is:
1. Instead of four try bonus point, the winning team is awarded a bonus point for finishing three or more tries ahead of their opponents.
2. Reduced time limits for conversions and penalty kick attempts.
3. After a successful or unsuccessful penalty goal attempt, play is restarted with a scrum to the non-kicking team at the place of the penalty.
4. Time limit for both teams to form a scrum.
5. No option to kick for goal from a scrum penalty (kick to touch allowed). If penalty becomes a ‘repeated infringement’ then kick at goal is allowed.
6. Scrum-half of non-feeding team is compulsory, must stay within 1m of the scrum, and cannot move past the mid-line of the scrum.
7. If a yellow card is given for repeated team infringement (excluding dangerous play), the non- offending captain chooses the opposition player who is temporarily suspended for 10 mins.
8. Players arriving through the gate may ‘drive out’ opponents past the ruck, creating more space behind the ruck for attack.
9. If non-throwing team does not contest for the ball, the straightness of the throw is not considered.
10. A mark can be awarded any place on the field.
11. After half-time and full-time, if awarded a Penalty Kick, you can kick to touch and play the lineout.
12. Free Kick for kick-off infringements as per Sevens.
Fans can vote on the shortlist here.
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.