What’s the best rule change that Global Rapid Rugby has introduced? Easy. The scrum time limit of 60 seconds.
Even in Super Rugby, which is regarded as fast-paced and free-flowing compared to northern hemisphere club competitions, fans have to endure tedious scrum sets and re-sets.
World Rugby should address this as there’s a consensus from rugby fans across the globe; they want scrums set quicker, the ball moving sooner and fewer re-sets. Take a leaf out of Twiggy Forrest’s GRR book.
Remember, statistics show that Super Rugby averages around 30 minutes of ball-in-play time during what’s supposed to be an 80-minute game. Sluggish scrums and re-sets are probably the biggest time-wasters.
The Waratahs were pretty dire about a month ago in Newcastle against the Sunwolves. The Tahs hardly deserved any favours. But the closing stages highlighted how sluggish and laborious the game can be as the Japanese side – leading 31-29 – strangled the life out of the game.
They opted for scrums when awarded penalties, buoyed by the fact that a scrum can be an effective way to run down the clock. It’s a decent strategy for a scrum-savvy team, but a poor indictment on the game and hardly makes for an entertainment-filled finish.
Player safety is paramount at scrum time, especially when pack weights often hover around the 900kg mark at the top level. That means referees must adhere to the scrum engagement calls. But rugby fans are fed up with the game being held up as front-rowers and locks treat scrum time as some kind of protected rugby ritual.
The lack of urgency to pack a scrum can be exasperating. Refs need to get the scrums set and get the pill in play – not let scrums become a time for excessive posturing and time-wasting.
And if front-rowers struggled to keep up with faster scrum sets, then coaches will need to use their bench sooner.
But one of the biggest blights on the game of rugby union is the scrum re-set. There’s little that’s more nauseating and infuriating than the precious game time that is eaten up by 16 big blokes peeling themselves off the ground after a scrum collapse and unhurriedly repacking another version.
Only five games have so far been played in this season’s Global Rapid Rugby, but it’s refreshing to see more urgency from teams to get organised to set scrums and get the ball in play.
Referees have presumably been given a bit of a licence to be more decisive in awarding penalties when there’s a scrum collapse instead of opting for a re-set.
Super Rugby refs should be told to follow this path: be more resolute at scrum time, and blow more penalties without the need for a reset. There’s a lot to keep an eye on as an on-field ref and they could do with more help.
(Photo: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
They should be able to get more guidance from the TMO. And the TMO should be given access to more technology to help them adjudicate on scrum infringements.
A fairly simple bit of technology that would help is using a drone or Spyder-Cam that produces overhead video footage. This would be crucial for TMOs to advise the on-field referees when a pack isn’t aligning straight, which is often an intentional ploy.
A couple of weeks ago during the Queensland Reds’ upset over the Sharks in Durban, the home side’s tight-head prop Coenraad Oosthuizen clearly had a plan to bore in on young Reds loose-head prop Harry Hoopert.
The Sharks won some scrum penalties. It took Reds hooker Alex Mafi to alert the ref to the tactic, and the Reds then proceeded to compete strongly at scrum time. Some overhead footage would’ve picked this up quickly.
We’ve all got a mate that’s got a bit of Chris ‘Buddha’ Handy in him – the former front-rower who relishes the scrum battle and while watching a game gets unduly revved up for the first pack-down of the match. But thankfully they are convincingly outnumbered by those with the good sense of wanting to see more of the ball in play.
There’s much to admire about the motivations from Global Rapid Rugby to change the laws of the game to make it more free-flowing (line-out time limits of 45 seconds is another). Scrum time limits are a positive step and World Rugby should consider any solutions that would speed up scrums and reduce re-sets.
And while they are there, they can ditch the worst law in rugby: the ridiculous one in which the defending halfback at scrum time is allowed to follow the line of the ball to the opposition’s side and harass his rival No.9.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
Often things that flow unabated are going downhill.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
The NRL have started to find ways not to have scrums and to keep their game flowing. You know like running hard and tackling big. Rugby should give that a try. They may even get people to the games....
Marlin
Roar Rookie
maybe they can have the best of both worlds and stop the clock while we wait
BlouBul
Roar Rookie
The ref should just stop the clock and only call 'Time On' when the ball goes in. If it doesn't come out or need a reset stop the clock and start over. Those front row types need to suffer before they will get it.
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
Or a penalty with a 10 metre penalty also imposed.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Hi Rusty, I am not in favour of more PT's, I think some of them are questionable at best. The rule book is clear on what is what is not. I would change the rules so that a penalty in the scrum cannot be a reset. This might disadvantage the dominant scrum but speed the game up. As an adjunct to this, I would stop refs pulling a quick tap back because it is a metre away from where they think it took place. This must be one of the most frustrating things for players trying to get an advantage from a slowly retiring team. The time wasted has got worse over the years and the refs have plenty of options in the current book to stop this.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
BB: True I would short arm them for delay after warning once. In the 22 the scrum seems to collapse far too often, I think refs, if it's not obvious, should not be trying to work out who is bringing it down and penalise the defending side after warning(s) to keep it up.
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
Brumbies Fan, ''Rugby seems to be going well elsewhere in the world though!'' But we are discussing Rugby in Australia.RA although it made a profit/surplus in 2018, were kept from insolvency in 2018 by Deferred Revenue, paid to RA before 31 December 2018 but relating to 2019 and even 2020???? ” Without this up front cash, the cash position would be $453,000 instead of $18.081 m. ” To go a little further without this ”Deferred Income” ,RA’s ”Employees Entitlements, AUD 1,660,000 and Trade Creditors (Current) AUD 9,998,000 were far greater than AUD 453,000 + Trade Receivables AUD 5,906,000 . Shortfall of AUD 5,299,000, Not illegal, the Directors & Auditors signed off on it. Without this ”Deferred Income” the Quick Ratio of RA at 31 December 2018 would have been NEGATIVE. A sorry looking Balance Sheet. Definition of Quick Ratio The quick ratio is a financial ratio used to gauge a company’s liquidity. The quick ratio is also known as the acid test ratio. The quick ratio compares the total amount of cash + marketable securities + accounts receivable to the amount of current liabilities.”
BrumbiesFan
Guest
Rugby seems to be going well elsewhere in the world though! How is League and Aussie Rules doing in England, France, South Africa, Argentina, Wales, Ireland or Scotland, to name a few? It is true that the Australian public, overall, doesn't seem to have the patience for the scrum battle, and insists on constant "entertainment" - perhaps it's an attention-span issue? Yet the scrum is a key part of the game of Rugby, and the rest of the world seems to understand. Rugby won't change just to please Australian tastes, that's for sure!
rebel
Roar Guru
I think this should only be for reset scrums. First scrum should be normal time.
RobC
Roar Guru
gday cs. thats only in Aus, esp Qld/NSW Most other countries Rugby has left league in the dust
RobC
Roar Guru
Hi Will. Thanks for the post. But the scrum is a game in its own: - People who think running and tackling = good Rugby - Dont know how to watch it - and / or never played it properly
Joeys 78
Guest
Enough, if you din’t Like the scrum go to league. It is an essential part of our game, a point of difference that needs to stay.
Brian
Roar Rookie
The other problem is the setting . resetting of scrums when a team has a player in the sin bin. Sometimes the 10 minute advantage is more like 5 minutes with all the delaying. Maybe as a desperate ploy make the game 70 minutes but time off the clock from when a scrum is called until it is finally back in play. In a lot of cases the game would last over a longer time period even though the game is 10 minutes less.
Craigo
Guest
How is that working out for Rugby? Going by TV ratings and the care factor of the Australian public. Not too good!
soapit
Roar Guru
i think youd need a rule change for that, pretty sure you can already fre kcik for time wasting
Craigo
Guest
"Even in Super Rugby, which is regarded as fast-paced and free-flowing compared to northern hemisphere club competitions" If Super Rugby is regarded as fast-paced I'd hate to see the other games.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
Scrums are great contests designed for the really strong men of the game. A NRL first grade league hooker would struggle in a golden oldies rugby scrum and would play in the backs in the real game of rugby.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
It is only the team with the throw that has the huddles as they control the pace. Rather than free kick that delay tactic just turnover the ball to the other team to take the throw.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
What a laugh you are