This article has been brewing as I’ve watched rugby union as a game deteriorate to the extent that I rarely watch it, and when I do, I mostly get bored with it.
This is from someone who has it in their blood from three generations, so it’s not easy watching it go down the pipe. And I am genuinely distressed by its ailing, if not its dying.
From my limited angle, I can’t help but think they’ve succeeded in making a simple game of running and passing and tackling into a complicated product, and a boring and sometimes dangerous one at that.
This is very different from what we were taught as kids and very different from what the Marist Brothers brought from France to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands and even here.
It was a team game for fast and slow, fat and skinny, skilled and… different skills.
Private equity or TV deals won’t fix its elementary problem being that as a game, it’s become boring.
So I thought I’d humbly make a suggestion – a very basic innovation to take the game back to fun for kids under, say, 12 years of age.
With all games now having the chance to reinvent themselves, it could be a great time to go back to the very basics of what rugby is: a running and passing game.
And here’s my idea of how to set that up for the next generation, which ticks many boxes without unnecessary tampering or regulation.
My idea? No footy boots allowed for kids under 12.
These are the outcomes and positives.
It would be harder to kick the ball therefore there are less conversions, less penalties and less kicking in general play. That means more emphasis on running, passing and getting the ball to the guys to score tries.
There would be less ankle and knee soft tissue injuries as most of these are caused by the anchoring action of a boot’s studs versus those opposing forces and actions in the upper body.
There would be less push and pressure in scrums, makes binding, technique, strength of body and hooker strikes much more skilful.
There would be less rucking track marks, and cuts from boots.
There would be more emphasis on beating the man with swerve, sidestep, fade, dummy and pass skills.
There would be less impact on the size of players at that vulnerable young age – and more emphasis on the value of skill.
There would be less chance of mothers being distressed by their boys’ injuries in all the above situations.
Tackling skills would change without the traction of boots and studs.
It would be less expensive for the parents – kids just turn up with a shirt and shorts.
So there would be more emphasis on fun and running and slow blokes passing it out to the fast blokes.
Could barefoot rugby re-inject fun into the code for kids? (Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)
And, I imagine, there’s a load more. Think about it.
My favourite games of rugby as a kid playing on a trip in New Zealand were barefoot games against Maori boys up in the Tongariro.
The rule was if one couldn’t afford boots, then the coaches agreed no-one wore boots and the game went on – usually in the mud.
No-one got hurt – the kick in play dropped out of the game and the scrum pressure dropped away – and it was a game of running and passing and tackling and scoring tries.
Likewise, in my time at school, some of the real stars and the great plays were in the barefoot footy games in the rain on the back fields, where the true skills were honed without boots and too much gear. No kicking – just running, passing, skills and speed. Uncomplicated fun.
So, in essence, take the game back to its very basics. You could run a junior barefoot trial comp as a pilot under-12s competition. See how it goes. What’s to lose?
The game needs to be taken back to basic skills – like the Ellas. From that, the fun will grow, the love of the game will come back to juniors again, the mothers and parents will feel comfortable again and then the growth will follow.
Let’s just run with it. It might be our last chance.
Garry
Guest
Funny but i recall in Upper Hutt playing in barefeet on frosty grounds and having to thaw my feet in cold water, because hot water and the pins n needles were just too much.
piru
Roar Rookie
My thought too - losing toes to frostbite will curtail a professional rugby career real quick!
Can you believe it?
Guest
It’s not the record! There were games with more than 111 lineouts. They must have been fascinating watches.
Micko
Roar Rookie
And who are these "neighbours to the north" you're referring to?
Micko
Roar Rookie
That’s a ridiculous comment. Australia is the greatest country on earth regardless of geological wealth. New Zealanders exploit an arrangement that they wanted and pushed for. It’s essentially one way traffic. No matter how much you New Zealanders complain about things, you don’t stop coming here, and once here you rarely leave!
J Jones
Roar Rookie
I was referring to the American Revolution… were they involuntary residents also? I think you’ll find that once you take a good look at the benefits for Australia you’ll see that at any time Aust could close thisloophole but CHOOSE not to. And the selfish reasons you speak of… they would be the same ones that caused Europeans to colonise Aust… Geology is the greatest reason for Australian wealth… I’m not sure you or your ancestors can claim to have had much of a role in enabling that.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Unlike a lot of the original European settlers who lived here, New Zealanders are a 100% voluntary residential group in Australia. They are here for their own selfish benefit: living a lifestyle vastly superior to any they'd live in NZ. I think it's fine that us Australians be selfish in this regard too.
J Jones
Roar Rookie
Supposedly colder I grew up in a bit further south than ChCh, I didn’t see you hard pig islanders in bare feet down there.
J Jones
Roar Rookie
And the Aust government has no interest at all in a silent taxable population. No taxation without representation was once enough to start a revolution - now it’s defended oppression. Considering how ruthless Aust is with its neighbours to the north I doubt altruism is the motivation for the open border from the south.
KiwiHaydn
Roar Rookie
There should also be competitive and social comps running side by side. A lot of players drop out after school as they don’t have the desire or ability to play competitively, or are too small to foot it competitively. For the late bloomers (rugby-wise and physically) having multiple options for continuing playing rugby is key. I also like the weight grade programs they run at all levels in NZ, giving the small guys a crack rather than being run over week after week.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
"Good article and Rugby has become boring ..." You being bored is nowhere near a good enough reason to change my game. Try that internet thingy, there must be something electronic, exciting, so very realistic to attract your attention - you know, like: KAPOW! KABOOM!! I'm a lumbering robot monster lurching forward to nuke you!!! You won't even have to change out of your pyjamas, or leave your room. Fully awesome! What have you done this season to assist your local rugby club to make life interesting? Anything?
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Going back to the old school with barefoot rugby. Kids getting their feet back on the grass. As parents we become so cautious of our kids safety and encourage footwear when outside. My 5 year old daughter loves not wearing shoes when she plays outside. At a previous school I worked at, in conjunction with NZRU we piloted a form of modified 7s to a bunch of Indian secondary school students. They weren't sold on the idea but eventually got use to it and loved the sessions we did with them. Some other solutions for attracting more participation to rugby are: 1. Non-contact versions (People may cringe but if you want people to think the game is safe this an answer) 2. Have a 10 a side option particularly at secondary school level. There are some schools that struggle to have 15 a side teams so having this option may get some youth playing. 3. Evening competitions for some grades and avoid Saturdays. This would free peoples weekends up, might get more teachers involved at school level and would get local rugby clubs being used more as they generally have the lights for evening games.
TheOvalBall
Roar Rookie
Good article and Rugby has become boring. But getting the kids game to change and increase skills means nothing if the adult game does not change. I was paying in the past maybe £25/month to watch rugby on additional satellite channels but cancelled them and now watch the highlights for free and see the exciting moments. As it's played currently it will not attract new fans outside of traditional rugby circles. Here in the UK, for kids it's practically only played in private schools. But honestly how many parents will want their say over 12/13/14 year old kids to play rugby with the way they have to ruck and the current issues regarding brain injuries. I just looked on Youtube at a video called Wellington U13s (43) v Auckland U13s (24). Look at the size of some of those players! e.g the Number 25 at 46 seconds. Who would want their smaller kids playing against those big ones. For years I watched professional games and for so many years wondered how anyone in their right mind would dive in head first into a ruck the way forwards do. The game is unsafe. Also it's not a game for everyone/body type. Practically nowadays all backs are like 6ft 2inch or taller and the forwards are the body shapes they are. Which means it's only scrum halves who can have the average body type. I've been watching rugby union and league for over 40 years and bored of reading comments like you're not a purist if you don't like the long periods of forward play. That sort of attitude ensures the game will never grow. No wonder exciting back play is great to watch. Iv'e tried to convert friends to watch rugby by showing them International Union games and State of Origin games and they prefer League to Union, most complaining of complicated and non-logical rules in Union. Some go to the kitchen at times to raid the fridge because they know they will probably not miss anything. The Union games they did enjoy was actually 7s games featuring USA, Fiji and the Kiwis !!
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I see the joy on the face of the little girl with the long black hair on the right hand side of the photo and I say continue offering whatever it is they are offering those children right there! They don't need a sports expert with a PhD to offer up 400 pages at $600,000 to tell them what works!
No Evidence
Guest
Source? Just repeating some crap doesn’t make it true.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Which is not a sport. So yes fastest growing SPORT..., :stoked:
In brief
Guest
I clearly remember when we had three teams - some of the turgid slug fests were the annual Qld vs NSW matches. So it wasn't a bed of roses either.
mrl
Roar Rookie
Dying?? It’s the fastest growing sport in the world..after e-sports.
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
Nice read letterhead, anything that keeps the game simple and fun which makes kids think about creating space, left right / right left passing, running into gaps has got me sold. Watching a lot of junior rugby, there to structured. Don't get me wrong structure is okay but we want kids to also think on the run. Watching some of our young players come through the ranks their skill levels are terrible and what has concerned me most this year at wallaby level is their lack of nous. Sure individually talented but a lack of between the ears and the ability to play as a team is of concern. So for me barefoot rugby at a junior level for all shapes and sizes, with emphasis on fundamentals and fun has its place. Although tough road trip for anyone one playing any team based down here in the snowy though.
Tree Son
Roar Rookie
Good read!