The semifinal between England and South Africa was maybe one for the rugby purists, but it certainly did nothing to promote the game of rugby as a spectacle on a wider scale. Therefore, in my opinion, the best thing that can happen to the sport is for New Zealand to be crowned world champions.
It was a match decided by the fact sides are now incentivised to look for mysterious scrum penalties that are, more often than not, a lottery rather than an indication of skill.
The semi was a match punctuated by a stream of controversial three-pointers won by both teams, England and South Africa, cynically trying to slow the ball or kick the leather off it skyward.
As Matt Williams told Irish TV immediately after the game, “South Africa are not taking scrums [from free kicks] to deliver the ball, they are taking scrums looking for penalties…the scrum was never meant to be an endless stream of penalties, it was a means to restart the game.”
Somewhere during the past decade, rugby has lost its shine. For me, it was between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups when the game died on the hill of ‘player safety’ but rolled back down the same hill by becoming slower and longer.
The Lions series in 2021 was one of the saddest spectacles I have witnessed in sport. The rules that continually interrupt the flow of the game and befuddle fans in equal measure had ‘blown back’.
Administrators were worried about player safety, so what did they do: they tweaked rules to slow the game down so the players got larger and the hits got bigger – what a genius concept.
Rugby now resembles American Football, the embryo of sports concussion litigation, more than any other sport.
It is why we have seen seven forwards appearing on benches, water runners entering the field of play with increased frequency and traffic lights installed in coaching boxes.
There is no doubt that Rassie Erasmus and his crew of merry marauders have acted within the laws of the game. But the laws must be changed.
In a study, published in 2020 by the BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, it was revealed that the mean body mass of international players increased from 84.8kg in 1995 to 105.4kg in 2015. This is a staggering increase of almost 25 per cent.
Just as it looked like the average size of international players may be plateauing, well, along came Rassie.
If we are truly interested in prioritising player safety, increasing the average size of players is counterintuitive. An absurdity even.
After all, benches were originally enlarged from seven players to eight to ensure the safety of scrummagers by mandating a full replacement front row.
South Africa and England players contest the maul during their semifinal. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Now we have eight superbly fit, giant men on the field for 50 minutes of each test who are often replaced almost in full by six or even seven more for the final 30 minutes.
Legal, yep. Within the spirit of the game, not sure. Cynical, absolutely.
Yet, it is more than that. Not only do we have an emerging trend of more forwards being injected into the game, but we also have matches that regularly extend past 100 minutes.
Every second match is punctuated by scrum resets, long replays, on-field team meetings and player rub downs usually reserved for the treatment room.
Anyone who streams the Rugby World Cup on Stan will have seen the option to watch a ‘Mini Match’, 25 minutes of condensed footage. The thing is, you do not miss watching a full game with 55 minutes of stoppages.
It of course follows that with less running, and less need for aerobic capacity and endurance, individuals can play Rugby at increased weights and sizes. Again, it is the most recent example of the stupidity of World Rugby.
Not only are the risks shifted from the tackled to the tackler, but they are also unarguably exacerbated by larger people causing larger collisions.
All of that is of course before you think about the spectacle, about attracting fans to the game.
Scrums and mauls are great; box kicking, not so much. But surely the rule makers should be striving to achieve some kind of balance or compromise in the sport.
I read that the Ireland versus South Africa pool match produced a ‘riveting slug fest’. Brutal and relentless. Most games, played by teams of lesser quality, are just ‘slug fests’ and that is not good for rugby.
At one stage I had wondered why teams did not simply make the ball do the work, run big men around the park and then open defences up. But then I realised, it is because huge men who are already superbly fit are replaced by the same just as fatigue sets in.
How can backline attacks open up defences when player fatigue comes into play less often?
Just last year, during the three series played in the Southern Hemisphere, the Tests averaged 25 penalties or free kicks. That is a stoppage roughly every three minutes – before you even talk about set pieces.
On that topic, while the frequency of scrums and line-outs has decreased over the years, carries and tackles have vastly increased. It is the forwards doing the most tackling and carrying.
Interestingly, while forwards generally carry more than backs now, they do not make very many metres. Opta’s stats platform noted that during the 2019 World Cup, forwards carried 51 per cent of the time but made just 29 per cent of the meters and 23 per cent of line breaks. This year, with more forwards on the field, those stats will no doubt be even more skewed.
Let me be clear, this is not an attack on South Africa or a reaction to the Wallabies’ poor showing.
The Springbok staff have been astute and ingenious as you would expect and exploited the rules. Just as Steve Borthwick’s England almost did. But it must be said again, the rules need changing.
The number of forwards on benches should be capped at six next year as a starting point only.
Teams should also be restricted to using only four of eight replacements, five if a front-row forward is injured or concussed. The concept of ‘finishers’ must be done away with in full.
The length and number of stoppages in the name of ‘player welfare’ must also be reduced. If that means restricting TMO interventions or introducing an element of intent into refereeing dangerous play, then so be it.
World Rugby has taken the game down a deplorable dead end that is illogical, contradictory and unlikely to safeguard player welfare, let alone attract new fans to the game. There is a place for dominant forward play just as there is a need to protect players.
But if that is at the expense of running rugby, or possession rugby, where the ball does some work, the game has lost more than it’s gained.
New Zealand are no angels but they at least play a game full of ingenuity, silky skill and endeavour. One that resembles the game of rugby I fell in love with 30 years ago as a small boy.
For that reason, this neutral will be backing the All Blacks this weekend.
Kai Levuka
Roar Rookie
Paula Bale?
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
I watched the 1994 HK7s yesterday at work and Joeli Vidiri was scoring a lot for Fiji and nz had an amazing Fijian guy but i forgot his name, he set up and scored a lot of tries
Tallwill
Roar Rookie
Here we go again: I’m a voice in the wilderness. The best way to correct this is to make the game more aerobic. That requires that stoppages are policed: if a player goes down, the game goes on; the “injured” player goes off - for an independently verified - injury - and he comes back on later or he doesn’t stop the game. It will transform rugby. No longer will it be dominated, especially recently, by 120kg behemoths who can smash their smaller rivals into submission but it will give way to supremely aerobically fit strong athletes with silky rugby skills. Within a World Cup cycle, the game will be transformed. The Cheslan Kolbes will be freed up; the skilful centres will come back (hallo, Jason Little?) and the game can transfer to the backs because if the forwards don’t have the gas, they will not be able to slow the game down And while you’re at it, reduce penalties to 2 points, or even one.
W Evans
Roar Rookie
Sir Wayne Smith (one of the great rugby minds) interviewed today: “you look at the game, currently, there’s a lot of frustration around the number of penalties, the number yellow cards, the number of rucks... There’s another ruck and they’ll always pick up the penalty, because it’s a penalty, just about every ruck, if you want to see it. “Then you play maybe four, five, six or seven phases of advantage, and you come back then and kick to touch, then there’s a drive and so on. “I think that’s frustrating a lot of people, not just people like me. And if you are in the crow’s nest, it can’t carry on like this, so they’re going to have to make some changes.”
Wizz
Roar Rookie
That's dumb statement...just won the world swimming titles beating countries with massive times the population and will give the cricket world cup a good shake...if your a Kiwi I'd keep that trap shut till you win the rugby other wise like loads of your country man who have fled there homeland absolute chokers.
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Attitude smattitude...it's robust debate it's great entertainment...
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Welcome expat Aussie...glad your back.
Cec
Roar Rookie
DA I was agreeing. If it’s 4hrs it’s not worth it :thumbup:
Double Agent The Second
Roar Rookie
If the clock is off those time outs would be unlimited. Watching them stand around doing nothing is bad enough as it is. Would be a lot worse if they were free to do it for as long as they want whenever they want. They're not wating their time -the clock is off - they'd be wasting the spectator's time.
Cec
Roar Rookie
4hrs? Yeah…No
Peta Smith
Roar Rookie
Hey Wizz, I’ll start with your last point about “Government Action”. There has been in the past, attempts at enticing Kiwis home. Not sure if there was any actual substance to the “attempt” we’ll call it, but “Kiwi-Saver” (Nz’s poor excuse for a Superannuation Scheme) was a step in that direction. So was the big push to get us to vote in elections. Ultimately, it has done next to nothing to stem the tide except for a brief period during COVID when Kiwis returned home in increasing numbers. I’m not embarrassed by coming to a country that has provided better opportunities & quality of life for myself & my children. In fact, I am extremely grateful & like over 15,000 Kiwis so far, am eagerly awaiting my Australian citizenship to be processed. Not to mention that 4 of my Great Grandparents were born in Victoria, so it’s a “homecoming” of sorts… The only embarrassment I have is mixed with sadness that the country I grew up in, is not as it once was. Specially gangs & the associated violence. Known gang membership more than doubled during Jacinda’s reign. Including many of my nephews. Wages have been near stagnant for over 20 years etc…exorbitant cost of living etc… With petrol prices being at around $3.50 in my hometown, a good friend of mine is exchanging vehicles for horses in order for people to get around. There’s a reason Oz is called the “Lucky Country” & I’m lucky to be a part of it!
Ben Pobjie
Expert
I like this article. Rugby in 2023 is duller than ever.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
Well Brendan. Again I cannot fault your appraisal of where things are at and from whence to where it seems as well. For me the kiwi derby super rugby games have too much hit and intensity and a series of 4 in a row can dent the roster. Advantage the next bloke gets a shot, but it can't be a good idea over time. It's a big step up from NPC to super and I would prefer an oppertunity like the northern leaugue has onb offer. More games of less critical worth make the development of individuals, teams, administrators et al far more accessable and i would think larger and more encompassing. Which of course lead to larger footprints > bigger fan base > more money > more teams etc. I was disappointed when Aki left as he was in the picture for national selection as he was running rampant for my team The Cheifs. And we missed him big time, but I was still startled when he turned green and became Bundy O'Aki as I hoped he might come back. Ireland scored when they caught him. And I was annoyed the James Lowe was never selected for the ABs way before he left. He was one of my favs for his sheer wonder at what he could do next and always with a huge grin. But saw a interview with him by big jim where james said he was apparantly too much the cheecky smart ass but grew up when he came here. :happy: Those kiwis left out of super are expected to go away and get better when not needed if they want to progress, and the NPC is not really a professional income. Travel eager kiwis will roam and rove where they may but the ones that matter seem to stat close enough to home. Did you know 40% of the Aussie NRL we moan take the best players are actually NZ born kiwis. Its by far the biggest drain of resource. But its a good income to live on even though you drop skill and vision never to return. I would hope the American / Japanese comps pay enough to live off but truly have no idea.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Maybe this article could be more a lens on the World Cup and knock out rugby. Tournament style rugby can be different to other forms. Ignoring the mismatch pool stages, when you get to knock out stages, it’s about having more points than the opposition, not how you get them. A drop goal, that most reviled of scoring methods, has literally won a World Cup. And changed the course of another. Boks play very smart knock out style. NZ not so much. NZ may play the more “marketable, highlight reel” style, but it doesn’t win as many sudden death games as a more “conservative” style. One reason SA has a better strike rate at World Cups than NZ. The new league announcement may make things interesting, in that it may devalue the World Cup potentially and stop this 4yr cycle we all go on.
jaysper
Roar Guru
Yes of course and a well-executed scrum is a beautiful thing. The point is that if thats ALL you see, it can be boring IMO and honestly, if the Boks vs Poms game hadn't been a nail biter I would have found it a snooze fest.
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
Noted, but might I say… My comment is irrelevant, but your own comments should be taken on board. Seems a little at odds, but there you have it. Might I also say your concern with my attitude is your problem, why should it be mine? I think there are more important things you could concern yourself with. Your willingness to jump in and comment, several hours after I have already rescinded my earlier comment seems unwarranted, but that is your choice. Keep up the good work.
Blink
Roar Rookie
They prefer sports they can win at as Oz are pretty weak at truly International World sports. Easier to win without competition.
Blink
Roar Rookie
Bok. You sound like a 108 year old who has lost the ability to read and understand.
NotKev
Roar Rookie
I have far back Celtic roots so I enjoy the Scottish and Welsh ... i find my interest with Welsh is academic and Scots is probably the national anthem more than anything, love the history of sticking it to the English ruling class.Portugal were fun to watch, Georgia were not where I hoped they would be and Namibia could have beaten Australia if they had been in that pool .... I dont not like Arg ... I just was really sad in their performances this WC ... irritated too ... that what I was hoping for pre WC didn't materialise.... I was frustrated too with the times of kick offs , many happened at times I was starting work and couldnt watch ... the SA v Fra game a client actually kicked me out and told me to go watch the whole second half coz he wasnt aware it was on but knew how much it meant lol
vld_dn
Roar Rookie
Great assessment. Rugby Union is my first love, which is now dying... For the reasons mentioned by you above, Lately, I've enjoyed watching Rugby league