Ha Ha ! Thanks Colvin !

Thanks Cam. I also prefer watching local (suburban) games, many of which have such full-time results as 6 tries to 4 tries etc. From my memory, there were very few collapsed re-set scrums in the days when the ball had to be fed down the middle, thus meaning that hookers had to strike for the ball; hookers could strike back then only if the props did not pack as low as they do today, thus causing many of the collapsed scrums

JN, the 6 point try that I have suggested, if you re-read the article, is simply to avoid time-wasting conversions with the current 5 (+2) point try, and to limit the influence of one single player on the result of a 15-man team game. But thanks for your observations

Thanks Daffyd. You raise some interesting points.

Thanks Colvin. I agree with you that the game is becoming more dangerous, despite the yellow and red cards. Especially attacking players diving into a pile of defenders’ legs in trying to score a try from a metre or so out. Getting rid of the rolling maul might also make the game less dangerous?

I am one of those older fellas that you refer to Danny, and, of course we all are entitled to our opinions. But, IMHO, the modern game is getting harder to watch.

You are entitled to your opinion, Scrum

Correct Busted !
If it wasn’t for Stan Sports (Live, Replays, Edited versions, and Highlights) we would know absolutely NOTHING about Club Rugby — the Qld Hospitals Cup Matches are usually great to watch e.g. 6 tries to 4 etc.

Harry and Fraser, if not in the run-on XV, should be in the 23 v the Poms !

Both the Reds and Wallabies P.R. Departments need a real kick in the bum ! Journos here in Brisbane have told me that it is up to the Unions to provide them with regular, and exceptional, stories — which, according to them, are rarely forthcoming !!

While I am very happy to see Fraser promoted to Captain of the Reds this weekend, I just hope that we are not putting too much pressure on him too early in his career.? I well remember him Captaining the Junior (under 20s) Wallabies to a second place (to France) in the U 20s World Cup a few years ago. There is no doubt that he has outstanding leadership qualities, and, being a flanker, perhaps he could replace Hoops as Wallaby Captain in a few years.? But let us not rush things. Although he is a very talented Rugby player, there are still a few things that he should work on to improve his overall game ….. I would hope that Brad Thorn knows what they are. Also many of us have been very impressed by Fraser during his media interviews. My old Club, Brothers, is very fortunate to have Fraser (as well as the likes of Hamish Stewart and others) sign with us, — great Club men, —- although, because of Super Rugby and Test SQUAD commitments, we do not see enough of these players wearing the famous Navy and White Broken Stripes!

Spoken lke a true Kiwi, WH !!

THE THREE RUGBY LAWS THAT MUST BE CHANGED:
Apart from the terrible time-wasting in scrums, one of those Laws is obviously the so-called driving maul, especially from line-outs. This has been debated for some time by many various correspondents, most of whom (except, maybe, Brumbies fans), agree that it is not only boring, and possibly dangerous, but should be penalised for obstruction. So I will not add further to THAT debate here, but will concentrate on another Law that, IMHO, should be changed for the benefit of both players and SPECTATORS alike.

What I am referring to is the requirement that any player who is not part of the “breakdown” must stand “behind the hindmost foot of the ruck”. Even if we accept this Law (which many, like myself, do not), it is broken several times every match, by defending players creeping in front of that “hindmost foot”. I know that a referee cannot have eyes in the back of his or her head, but why don’t the so-called ASSISTANT REFEREES alert the central referee to such blatant off-side, that condemns so much potential back-line attack to obscurity? After all, they are now called ASSISTANT referees — so please assist the central referee!

In my days of coaching, we enjoyed watching great attacking back-line play, which was the envy of many other nations. That was aided by the fact that all eight forwards were mainly committed to winning the ball for their speedy backs — not the bash and barge that seems to be the forwards’ main role in the modern game. As a result, we had Centre marking Centre, Wing marking Wing etc. without having the backline cluttered by so many (mainly off-side) forwards.

Even worse, so many teams (and nations) have used this “behind the hindmost foot” law to their advantage when DEFENDING (even IF they are on-side under the current laws). For the sake of brevity, may I explain this by referring to the Attacking team as Team A and the Defending team as Team D?
Team D commits only two or maybe three players to the breakdown, thus meaning that Team D’s “hindmost foot” is often less than a metre behind the Advantage Line. That allows up to 12 of Team D’s defenders to mark Team A’s backs. Team A’s backs (unless they use their forwards to bash their way over the Advantage Line, or the scrum half box-kicks) are at an obvious disadvantage in trying to mount what we used to enjoy as a normal back-line attacking raid. (Oh how I yearn for a return to such wonderful attacking back-line play, without defensive, often off-side, forwards cluttering up the field!)
Under the current Laws everything favours Team B — especially if the Assistant Referees do not do their part.
So how about we borrow a bit from Rugby League and change the Law so as those who are not TIGHTLY bound at the breakdown must be, say, 5 metres behind the hindmost foot??
Fortunately for Rugby League, their game is played mainly in Australia, so that they can change their laws for the better enjoyment of their spectators and TV viewers. Unfortunately Union is controlled by the Northern Hemisphere “heavies” who are not interested in law changes while they can fill “Twickers” etc. I am old enough to remember when the International Laws allowed kicking out on the full from ANY part of the field. Australia was no party to this, and allowed kicking out on the full ONLY from behind the (then) 25. Thankfully our amendment to that law eventually became accepted by the IRB.

In conclusion, can we, AS SPECTATORS, please have (A) Timing of scrums and other instances of time-wasting, (B) Ban the Driving maul, and (C) Changing of the “hindmost foot” Law. IMHO that might assist in getting fans, spectators and the media to once again appreciate what used to be our great International game ?!

There is NO WAY that the Ref should have penalised Fraser McReight near the end of that game!!.
McReight entered the breakdown correctly, and was about to gather the ball. If anyone should have been penalised, it was the Brumbies No. 5. He entered from the Reds’ side of the breakdown, and then tried to tackle Fraser McReight BEFORE he had touched the ball.
In any case it was that No. 5 who tackled McReight, thereby DRIVING HIM INTO THE BRUMBIES SCRUM-HALF !!!
I hope that Brad Thorn sat next to Referee Berry on the flight back to Brisbane, produced a replay of that incident, and asked him to “Please Explain”!!
There is no way that McReight was trying to interfere with the scrum-half.
IF the referee had any doubt, why did he not ask the TMO for a replay?

STAND TALL, FRASER !! YOU did everything by the book, — including forcing an earlier penalty that should have won the game for the Reds — IF only they could win the following lineout! Please do not let such incompetent officiating change the way that you play !

Rodda—– Too Inconsistent. Surprised by his attitude. Sadly, has now identified himself as not a team player
Hocking — Too Soft. Greed! Currently no great loss, but MIGHT have had future potential?
Lucas —— Too Small. Greed! Inflated self-opinion. Try soccer !

Bet they ALL have the same player-agent !

So we have been paying Castle over $800,000 per year to totally stuff the game in Australia !!!! IF she had just a speck of decency , she would resign COMPLETELY and IMMEDIATELY !!

How about: Articles on the History of Premier Rugby Clubs in Brisbane?

Now that players can easily transfer between League and Union (and back again if they wish) it IS time for the administrators of BOTH codes to realise that, in Australia, the “enemy” is NOT the other Rugby code, but the AFL. So I agree that having a hybrid game is warrented.
However, the AUSTRALIAN and NZ administrators should get together to form NEW Laws for the game, taking the best from BOTH codes. Of course, on the International front, the UK Rugby administrators would be horrified by such, and try to ban it — but it is time for the Southern Hemisphere nations to go it alone if need be. (I can remember, back in the 1960s, where Union players, under International rules, could kick the ball out on the full from ANY part of the field. But Australia adopted their own Laws allowing kick out on the full from only the defending teams 25 yard line. That was later adopted by the Intl. Rugby Board —— so Aust and NZ should not hesitate in formulating Laws that suit a joint Union-League game down here.) NOW is a great time to act!

When Brad Thorn took over the Reds, the media reported that he had to put up with a poor squad that he “inherited”. Now that he is able to select the players whom he prefers, one must ask why he picked a squad that included not even one (let alone two) recognised goal-kickers. It also appears that no one in the Reds can touch-kick to gain any more than 25 or 30 metres! Otherwise what a great effort in Christchurch on Friday!!

Will Train and Wayne S please stop hogging the Roar site?! Thank you.

ANYTHING to keep them onside !!
The touch judges are now called ASSISTANT REFEREES ! SO why do they not ASSSIST the referee by alerting him to those who are not behind the hindmost foot? ( I also would favour borroring from Rugby League and get players, say, 5 metres behind the hindmost foot.
Before the “purists” throw up their hands in horror, both NRL and AFL change the Laws to improve their games for SPECTATORS, while Rugby has so many (too many) complicated rules that do not make the game a better spectacle, but, rather, cause more delays and penalties/

The Rugby World Cup is USUALLY won by the team which has the most reliable GOAL-KICKER(s)
Who have the Wallabies got?? Foley and CLL can kick, but have their off days, and Hodge is able to kick SOME goals from 55 metres out, but is not accurate enough for short OR long range kicks
.Who else?? Beale?? (Who may only be a bench player).

{I Remember, decades ago when Bob Dwyer was coach, when he dropped both Paul McLean and Roger Gould for the first home test against the Scots. Rugby Journalist for the Sunday Truth, Brian Mullins, wrote: ” And Australia has a coach, Bob “DYER” (a deliberate journo error) who thought that a Rugby Union Test could be won without a reliable goal-kicker !” McLean and Gould were restored for the second test!}

Georgia (also in our Pool D) are a far better team that I thought, judging by their game against Scotland last weekend. The Scots ran away with the result, only in the last quarter, but Georgia gave them a lesson in the scrums; their forwards are quite tough; and (surprisingly for me) they have some fleet-footed backs. And they will be more fit, experienced, and match-hardened by the time Australia plays them. But we should beat them in what might be a rugged encounter.

However Fiji could be a real dark horse in this RWC. Aust. v Fiji on Sat. Sept. 21st should be a beauty, —- and an important match for the Wallabies!

If anyone should go to hell, surely it must be Israel Folau, Raelene Castle, and the ARU Board who appointed her.!
They will jointly go down in history credited with being those who jointly totally destroyed what was once a great game in this proud sporting nation. Congratulations to all concerned. They must be very pleased with their achievements !!

SURELY that was (at least) a sin-binning offence. It certainly would have been in Rugby Union, where they are finally getting serious about protecting the players from such thug-shots..
But in some cases it might even earn a red card in Union, which I do not agree with. ( If the offence is THAT serious, a better result would be to give the offender a yellow card, and don’t allow him to return to the field, but to be replaced by a bench player (after the yellow card 10 minutes) for the remainder of the match. ) The judiciary should then be expected to hand out very harsh penalties, esp. to repeat offenders.
ALL players, esp. top play-makers, DESERVE to be be protected by the referees against such cowardly cheap shots.

With Two Melbourne sides in the final, most non-Victorians normally would not care which team wins.
BUT when one of those two sides is ARROGANT enough to call themselves a team of (so-called) “STARS” , neutral folk automatically cheer for the other side. (Esp. when Collingwobble Eddie is president or whatever)!

So when this team of so-called “STARS” CHOKED as badly as they did (esp. after the start that Dunk gave them), please pardon the rest of the Aussie cricket-following public for cheering wildly in our homes when the Stars(??) fell to earth so rapidly !! Well done Renegades !!