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Joined November 2023
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At the end of the Cold War, Francis Fukuyama prophesied that history had come to an end. As the most effective form of government,…
Thank you for the constructive feedback. The text in the article read: “In those four finals victories, they have accumulated 18 penalty goals, two drop goals, and two tries.” I have now corrected it: “In those four glorious finals victories, they have accumulated 18 majestic penalty goals, two magnificent drop goals, as well as two brilliant tries in the 2019 RWC final against England, making it the first time a team has scored specifically two tries in a final since Australia beat France in 1999.”
Rugby needs a revolution - if the game is to endure then penalties must be scrapped for all but three reasons
These rules were trialled under the name Experimental Law Variations in Super Rugby 15 years ago. Spiro Zavos wrote a glowing review of the effects of the laws on The Roar in 2007 (https://www.theroar.com.au/2007/04/09/a-tick-for-the-stellenbosch-laws/). There’s a lot of other information about them online. Why not write an article for The Roar expressing your opinion.
Rugby needs a revolution - if the game is to endure then penalties must be scrapped for all but three reasons
I know the feeling, but rugby has changed a huge amount over time. Over the last three decades, there have been a number of significant changes: the introduction of the five-point try, 10 of the 13 Eperimental Law Variations were introduced in 2009, there have been a number of changes to the scrum, the video referee was introduced, and so on.
Have a look at the 1987 world cup final on YouTube or at this article: https://www.statsperform.com/resource/revolutionising-rugby-a-statistical-analysis-on-how-the-game-has-evolved/
Rugby needs a revolution - if the game is to endure then penalties must be scrapped for all but three reasons
I agree, the penalty kicks at goal only in the opposition 22 is another alternative. There are two things which I think may be problematic with it: the game would still be for penalties across the park (and especially at the scrum), and it would make the penalty-kick to the corner-maul-try thing even more important.
Rugby needs a revolution - if the game is to endure then penalties must be scrapped for all but three reasons
While the removal of penalties probably would lead to more tries (especially as tries would beceome the most effective way to score points), it is not actually the argument of the article. What is more important is that rugby is decided on tries rather than penalty goals.
I agree, not all kinds of tries are to be encouraged. Scrapping penalties would finish the greatest of those atrocities, the penalty-kick to the corner-maul thing.
Evaluations of the Experimental Law Variations found that ball in play time was much higher, that the game sped up, and that there were more positive events for spectators. Of course, a trial period of the rule change(s) would have to be carried out, as is normally the World Rugby approach. To my mind, other secondary rule changes would also greatly improve the game, especially related to time wasting and stoppages, the 20-minute red card, and the devaluing of the penalty goal.
True, in the final, there was a below average 15 penalties (one every two and a half minutes). And true, South Africa only won five of them. But four of those were converted into penalty goals, which was enough for them to win the game.
Rugby needs a revolution - if the game is to endure then penalties must be scrapped for all but three reasons
True, the NH heavyweights were instrumental in blocking the changes in 2009. But DNA is not the right metaphor. Attitudes have changed dramatically in the last 14 years. England fans booed the way their own team played during the world cup, despite the fact that they won big games, and players like Joe Marler are clearly embarrassed by the winning “ugly” approach. Wales has a nostalgia for the great, running teams of the past, and tried (albeit unsuccessfully) to play like that under Wayne Pivac. Scotland fielded what may have been their best team ever, led by the attacking brilliance of Finn Russell. And Ireland have developed an incredible, try scoring machine. More, the world cup semis and final were hardly spectacular. The game is also struggling financially, especially in England. The time has never been better for the revolution.
Rugby needs a revolution - if the game is to endure then penalties must be scrapped for all but three reasons