Boring rugby to send fans packing
3 Dec 2009
Rob Andrew says the current laws make for a dull game and it won’t be long before the rugby public turn to other means of entertainment.
The Rugby Football Union’s director of elite rugby told the BBC he feels crowds will decline unless changes are made.
‘I think we’re seeing it already,’ Andrew said. ‘You just have to ask people in the game – some coaches say they’re turning the TV off when watching games.’
The ELVs were introduced in the Sanzar competitions in 2008, and the second version of the laws was implemented globally at the end of last year. There’s been a lot of criticism about how the breakdown laws and how they prescribe a more defensive approach.
The bottom line: You don’t want to get caught in your own territory because the laws favour the defending team at the breakdown. So you kick upfield.
‘There is a concern within the game. Now you’re better off without the ball than with it, which isn’t what rugby should strive for,’ said Andrew.
‘The risk in keeping the ball hand is too large. There are some fascinating stats from this year’s Tri-Nations, showing how little time South Africa had the ball yet they won the tournament.
‘In one match against New Zealand they made the lowest number of team passes in any Tri-Nations match ever, yet still won. The New Zealand scrumhalf made more than that on his own.’
There will be review of the laws early next year, but the IRB will not make any changes before the 2011 World Cup.
Martyn Thomas, the chairman of the RFU’s management board, said the support of English rugby could decline if things continue they way they are.
‘We’re all in agreement that the spectacle of the game has changed and that’s a concern.
‘There’s data to suggest that spectators are not comfortable with what’s going on. Hopefully sense will prevail if attendances dive and the spectacle is not what it should be. Clearly the IRB have to look at that.’
54 Comments
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6 Dec 2009, 00:43 am
I really believe the Breakdown and off side line really ruins rugby, the refs need to ping players if you havent latched onto the ball in the first 2 secs than let it go so the attacking team can keep the flow going, if you latched on within the 1st 2secs and the opposition players havent cleared you than you can lift it up to lay it back to your side or get a penalty but if the Ref states ruck formed than let go, as with the off side line too many players are coming in from the side and are making the ruck area a mess. defences are not getting back behind the most hind feet, they should play like rucks are like scrums you can only have post pillar key on both sides the backs have to be back five metres back this would really open the game up.
6 Dec 2009, 10:18 am
How about changing one simple rule – make every kick, irrespective of where it lands, markable. You kick badly, the catcher marks it, you have to retreat 10 metres and an attack is launched against you – wouldn’t this go some way to stopping aimless kicking?
6 Dec 2009, 14:39 pm
@SpringbokSarah:
The reason…loftus has seen the wooden spoon in the cabinet many more times than Newlands.
7 Dec 2009, 05:49 am
@Hooker22: Only problem with this it could slow the game down anywhere on the field, we would have to wait till teams will go back 10m from the kicker, I really think we have lineouts and scrum where the forwards have a rest now Marks, that would be no good for the game.
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