Suggested rule changes for rugby

**bobforest** · 24-03-2013, 05:18 PM

I know there are a few rugby 'experts' on this website so I thought I'd throw this in for comment.

I've just watched some 7s on TV and was very impressed by what I saw from both recognised rugby nations and what one may call 'emerging' rugby nations, for example Kenya. One of the things that impressed me was the movement and speed of the game compared to the 15-a-side version.

I think what the authorities have done to the 15-a-side version is commendable to make it a more exciting spectacle to sell to the public but there are still some problems, notably the (repeated) scrums, often finishing in a penalty, and the length of time it takes for kickers to complete their numerous attempts at goal.

7s doesn't seem to offer much to the first of these problems, unless the 15-a-side game wishes to go down the league solution and make them a complete farce to clear the field for a bit of passing, but its use of drop kicks instead of place kicks for conversions does seem to be an option worth consideration.

The introduction of drop kicks for conversions and penalties would speed the 15-a-side game up considerably and it would also rid it of the tedium of continually having to watch the protracted processes of placement/adjustment of the tee and ball and the psychological preparation of the kicker. Most of the good teams now include some guy who can kick the ball over from around 50m so there are many attempts from such distances.

I accept that making it more difficult to convert penalties may reduce the punishment for (and thus encourage) illegal play so this may be an area that has to be addressed by the use of the sin bin, which appears to work reasonably well in both versions of rugby.

Any comments?

bobforest

**the dogcatcher** · 24-03-2013, 05:29 PM

Yep.
Make the ball round and let the players only use their feet.

**can123** · 24-03-2013, 05:31 PM

I am old enough to remember a time when rugby was played to a set of laws which had remained unaltered for more than twenty years.

Successive changes have failed to produce a game which is more exciting than it was when I saw my first game as a small child.

For the sake of brevity I will mention one good law change and one bad one. The good one was to prevent the direct kicking of the ball into touch from anywhere other than inside " the 25". The bad one, and one which has totally altered the nature of the game, is the change relating to the "mark". In happier times a "mark" could be made anywhere on the field. I will not explain fully why I consider the second change to be so bad as anybody considering a change in the laws of the game should think very hard for himself. Try to imagine a game where the "mark" was played in accordance with my ancient laws. Think, and think again, and you will see that the game would be transformed beyond all recognition.

**Necron99** · 24-03-2013, 05:35 PM

Scrims are better with the new call, far fewer resets.
I'm pretty happy with the laws as they are.

**Troy** · 24-03-2013, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by bobforest

The introduction of drop kicks for conversions and penalties would speed the 15-a-side game up considerably and it would also rid it of the tedium of continually having to watch the protracted processes of placement/adjustment of the tee and ball and the psychological preparation of the kicker. Most of the good teams now include some guy who can kick the ball over from around 50m so there are many attempts from such distances.

You can choose to drop kick or place kick for a conversion in the current rules. Once you run up to kick, you can't stop if the ball falls off its tee anyway. Time is dead until the start of the run-up so it is always a good time for both sides to get a breather. I prefer that to the possible introduction of (dare I mention the horror) time-outs.

I also preferred the old rule of a drop kick restart for an unconverted try and a place kick for a converted one. Not sure why they got rid of that. The place kick usually led to deeper kicks from the restart.

Sin bin is another horror and to see it used more is also naff IMO.....

**Aberlour** · 24-03-2013, 10:31 PM

As you mentioned in your OP, the only thing I have an issue with is the scrums. They have become tedious beyond belief.

It's a shame but I think they may need to become non contested for the sake of the flow of the game.

**the dogcatcher** · 24-03-2013, 10:34 PM

How about 50 a side Kabadi.
Google it... it's better than rugby.

**Aberlour** · 24-03-2013, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

How about 50 a side Kabadi.
Google it... it's better than rugby.

Now there's a game!

Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi, kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi........

I hyperventilate just watching it!

**Loy Toy** · 24-03-2013, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by bobforest

One of the things that impressed me was the movement and speed of the game compared to the 15-a-side version.

Stick to watching the Southern Hemisphere sides play Rugby Bob.

The other crap is like watching paint dry.

**Marmite the Dog** · 25-03-2013, 01:05 AM

Stop allowing southern refs make a hash of reffing northern games with reals forwards because they don't understand what a scrum is.

If it was up to me, I'd go back to the rules in the 1980s. None of this lifting bollocks for starters.

**Ozcol** · 26-03-2013, 01:02 PM

Being a league fanatic , I could not find a game to watch until the rugby finished and I was bored , as soon as a penalty was given at or beyond the half way , bugger running we will have a shot at goal . Most points are scored from penalties which makes it boring , to me anyway. I reckon the way to make it more interesting one change is all that is needed . 2 points for penalty and 3 for a conversion and then they would play for tries , not penalties.

**Necron99** · 26-03-2013, 01:11 PM

^ all very complex.
If you reduce the value of penalties, then defending teams are less likely to worry about infringing to prevent a try.

And I think the average this season is 2 tries and 2 penalties per team.

**kingwilly** · 26-03-2013, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by bobforest

and it would also rid it of the tedium of continually having to watch the protracted processes of placement/adjustment of the tee and ball and the psychological preparation of the kicker.

It's not tedious.

**Ozcol** · 26-03-2013, 03:14 PM

^ Not tedious--bloody boring.

**Sailing into trouble** · 27-03-2013, 08:04 AM

Stop the scum halfs feeding the ball into the back row!

Make the field wider. Bigger men, more athletic, seems less artistry and more crash ball tactics.

Offside rule has to be enforced. the encroachment is constant and ruins the flow and chance of 1/2 breaks.

Give the Northern Hemisphere Teams a chance and all Southern Hem teams have to play with 10 men:-)

**kingwilly** · 28-03-2013, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by Sailing into trouble

Give the Northern Hemisphere Teams a chance and all Southern Hem teams have to play with 10 men:-)

That might give them a fighting chance, I suppose.

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