GLOBAL RUGBY SEPTEMBER
RUCK OFF
Written By Bennet Dalton from ‘Rugby Chat With The Boys’
There should be no room for interpretation.
The result of the game seems to more often
than not go the wrong way when it comes
down to the referees call.
Rugby is an incredibly dynamic game. There is
a lot for the ref to process.
This is an organisational issue. The IRB needs
to get clarity on the rules and ensure they are
enforced. The process for the refs and players
needs to be the same every time. If not for
the outcome of the game, then the credibility
and future of the game. New watchers often
claim that they don’t know what’s going on
and quite frankly this is also true for those
on the field sometimes.Let’s take the ruck for
example. This seems to be one of the most
problematic areas.
It starts with the tackle. There have been
some good rules introduced here to clean up
the ruck like the fact that the player must be
released by the tackler. What distinguishes
a tackle ball from a ruck seems to vary from
breakdown to breakdown. There needs to
be consistency here. The ruck rules should
begin when there is a player from each team
contesting the tackle ball. Often we see a
tackle situation treated as a ruck, with players
wrongly penalised for infringements like
using their hands. McCaw gets wrongly called
on this one all the time. Don’t call the penalty.
The inverse is also true where we see players
tackled, a ruck formed and then the man on
the ground able to pop the ball up. This is
playing the ball on the ground, but for some
reason it goes un-penalised. Call the penalty.
Having the refs’ call determine the outcome
of the game is simply wrong. It’s not fair on
them.
Rugby should employ the Challenge tactic
used in the NFL. Coaches would be given
one Challenge per game. This would give
the coaches the ability to call out when
they see something ruled incorrectly. A
subsequent review would enable the ruling
to either be upheld or overturned. A penalty
for an incorrectly called challenge would
help to negate this rule being used in an
unsportsmanlike way. Take some of the
responsibility away from the refs.
in progress as the ultimate goal of a scrum is
to reset play and give both teams a chance
to contest. Stopping the clock would enable
both of the foundation factors of a scrum
to remain while at the same time removing
the incentive for a team to purposefully stall
proceedings in order to wind down the clock.
Stop those cheeky halfbacks. Holding the ball
when you have a penalty against you should
be an automatic 10 meter march. Penalties
are never over turned so there is no reason
to let a bickering halfback hold the ball. If the
ball is not dropped to the ground when the
whistle is blown a 10 meter march is enforced.
It’s simple.
A few subtle tweaks to the game could make
all the difference. Sort it out lads.
The scrum is another area that cops a lot of
flak. The clock should be stopped when play
is stopped and resumed once the ball has
been successfully cleared. There is no reason
to keep the clock running while a scrum is
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