Ben Ryan makes final plea to World Rugby for radical law change
Olympic Sevens gold-winning coach Ben Ryan has made a final plea on Twitter for a change to rucking laws ahead of the World Rugby Law Review Group meeting in London on Thursday and Friday.
A number of laws will be discussed, such as the reduction of the number of substitutes in a game and the potential introduction of a 50/22, which is similar to rugby league’s 40/20 kick.
However, Ryan and many other former players have been strong advocates in the ending of jackalling in rucks in favour of the former technique of driving over the tackled player.
Ryan shared a video of a gruesome injury that came from a player being cleared out in a ruck while jackalling, saying he hopes “we don’t see any more incidents like this in the future”.
There is a number of reasons why some feel that jackalling should be outlawed from the game, primarily based on the injuries that it creates.
So the @WorldRugby Law Review Group meets tomorrow. I really hope as a result of their thinking, we don’t see anymore incidents like this in the future….? pic.twitter.com/pI3hfSqhxi
— Ben Ryan (@benjaminryan) June 26, 2019
Not only does the positioning leave a player’s head exposed and vulnerable to the opposing player, who can effectively sprint into the jackaller to clear him out, but any entry to the ruck can cause calamitous injuries to knees and ankles of the player over the ball.
A knee injury like this was shared by Ryan, but it has happened to a number of players. An example this season past was Leinster and Ireland’s Dan Leavy, who suffered an ACL injury that has ruled him out of the World Cup.
Indeed, some feel Sam Warburton’s gung ho attitude at the breakdown contributed to his career being cut short. There does not necessarily need to be any malice from the opposing player, it is just the nature of clearing out a player that is in such an unprotected position.
I look forward to collaborating with my union colleagues later this week to consider potential injury-prevention law trials for post RWC 2019 https://t.co/xHf1r0Ycmk #rugby via @worldrugby
— Sir Bill Beaumont (@BillBeaumont) June 25, 2019
Of course, there is no way that World Rugby can ever make rugby completely safe, and jackalling is a part of the game by which some of the best players in the world have made their names such as David Pocock.
These factors will surely be taken into account by the Law Review Group. However, it is also a priority to make rugby as safe as it can be, and Ryan, who earlier this month laughed off rumours that he had died, is one that believes the game will benefit from doing away with a faction of it which causes so many injuries.
Outside of the injuries created, many have argued that outlawing jackalling will improve the game. While the likes of Richie McCaw and Pocock were famed for their ability to clamp onto the ball at the ruck, there is a case that it stultifies the flow of the game and slows it down.
Second time I’ve died via a fake news story. At least it isn’t the drug trafficking arrest the last one talked about. I’m nowhere Toronto though hear it’s a great spot, as long as you aren’t around the out of control Honda Civics. #veilomani https://t.co/4Aj0n3dRC9
— Ben Ryan (@benjaminryan) June 5, 2019
By forcing players to drive over the tackled player, the belief is that it will not only speed up the game, but it will actually force more players to commit to the ruck, and in doing so create more space.
There are those that feel rugby is calling out for a return of the traditional form of rucking, while there are equally those that feel jackalling is firmly entrenched in the game that it cannot be changed now. But ultimately, player safety must be paramount in this situation.
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Comments on RugbyPass
A long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates live or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is hear and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
5 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
2 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
5 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
5 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
2 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to comments