Calls for law change after Golden Point 'kissing your sister' let-down

The Western Force and Hurricanes both agree: being part of a golden-point draw is like kissing your sister, as calls grow for Super Rugby Pacific to give players more time to grind out a win.

Saturday night’s match between the Force and Hurricanes ended in a 17-17 draw after neither side could land the winning blow in the 10-minute super-point period.

Under current rules, whichever team scores first during that 10-minute golden-point period wins the game.

If scores are still tied, the match is deemed a draw.

Saturday night’s match marked the first time in Super Rugby Pacific history that a match finished in a draw after golden point.

Such is the current confusion, Force skipper Jeremy Williams assumed there was another 10-minute period to come after the teams couldn’t be split.

Hurricanes co-captain Brad Shields thought the match would be decided by a penalty shootout, much like what happens in soccer, and occasionally in rugby.

“It’s a bit of a frustrating one,” Shields said of a golden-point draw.

“Like it’s obviously not losing, but drawing is like kissing your sister I suppose.”

Force coach Simon Cron didn’t know what Shields had said when he himself made an eerily similar comment.

“I don’t have a sister, but I feel like I kissed her tonight,” Cron said.

“That’s sort of where I’m sitting right now.”

Simon Cron Western Force coach Simon Cron was left frustrated by the 17-17 draw. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)
When told of the Hurricanes’ comments, Cron replied: “They said it too, did they? Well, that’s both of us.

“The only reason for that is we have a bunch of boys in that shed who work their arse off and want to win.

“If you didn’t care about winning, and you didn’t care about the game, then you wouldn’t be in this team.”

Cron would like more time to be given to finding a winner.

“It’s a tough one, because there’s always so many variables – TV and all the different stuff there,” he said.

“But I’d like to kick off again after the boys defended on the line, to kick off, put them in the corner and go again.”

Second-year Force captain Williams also felt the same.

“I’d love to be out there for more and try to get the win,” he said.

“So unlimited time really, I’ll be happy with that.”

Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw was supportive of golden point being given two 10-minute periods, and captain Shields agreed.

“I suppose if you’re getting to finals rugby in the past, you get two 10-minute halves, don’t you?” Shields said.

“I’d love to have a winner. I’d love to keep going until there’s a winner.”

Both sides had a chance to win during the golden-point period.

Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson’s 51m penalty goal attempt drifted to the left, and his drop-goal attempt from 30m out a few minutes later was charged down.

Hurricanes flyhalf Ruben Love had the chance to win it after the siren, but his 25m drop goal shaved the left post and bounced away.