England international wants conversions scrapped and teams penalised for time-wasting
Brian Moore with the Daily Telegraph
Last Saturday, Harlequins and Leicester attracted a crowd of 75,000 due to a lot of hard work done to make the off-field spectator experience good in terms of entertainment and atmosphere. On the field, both sides tried to play decent rugby, but there were interminable breaks in play that could be eradicated to make watching more enjoyable.
The problem is that administrators, coaches, players, referees and media do not view games in the same way as the average spectator. They are already interested parties and when these things happen, they are analysing, discussing and communicating – they are not just sitting there waiting for the action to resume.
They need to, as I did last Saturday, sit in the crowd with ordinary spectators and see what happens and what is said during these delays. For the crowd, nothing occurs, and they get frustrated and eventually bored. Remember that it is only by converting casual or first-time watchers that rugby will grow.
You should also note that the examples given could not be excused by officials having to check decisions or possible injuries to players; they happened because nobody wanted to do things differently and were content with the status quo.
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There are four areas to focus on: kicks at goal, lineouts, scrums and defensive box kicks. The examples do not include occasions when officials were checking something else and some counted as ball-in-play time. Some advocate stopping the clock during delays, but that gives no incentive to get going and means referees and players dally because they think time is made up. This makes games last longer and the average first-class match is now taking almost 100 minutes. What does not change is the fact that for the spectator it is time when, for all practical purposes, nothing happens.
I would remove conversions and make a try seven points. Why should a thrilling back movement, resulting in a try in the corner, have a much more difficult extra two points than one driven over near the posts after an attritional succession of short drives from rucks? Take away the minute allowed to complete a conversion and you probably free up five minutes in an average game.
Penalty kicks at goal are also supposed to be completed within a minute of the intention to kick at goal being signalled. However, the George Ford goal-kick, from Kyle Sinckler’s high tackle, took 1?min 45?sec from penalty award to completed kick. The referee allowed 45 seconds before he signalled the decision.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6yeKKDg4cI/
The minute time limit should be from when the referee specifies the position of the penalty. If the kicking side want to endlessly debate their options fine – but they will just cut down the time their kicker has to complete a shot at goal. Given the average number of kicks at goal, you would free up another two or three minutes, and that is being conservative.
Also, apart from the problem of too many resets, the time taken to form and complete scrums is unacceptable. One Quins five-yard scrum took 1½ minutes before it was eventually resolved. It was 45 seconds before the packs got into a position where the referee could call the engagement. There is no reason why both packs cannot be set for engagement within 25 seconds of the mark being specified.
Many lineouts had the same problem. To illustrate the point, take one Leicester attacking lineout. From the point the ball went into touch, it took 20 seconds for both lineouts to form and Leicester to throw the ball in. At other times it was well over a minute before the throwing side finished their huddled debate, got into position and made the throw.
A bit of love for the Boks among the UK rugby media https://t.co/seN60sIHpU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 31, 2019
How about for lineouts and scrums having an NFL-style delay of game call? Go over a specified time limit and the set-piece is moved 10 yards back or forward or the put-in/throw-in is reversed, depending on which side offend.
Finally, caterpillar box kicks. A ruck is over when the ball is clearly won, not when it is in the ideal position for the scrum-half to box-kick. With each player added to a defensive blocking line, you take another few seconds for the No? 9 to roll-kick it into his optimum position. Referees should call “play it” as soon as it is won and count the five seconds out loud and then enforce the law.
Make these changes and I guarantee a haste, presently claimed to be impossible, will miraculously occur. With all these issues addressed we could probably remove at least 10 minutes from the boring time now being foisted on the paying public.
Why would any professional game, said to be in the entertainment industry, not do this?
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.
Can the Lions beat South Africa next year? Manu Tuilagi thinks so:
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments