Ex-All Black's three suggestions to help players and fans adjust to the new Super Rugby Aotearoa laws
The opening weekend of Super Rugby Aotearoa has been largely lauded as a success as huge crowds flocked to Forsyth Barr Stadium and Eden Park to watch the first matches of professional rugby since the coronavirus outbreak.
Bryn Gatland’s last-minute drop goal to steal a dramatic win for the Highlanders against the Chiefs – coached by his father Warren – and Beauden Barrett’s victorious Blues debut against his former side, the Hurricanes, were the two key talking points from the weekend’s action.
One point of confusion, though, was the interpretation of the new laws introduced to the New Zealand domestic competition.
The changes mostly focused on dealing with offsides and infringements at the breakdown, with referees imposing stricter officiating tactics throughout both matches.
Breakdown's been a real battle early doors. Lots of adjustments for players! #HIGvCHI pic.twitter.com/XQY9CrpnHq
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) June 13, 2020
Increased stringency on policing those two aspects of the game is expected throughout the entirety of Super Rugby Aotearoa, with the aim of creating a safer game at the breakdown and more space for attacking sides against rushing defences.
That resulted in a total of 58 penalties being blown across the weekend, with 80 percent of those going against the attacking team.
Speaking on Sky Sport‘s The Breakdown on Tuesday, former Chiefs playmaker and recently-retired referee Glen Jackson said he was unsurprised by the high penalty count, but believed it was for the greater good of the game.
“First of all, I don’t think it was a surprise,” he told host Jeff Wilson. “What they were told was going to happen, actually happened, so that’s good.
“For a refereeing team, they can quite often go out and feel the pressure that there’s too many penalties and go off the ball a little bit, but they actually delivered what they were told to do, which is what coaches want.
“I think the best one is the offside penalty. The last round of Super Rugby before COVID, there were 12 penalties in six games for offside. We had 12 penalties in two games [on the weekend]. As a coach, you want space in the game.
“The biggest thing I ever hear as a referee is ‘Why aren’t you reffing the offside line?’.
“So, there were some tight penalty calls, [but] you would rather see offside than these fast line speed [defences] that you’re seeing in the game now, just shutting down people’s opportunities, and I think that’s a really good positive.”
Former All Blacks wing Sir John Kirwan agreed with Jackson’s sentiments that stricter officiating of the offside line can be regarded as a positive to take out of the weekend.
However, the ex-Italy, Japan and Blues coach said there’s still not enough clarity for fans surrounding law interpretations made by referees of whom he believes are still under too much pressure.
“I thought the ref on Sunday [for the Blues vs Hurricanes match] was pedantic, it’s not his fault, and I don’t want to beat up on refs because I think they’re doing a great job,” Kirwan said.
“Bryce Lawrence [New Zealand Rugby referees manager] has told them to be really strong in the first week or so, so that the players understand, but I think there’s too much, still, on the referee.
“There’s a couple of things I’d like to change. I go down to the sideline, and there’s people saying ‘What the bloody hell’s that for?’. People don’t know what the rule’s for.”
That led Kirwan to devise three ideas that could help make the game faster and easier to understand.
“Let’s say [there’s] still a lot of penalties after three weeks… after three penalties, of the same team, five-minute yellow card [should be handed out], because then players will stop pushing the law.
“30 seconds – like the basketball rule – when it’s a penalty, you kick for the touchline, you’ve got to throw the ball in within 30 seconds, so we’re speeding the game up.
Lastly, Kirwan suggested the implementation of a ref microphone so punters could hear the officials to understand what call is being made and why it was called that way.
Jackson didn’t fully support that final concept, however, highlighting the audio quality as one of two key reasons why such an innovation might not be so successful.
“I’ve reffed in a game where it’s happened at the stadium, and it sounds terrible,” Jackson said. “Not everyone actually wants to hear that.
“I like the idea of the public understanding what the referee’s decision is, but if I’m taking my nine-year-old daughter, she doesn’t want to hear the ref talking over the stadium.”
Instead, the former Saracens, Bay of Plenty and Maori All Blacks pivot offered a potential alternative.
“In the UK, they actually had a referee up on the big screen showing the signal, so it was just a signal with a caption underneath, so if you saw it, you saw it and understood the decisions.”
The new law interpretations will no doubt come back under the microscope this weekend when the second round of Super Rugby Aotearoa kicks-off between the Chiefs and Blues in Hamilton on Saturday.
That match will be followed by a clash between the Hurricanes and the back-to-back-to-back reigning Super Rugby champion Crusaders, who will make their first appearance in the new-look competition in Wellington on Sunday.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments