The radical law changes World Rugby boss Bill Beaumont must make if he wants to revive rugby
Re-elected World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont and his newly elected board have their work cut out for them.
The game of rugby globally is in flux, partly because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the current global health crisis should not mask the issues that have been affecting the health of the game itself.
Rugby is not dying, but is in dire need of a health check and a change of lifestyle.
The sport can no longer sustain itself as it once did, living off healthy broadcast revenues with administrations enjoying the largesse such revenues once brought. All at a time when the frugally maintained grassroots of the game were a nostalgic afterthought.
One only has to look at how the game in Australia has been administered since the advent of professionalism at the end of 1995 as a case study into how a once powerhouse in the international game now currently hinges on the precipice of financial ruin and languishes around sixth or seventh on the world rankings.
There is no doubt there are many prescriptions and therapies ready to be offered to remedy the rugby health crisis, but for rugby to treat its infections, it simply must rediscover what it once was.
It was a running game that was championed by those who had an all-round athletic ability, a tough constitution, work ethic, team focus and a creative, adventurous spirit whose love of the game was evident by the manner in which they played it.
The game itself was essentially fun, safe to play and relatively easy to understand. Ask a non-rugby person if they think the game is fun, safe and easy to understand today?
If you were any good at rugby, you would be picked in the better sides. If you were mediocre there’s a game for you, and if you were just north of hopeless, guess what? Rugby welcomed you.
There was no need for diversity policies and it didn’t matter what school you went to. It never truly has and it is a lazy argument to suggest otherwise.
If you asked the late, great Queensland and Wallabies coach Bob Templeton if his side had a diversity policy, he would probably answer, “Yes, we will both kick and run the ball.”
However, for one reason or another, the playing of the game has become lobotomised.
Where once the game encouraged and allowed for creative and open play, the playing of the game has become too risk-averse and transformed into a game of power as opposed to one of athleticism and skill. A game based on moving from one structure to the next constricting the team in possession of space along the way as the path to victory.
Why on earth would World Rugby, in all its previous incarnations and branding, ever allow a game that championed defence and the limiting of space if it knew its true self?
Among the shock revelations was the drop in popularity of rugby union as only the ninth most popular sport in the Australian market.https://t.co/KNvrzUl6h3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 9, 2020
It appears it does not as the game has transitioned itself into a complex exhibition that wants the player and spectator alike to be entertained by collision over continuity.
If the fan wants that, they can watch rugby league or American football.
In its effort to evolve rugby, the sport has grown closer to its offspring, is failing to differentiate itself from them and is lost in the fog of professional sport.
Subsequently, the size, shape and abilities of the rugby player have changed as the game demanded greater power and less mental prowess.
We now regularly see outside backs who weigh in over 100 kilograms in search of space or meters running back into tight forwards who can weight over 130 kilograms.
The collision impact can be enormous, if not dangerous. Then we see those gigantic forwards running in their respective ‘pods’ head down ploughing themselves into the next possible concussion looking for the all-important meters and quick ball to again search for space.
So, it is ultimately about space. World Rugby must adjust the current laws to allow for space to exist both from the restart and general play.
The need for more athletic players who are willing to exploit the space and thrive in the unstructured moment will come to the fore as there would likely be less requirement for bulldozing pods as a form of space creation masquerading itself as entertaining play.
“I have a clear mandate to work with Bernard [Laporte] to implement progressive, meaningful and sustainable change,” Beaumont said.
“As an organisation, we must lead, be transparent, accountable and continue to serve for all. We must be united in our drive to make this great sport even better, simpler, safer and more accessible. We must listen to players, fans, competitions, our unions and regions, and take decisions that are in the best interests of all with our strong values to the fore.”
Well, Bill, here is a couple of thoughts to get you started.
Under the current laws, the scrum-half not in possession at a scrum situation can impose themselves into an aspect of play he or she has not earned the right to participate in.
It’s legislated fraud in my opinion. As you will see from the diagram below, taken from World Rugby’s website, the offender in waiting is in red.
The scrum should be a contest of eight versus eight, not nine versus nine.
As it stands, a scrum-half not in possession can move right to the last feet of an opposition flanker, and often limits the opportunity for a No. 8 to run from the base of the scrum, or be a distributor, as the scrum-half legally loiters around an area of the scrum that their side has lost.
Why is this allowed?
For some illogical reason, a player who for all intense purposes has had no part in the scrum contest gets an opportunity to try and disturb the possession won in a contest he or she was not a part of.
To be blunt, it’s rubbish and frustrating to see a law that allows cheap unattractive play to potentially stifle the opposition’s rightfully won possession and all the glorious possibilities that affords.
The scrum-half not in possession should, post the scrum feed, have to move behind his own No. 8, or start from there, thus freeing up space for attacking possibilities.
Secondl,y lifting in the lineout appears to have contributed to the reduction of space in the midfield and beyond.
Lineouts have become such a specialised aspect of the game that teams frequently look to use shortened variations of the set piece, allowing forwards to occupy space in the midfield as ball runners.
This reduces the space for attacking players to run at as they are marked up in defence by their opposition forwards.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_7ws-CA10i/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In the absence of a legal lift, it would then invite the more athletic, skilful jumper to once again find their place in the game.
Presently, a successful line out is more contingent on the successful timing of the throw and lift, as opposed to the jump itself. Again, there is an imbalance that favours the power of the lift, over the guile and athletic ability of the single jumper.
If the laws were reverted to single jumpers duelling for the ball, a greater contest would ensue, and the logic would be other forwards would likely position themselves in the lineout to be readily present to assist in the security of possession, or to exploit any error that may have occurred.
That would prevent an overpopulation the midfield and create more space.
Furthermore, if lineout lifting were removed, it would likely be safer for the jumper as the heights they currently reach being lifted are dangerous heights to fall from if the grip or balance of either lifter is lost.
Falling from the height of an unassisted jump would be profoundly less dangerous.
If lineout lifting is to remain legal, perhaps shortened variations should be outlawed, bringing all forwards into the lineout to ensure there is that all-important space for an attacking side to exploit.
Such adjustments would foster a more open game thus attracting new fans and reigniting old ones. The adjustments would help to make rugby a fun, safe, easier game to understand, for the player and spectator from the grass-roots to the international stage.
Since the announcement of Beaumont’s re-election, 2003 World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward said, “I would argue that the situation for rugby worldwide is about to become so fraught and fast-moving that what is needed most is innovation and action.”
Bill, there is no time like the present.
Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to comments