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The three-point problem that Super Rugby Aotearoa needs to fix fast

By Michael Pulman
Brendon Pickerill. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Super Rugby Aotearoa has three big problems that need to be fixed quickly to keep the large crowds rolling through the turnstiles.

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Those three problems are obvious: the number of penalties, a clear confusion by all Super Rugby teams on how each game will be officiated and, subsequently, a slower than desired adjustment by players who’ve often found that the best-laid plans in training around the breakdown go out the window quickly.

If not addressed, these problems will trickle down to players struggling to deliver a consistent product.

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Sam Smith reports from the Wark as the Chiefs host the Blues at FMG Stadium. The rain didn’t stop the locals turning out but a few went home with the bitter taste of disappointment!

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Sam Smith reports from the Wark as the Chiefs host the Blues at FMG Stadium. The rain didn’t stop the locals turning out but a few went home with the bitter taste of disappointment!

For all the enthusiasm and commitment to the opening two weeks which have seen larger than usual crowds, such a result at the end of Super Rugby Aotearoa would be a tremendous shame.

So far, the referee’s whistle has been just as big a part of the game as any individual or team brilliance on either side, to the point where some of the paying customers could literally be heard counting the number of penalties in the stands.

Particularly in Dunedin in the very first match between the Highlanders and Chiefs, fans could’ve been forgiven for feeling like they were watching rugby played as a game of force back where the last team who had the ball with any sort of field position would be the winner by way of penalty.

That’s not the brand of rugby Super Rugby Aotearoa wants to be remembered for.

Across the four games of the competition so far, over 100 penalties have been dished out.

After the opening weekend of competition, NZR’s refereeing department had lengthy discussions with coaches, answering questions on the interpretations of the breakdown law that came out of the first two games.

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In the aftermath of week two, it wasn’t obvious that players had a greater gauge on the rules – so expect further discussions.

Following his sides 24-12 loss to the Blues in Hamilton on Saturday, Chiefs coach Warren Gatland expressed frustration over how referee Ben O’Keeffe had officiated.

“It was a little bit frustrating because tonight it was refereed quite a bit different to last week at the breakdown”, Gatland said.

“One referee sees one picture and the other sees it slightly differently, they’re trying to speed things up and make the game faster but as long as they keep being consistent on the tackler the impetus is on us to get better”.

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On the impetus front, Gatland hits the nail on the head. If the game is indeed to be faster, players are going to have to adjust to these rulings and get better, particularly around creating more space which only comes from cracking down on the offside law.

Another area that players need to make concerted efforts in is addressing the act of coming into the side of the ruck at pace and knocking opposition out of the way. So far in SRA, that law has been officiated harshly and players themselves admit it is a good thing for the game moving forward.

But confusion reigns, particularly amongst coaches and players, thanks largely to different rulings during the opening fortnight.

Blues coach Leon MacDonald said that further discussions with NZR would be taking place as the Blues seek greater consistency from referees from week to week.

“We will be seeking clarity because the consistency from one week to the next is what everyone’s looking for while we are all trying to adapt to the new rules,” MacDonald said

“We all see the upside of the laws and what they’re trying to achieve, but we need to be open and honest with ourselves during the review. We want to play and people want to watch, that’s what everyone is searching for”.

What’s clear about the new interpretations is that they aim to make for faster attacking ball and a fairer contest between teams. If executed properly by all parties (referees and players), the new rules should make for entertaining rugby, at least when it’s played on a dry track.

What’s also interesting is that the four games played so far have also seen a high amount of kicks in play. Territorial battles that amount to a glorified kick fest, particularly in wet conditions, aren’t the answer to keeping fans in the stands and this needs to be looked at, though trying to find a way to combat it is outside the scoop of what referees can control.

Referees have been instructed to be strict in their officiating in the areas they can control, so should the majority of the frustration be aimed at players?

The good thing is that NZR appear to be in constant communication with coaches who now have more questions than ever about how games will be officiated.

Let’s just hope it’s sorted out quickly.

Ultimately, creating a faster and more entertaining game is going to require a team effort because, yes, the impetus should be on players to adjust and clean up this area of the game, but they also can’t come close to doing that do without clear guidelines about these news laws that are spelled out in black and white.

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J
Jon 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

28 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

28 Go to comments
T
Trevor 10 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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