More tackles and more play with ‘six again’ but Saints boss says: ‘Don’t change rules again’
ST HELENS coach Kristian Woolf has urged Super League not to increase the number of subs mid-season – despite a growing burden on players.
Stats released by the competition show that the ball is in play over 10 minutes per match more than pre-lockdown following the new ‘six again’ rule and scrapping of scrums. There is also an average of 80 tackles more every game. Catalans coach Steve McNamara revealed that the ball was in play for more than 70 minutes of one Dragons fixture.
That is in stark contrast to the sub-25 minute SaleHarlequins Premiership rugby union match criticised by
Sharks boss Steve Diamond. Now proposals to raise the number of permitted interchanges from eight to 10 are set to be discussed by club bosses.
But Woolf (left) insists increasing substitutions – as English football clubs did on their relaunch – would both contradict the spirit of the new rules and damage the integrity of Super League.
Woolf said: “The whole idea of six again was to speed the game up, have the ball in play more, have more tackles and create fatigue. That then means
2019 SEASON PRE-LOCKDOWN POST-LOCKDOWN
2019 SEASON PRE-LOCKDOWN POST-LOCKDOWN
that the smaller men and playmakers come into the game more and create more attacking opportunities.
“If we start tampering with the interchanges now, teams will rotate their big men more and keep them fresher on the field, which is a complete contradiction.
“I can’t believe we’re having a discussion about it, to be honest.
“We started with one set of rules this year, then had the Covid period when the NRL changed their rules. The general consensus was that improved the product and we followed suit.
“But to have three different sets of rules in a professional competition in one year I find difficult, and in my opinion it would impact on its integrity.”
Woolf accepts that analysis over whether the new rules are creating more injuries to players should be carried out, but at the end of the campaign.
And he says his Saints team, which has won all three matches since the restart and conceded just one try, has relished the extra workload.
Woolf added: “Our players have really enjoyed the new rules. They like having less stoppages.
“Before, teams could get bogged down if the opposition was happy to give away penalties and lie in the ruck.
“You could make it an ugly game and stop the flow of an attack – and you can’t do that now.”