De Villiers blasts Rainbow Cup law changes
EP Elephants coach Peter de Villiers says officials must stop messing with the laws and has blasted a raft of changes implemented for the Rainbow Cup SA.
To achieve their goal of winning over new fans and more TV viewers, rugby bosses have tinkered with their laws.
It started during the SA Preparation Series and has spilt over to the PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA that features the Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Cheetahs.
Innovations include red card replacements, the captain’s challenge and goal line dropouts.
De Villiers has an ally regarding the rule changes in Bulls coach Jake White.
PRO14’s sports and regulatory committee hope the new dynamics will allow for positive play and enhanced decision-making outcomes.
White expressed misgivings and says the jury is still out on the laws after his team beat the Lions 24-9 at Loftus.
“I have got one thing to say about the rules from a Biblical principal,” De Villiers said.
“It stands in the Bible where it says you can’t put new wine into old bags.
“This is an old game that has been here for years. We are actually messing it up by creating new laws every year.
“If you look at sports where the laws have remained the same, then cricket is one.
“In cricket there have not been a lot of changes, but they are still enjoying the game in the same way they played it back then.
“I saw in a Varsity Shield game where a ball-carrying flyhalf ran into a prop and the prop was then sent off with a red card.
“Can anyone tell me how you get to a decision like that by hurting someone who has dreams to become something in life.
“He never did anything wrong and now he has to watch the game from the sidelines.
“In choosing to play rugby as an eight-year-old schoolboy there is already some danger in it. I don’t think we should tamper with the rules. I think we should upskill referees more.
“The one thing I have learnt about life, and it applies to me, is that rugby is a lifestyle not a sport. What I learnt about life is that if there is no fear or responsibility to be taken, there will be no discipline.”
De Villiers has strong views on the red card innovation in which a guilty player can be replaced after 20 minutes.
“If someone kicks someone in the head he does not want to be part of the game and that is clear and obvious.
“Such a player does not need to be replaced. He is just disrupting the game and bringing it into disrepute.
“But if someone jumps in and someone falls over him and he didn’t have any malice, then surely you can replace a player like that.
“We are also complicating things with cards. How often have we seen that the second transgression is punished.
“Sometimes the ref does not see the first transgression, but the second one.
“The number of times they get things wrong, and there is a gentleman’s agreement not to go against one of the four [the ref and assistants], which makes them let stuff go.
“Another bad thing is the captain’s referral. We are there to play the game as players and not to referee the game.”
For red cards, the offending player will be removed from the field for 20 minutes.
After this time, the team can replace this player with one of their nominated substitutes.
The player who is given the red card will not be able to return to the pitch.
The captain’s challenge is aimed at enhancing the accuracy of decisions already under the remit of the match officials.