Good start, now put end to flying ruck clear-outs
Things never move quickly with World Rugby, but on the issue of water carriers at least they have finally acted.
The nonsense about directors of rugby or head coaches donning a hi-vis bib and carrying messages to their players has been a blight on the game for far too long – remember Rassie Erasmus seemingly forgetting that a water carrier’s first responsibility is to carry water!
Now, however, the rules have been tightened, and all we need is referees to make sure that they’re rigorously applied.
From July 1 medics can only give water to players they’re treating, and they’re not allowed to touch a ball in play. Each team can have only two nominated water carriers – no more small armies running onto the pitch – and they can’t include a director of rugby or a head coach.
They can only come onto the pitch twice in each half, and then only with the agreement of the referee. In addition, when they’re not invited onto the pitch they must stay in the Technical Zone, and they can’t communicate with, or address, the match officials. In other words, they’re being firmly put back in their box!
It’s good to see that World Rugby have been busy, because they’ve also brought into the Laws five ‘global welfare-driven law trials’ which are deemed to have worked out well.
It took players a while to come to terms with the 50:22, but it has definitely added something to the game. Defences have had to adapt, and the attacking side is more and more seeing this as a way to make ground.
I really like the goal line drop out when ‘my’ team is defending, and loathe it when they’re attacking! This has made an impact on the game, and it has reduced the sort of borefest we were getting from some sides which would grind away, get held up over the line, win the 5m scrum, and grind away again in a sort of war of attrition.
It may well not be a coincidence that Exeter Chiefs have missed making the play-offs for the first time since 2015.
The other changes involve eliminating prebound players when a team decides to let one of the big lads pick and drive from a penalty, and players deliberately targeting the lower limbs of a player in a ruck – all good and common sense.
Where I’d like to see things taken further is when players charge into a ruck in an attempt to make a clear-out. This is dangerous in the extreme, and too often referees aren’t being rigorous enough in ensuring that players aren’t simply flying in, off their feet, and not being properly bound – let’s have some action on that next.
E“It’s good to see that World Rugby have been busy”
ven before this Premiership season is over, attention is turning to the next campaign, which coincides, of course, with a Rugby World Cup year.
Next season will be two weeks shorter than this one to allow the England international side more preparation time – with the Premiership final in late May, and the RWC starting in the second week in September, surely they won’t be short of time?
My immediate reaction on hearing this was to wonder whether, despite their strident support for expanding the Premiership to 14 teams, perhaps it suited the RFU and Premiership Rugby to keep it at 13 for another year?
If the Minimum Standards Criteria miraculously get loosened for the 2023-24 season, as I believe they will, my suspicion will grow, and Ealing Trailfinders’ ambitious recruitment ahead of next season does nothing to allay my doubts about a deal having been done!
In last week’s Rugby
Paper, Northampton’s outgoing director of rugby, Chris Boyd, said that England internationals could be missing from club duty for almost half of the 24 Premiership rounds, taking into account rest periods after the summer tour of Australia, the fact that there are four autumn internationals this year, and then a Six Nations dragged out over a ridiculous seven weekends.
If you’re a Premiership supporter then you’re faced with missing seeing your best players for a sizeable chunk of the season, but I bet your season ticket price won’t reflect that! From a club’s perspective, down the line will it be worth having those players on their books as they struggle to manage their squad within the reduced salary cap?
You have to wonder whether the RFU might not have a cunning plan to subtly pressurise clubs in order to pave the way for central contracts at some stage in the future, something that I’m sure would appeal to some in the Union?