Man, just when you think that rugby couldn't't get any softer, out comes the rule book and yet another law change. Now they want players to tackle around the waste. Rugby is going to turn into basketball as it will make it way easier for players to pass the ball, not to mention that there will be no dominant tackles.
But reading further into why this law change was brought in then you start to realise that it was never about players welfare but purely for financial reasons.
The RFU is being sued by 40 players.
Rugby and most sport is a high risk sport. More people die from horse riding than any other sport.
The players, the parents and the unions know that when you play this sport there is risk associated with it. No-one is forcing players to go out their and tackle with their head first.
And those players that go out there with either bad technique or deliberate foul play should be penalised financially and receive match bans. The we will see the likes of Owen Farrell stop using his shoulders.
However, what I don't approve is this bloody cardpalooza bs where the ref decides the game.
How would I solve poor tackles or foul play
- Players receive a card which means immediate removal from the field. Yellow and Red stresses the severity of foul.
- Instead of going down a player trigger an automatic substitution. This will mess the coaches plans up but having to bring players on early could back fire.
- Harsher off field penalties for players. Yellow could mean two weeks where as red can mean 8 or more weeks. Even a whole season. This is to avoid coaches instructing players to commit a foul knowing they will get away with it.
- Awarding penalty tries. So if a player knocks the ball down, or continues to infringe. Be quick to award a penalty try. I'm tired of refs going on and on giving players cautions. They know they get 3 cracks at least and should be enough to stop a try. If you collapse the maul, penalty try, if you are off side within the 5m penalty try. If you commit a high tackle in the 22, even if there is a covering player, penalty try.
- Any Red Card offences normally comes with a penalty, so it should start from 50m line in the centre of the field or 50 meters from where the cartable offence was committed. That way the team gains territory and have the option to go for the post or if they are in a better position can opt for a line-out or even scrum, tap etc. But the game is normally stopped.
- Half Time Reviews - If any red cartable foul play was detected then the team committing the foul will be penalised immediately and the other team will get a penalty on the half way line. The offending player will be removed from the field.
Basically, if there are a bunch of cards being dished, teams will very quickly lose the advantage of the bench and it can come back to bite them. But at least the game is not being ruined by the ref.
I also hate this cancelling of tries for a guy that got a slap in the face that had nothing to do with the play. Punish the player.