Rassie Erasmus, the head coach of the Springboks, has recently praised the improved officiating in rugby, particularly around the scrums, attributing this enhancement to the influence of former All Blacks scrum guru Mike Cron. With pivotal matches like their recent showdown against Ireland, Erasmus highlighted how crucial these officiating improvements have been for the Springboks, who have leveraged their scrum strength in securing consecutive Rugby World Cup victories and triumphs over the British and Irish Lions series.
The improvement in scrum officiating is a breath of fresh air for Erasmus, who is wary of potential law changes that could alter the dynamics of this set-piece before the 2027 Rugby World Cup. "The scrums got cleaned up just nicely now with Mike Cron being in charge of that. I think scrums are getting refereed 10 times better. The breakdown is sort of cleared out now, too," Erasmus remarked, expressing his satisfaction with the current state of play.
"There is some talk about taking the hit away in the scrums and letting guys pre-engage. I hope that doesn’t start to creep into the game,"
While Erasmus appreciates the strides made in refereeing, he remains concerned about the timing of new law implementations, stressing the importance of stability and clarity well ahead of major tournaments. He argues against late changes which could disrupt team strategies and player adaptations, thereby impacting the overall quality of the game and player selections.
Erasmus also touched on other contentious issues such as the role of the TMO and the legality of certain defensive tactics against high balls. "There is a lot of noise currently about the high ball, and there is too much kicking and people wanting certain laws to be changed again, where it’s actually obstruction with the glove or escorts, and it sounds like some people want to get that in," he explained, indicating his preference for keeping current laws on escorts and TMO involvement intact to maintain the integrity of results.
The debate over how rugby laws are adjusted continues to be a hot topic, with World Rugby chair Brett Robinson noting the slow pace of change, a sentiment Erasmus counters by highlighting the need for well-considered decisions that ensure the game remains fair and inclusive for players of all skill sets and physical attributes.
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Rassie Erasmus, the head coach of the Springboks, has recently praised the improved officiating in rugby, particularly around the scrums, attributing this enhancement to the influence of former All Blacks scrum guru Mike Cron. With pivotal matches like their recent showdown against Ireland, Erasmus highlighted how crucial these officiating improvements have been for the Springboks, who have leveraged their scrum strength in securing consecutive Rugby World Cup victories and triumphs over the British and Irish Lions series.
The improvement in scrum officiating is a breath of fresh air for Erasmus, who is wary of potential law changes that could alter the dynamics of this set-piece before the 2027 Rugby World Cup. "The scrums got cleaned up just nicely now with Mike Cron being in charge of that. I think scrums are getting refereed 10 times better. The breakdown is sort of cleared out now, too," Erasmus remarked, expressing his satisfaction with the current state of play.
"There is some talk about taking the hit away in the scrums and letting guys pre-engage. I hope that doesn’t start to creep into the game,"
While Erasmus appreciates the strides made in refereeing, he remains concerned about the timing of new law implementations, stressing the importance of stability and clarity well ahead of major tournaments. He argues against late changes which could disrupt team strategies and player adaptations, thereby impacting the overall quality of the game and player selections.
Erasmus also touched on other contentious issues such as the role of the TMO and the legality of certain defensive tactics against high balls. "There is a lot of noise currently about the high ball, and there is too much kicking and people wanting certain laws to be changed again, where it’s actually obstruction with the glove or escorts, and it sounds like some people want to get that in," he explained, indicating his preference for keeping current laws on escorts and TMO involvement intact to maintain the integrity of results.
The debate over how rugby laws are adjusted continues to be a hot topic, with World Rugby chair Brett Robinson noting the slow pace of change, a sentiment Erasmus counters by highlighting the need for well-considered decisions that ensure the game remains fair and inclusive for players of all skill sets and physical attributes.