Super 14 Teams will have to adapt to rule interpretation
The warm-up matches ahead of the Super 14 have raised the alarms amongst many of our top coaches. There have been many penalties in these games – and the game between the Vodacom Stormers and the Sharks has emphasized the need for swift adaptation to these rule interpretations.
Sharks Coach Johan Plumtree has expressed concern and the wish that the referees will ‘settle down”. Vodacom Stormers coach Alistair Coetzee believed that Francois Louw was correct in some of the attempts to contest the ball on the floor and was unjustifiably penalized.
The outcome from meetings held between SANZAR officials is the objective to have a more open and attractive game with more time spent with the ball in play!
We have recently shared on the Cheetahs Blog a few points on how the rule interpretations should allow for a cleaner game:
• The attacking side will be given the advantage at the tackle area.
• Essentially the tackler will no longer have carte blanche to steal the ball, and the ball carrier will have more rights to enable his support to recycle.
• Tackled players will have more time to place the ball and players not making a clean release after the tackle and getting to their feet will be penalised.
• The infringement for holding on will still stand, albeit a potential scavenger needs to follow a specific process.
• Less time to be spent on resetting the scrum – The International Rugby Board has assessed that 12% of the 80 minute match is spent resetting scrums. This is close to 10 minutes.
• Offenders, namely in the front rows, will now be under the direct jurisdiction of the respective countries scrum coaches.
This is all well – but what are the risks to the teams? Unfortunately this will give more power in the hands of the referees and their interpretations. Teams will have to adapt very fast and study the rule interpretations by the different referees to know how borderline situations will be adjudicated.
Photo by Gerhard Steenkamp ©
