WORLD RUGBY LAST month launched a review process that will result in global trials of new or revised laws from January of 2017, as rugby looks to change for the better.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has already suggested that the sport is in danger of becoming “boring” and has been particularly critical of current defensive and breakdown trends in the Northern Hemisphere.
Hansen has been vocal about his desire for law changes. Source: ©Photosport/Inpho/Billy Stickland
A World Rugby laws representation group will meet in the coming months to discuss and assess the initial law recommendations from member unions, with the IRFU’s David Nucifora part of that collective.
While the Kiwis have been vocal and firm in getting their desires across early, the IRFU told The42 that they were not willing to comment on the subject at this stage.
The quadrennial law review process remains a hot talking point within the game, however, and there are a wide range of opinions on how rugby can best develop within the next World Cup cycle.
Ensuring the game has less stoppages is a common feeling, and Munster head coach Anthony Foley is a firm believer in that regard.
The 62-times capped former Ireland back row says we need to look at the scrum and number of substitutions allowed at present [eight].
“I think from my end, once we can get a handle on the scrum, no pushing before the ball, square and steady, put the ball in, then scrummage: that would be great. That would allow you to have five substitutions, I’d like to go back to five substitutions.
“At the moment, you can substitute half your team. If you had five, it’s only a third of the team. Less stoppages in the game, get the TMO decisions quicker. I think there is a place for the TMO, but it needs to be quicker.”
Foley is in his first season as Munster’s head coach. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
The scrum is a constant source of frustration for many rugby supporters, players and coaches, given that it can eat up so many of the 80 minutes in each game. Foley believes rugby needs to look back to move forward in this regard.
The Munster coach says that having the front rows crouch, engage, get steady and then feed the ball into the scrum would result in quicker set-up times and reduce the need for three front-row replacements on the bench.
“The way it originally was before a team in black with a white fern decided that that wasn’t good enough for them, that they couldn’t beat South Africa because they were bigger men, so they brought a more dynamic hit into it,” said Foley.
In regards to allowing eight substitutions, Foley’s argument is that being able to change more than half a team during a game, coupled with the major stoppages for scrum and TMO decisions, means there are rarely fatigued players on the pitch.
That in turn means big men running into well-organised big men repeatedly.
“When my father [former Munster lock Brendan] played, there were no substitutions, it was 15 against 15. Then they brought in that a doctor could only take you off the field if they deemed you weren’t fit to continue,” said Foley.
“Now we’ve got to the stage where you can substitute half the team. What you don’t have then is accumulative fatigue, you don’t have fellas playing the 80 minutes of rugby having to go again and again. You want the best athletes in the world, don’t get me wrong.