What Do We Think of the semi-ELV's?

[BLR]

yeah i got that bit.
but i hadnt seen it before. was it an existing rule, or one of the ELV's?

Don't you remember England constantly getting pinged for it in WC 2003?

[GIGS20]

yeah i got that bit.
but i hadnt seen it before. was it an existing rule, or one of the ELV's?

You're a true back aren't you Jono, "the forwards are only there to pass me the ball"

A maul that splinters and loses contact with all defenders must be re-formed in line with the rules otherwise it's a truck and trailer. When the pod split off from the side there were no players in contact, they kept going and made contact (probably before realising what was going on)

The ELVs have removed this, Once it's a maul it stays a maul....that has been balanced by the rule allowing the maul to be collapsed!

Still not sure what I think of this one, but it would have been nice to see the 50 metre maul that scored able to be collapsed!

[jono]

aye, it would.
thanks for clearing that up.

[JediKnight]

The ELVs have removed this, Once it's a maul it stays a maul....that has been balanced by the rule allowing the maul to be collapsed!

Still not sure what I think of this one, but it would have been nice to see the 50 metre maul that scored able to be collapsed!

I disagree. Deliberately collapsing a maul is incredibly dangerous and was one of the worst full-ELVs to be tried in the ARC. I was very pleased to see that it was one of the first to be dropped.

The should've been able to defend against the Sharks' rolling maul a lot better & smarter - not having Sharpie in the midst didn't help.

[tic]

some interesting musings by Andrew Slack:

DESPITE the store rugby puts on its World Cup, there was more excitement on Friday night than in both semi-finals in Paris last year, Andrew Slack writes.

There was, in fact, more entertaining rugby in the first 20 minutes of Friday night's Super 14 opener between the Reds and Highlanders than in the four hours of the World Cup's two semi-finals and final.

Granted, there wasn't much to beat, because unless you are a devotee of ultra-conservative rugby, the World Cup was one big yawn.

But at a time when rugby needs to show it has the goods to compete with other codes for backsides on seats, there was a spark of promise in the start to 2008.

The quaintly named Experimental Law Variations, or new rules to be less formal, proved in last year's Brisbane Premier rugby that, with tinkering, they are just what the game needs.

They keep play moving and if there is one problem above all others from which rugby suffers it is constant stoppages.

The Reds game was far from perfect but it was the first time I have ever watched a game where the two most influential players in a first half were the wingers from the same team.

There have been occasions when wingers have, with no danger of compromising hygiene standards, opted to skip a post-match shower.

Digby Ioane and Clinton Schifcofske would definitely have needed tubs after their efforts against the Highlanders.

Apart from demonstrating that the Reds have some legitimate attacking firepower to support Chris Latham in 2008, it proved that the increased pace of the new-look game necessitates every one of the 15 players on each side making regular contributions.

The ELVs leave little room to hide.

Rugby salesmen have forever trumpeted the fact that the game caters for all body shapes and sizes.

That's all fine and dandy, but at the top level, the tall, short, fat and skinny all have to be tested athletically to show they're up for a non-stop contest.

That is was what the paying customer expects and deserves. As the players and coaches grow accustomed to the demands, I believe it is what the ELVs will deliver.

Neither of Friday night's teams will be playing in the Super 14 final this year, but they were still able to provide a contest that, for the large part, didn't feature lengthy down time where you'd be able to grab a quick catnap and still not miss a thing.

It was hardly a contest that will be remembered down the ages, but in comparison to the standard of a lot of Super rugby often delivered in Brisbane's February heat and humidity, it was a cut above.

Phil Mooney will be delighted with a debut win as a Super 14 coach although I'd imagine he's slightly annoyed there wasn't a bonus point to maximise his first outing.

Berrick Barnes's drop goal attempt three minutes from fulltime and the penalty goal from Schifcofske which ended the game, were opportunities where a team more confident in its own ability might have chosen different options.

Both kicks could have given the Highlanders a chance to snatch a win, but all's well that ends with your team in front on the scoreboard. After the debacle of last season, the players would be thinking any win, any way, will do.

They're already halfway to equalling the number of wins in 2007, and the promise of a vastly more penetrative backline and as friendly a draw as you are going to get in Super 14 allows for measured optimism.

Good luck with injuries is the key to maintaining a competitive bunch because depth is something Mooney may not have for the first year or two of his reign.

[AndyS]

No slight intended, but for mine the Reds showed more and entertained more in that one game than the whole of last year. Whether it is new players, the new coach or the new rules, they looked good doing it and we'll hopefully see plenty more.

[jazza93]

i think they are great now, all of the free kicks are alot better then penalties.

[Ecky]

Really? I thought they were being adopted by club rugby as a whole. Would suit the bigger, older forwards in the lower grades if they stuck to the old rules. Can't see the 6th grade props running all over the place. Goodness no.

I'm not 100% sure, but from what ive heard, the U20s arent adopting it yet, and neither are the lower grades and juniors. But we'll wait and see on the 20th feb when the referees meet.

Youse guys might like to go to this thread: http://twf.com.au/rugby-laws-discuss...008-13278.html

[Ecky]

truck and trailer's considered foul play, so a penalty.

That'd be offside, not foul play, so a penalty

[Ecky]

The touted reason for the ELVs was to open the game up - ie to have the ball in play for longer periods. It follows that there'll be more tries scored, thus making the fans happy and attracting more of them to come watch.

Not too many tries scored in the match. The ball was in play a heck of a lot of the game time but.

Let's hope it's early days and the astute coaches (and players) will pick up on some good tactics to use in the new form of the game.

...and I like the way some people think they'll get confused between the "full set" of ELVs that we'll see in 1sts & 2nds and the "partial set" that we'll see in S12 & 3N. Means heaps of people watching/playing communtiy rugby, which is fantastic!

[James]

The touted reason for the ELVs was to open the game up - ie to have the ball in play for longer periods. It follows that there'll be more tries scored, thus making the fans happy and attracting more of them to come watch.

Not too many tries scored in the match. The ball was in play a heck of a lot of the game time but.

Let's hope it's early days and the astute coaches (and players) will pick up on some good tactics to use in the new form of the game.

...and I like the way some people think they'll get confused between the "full set" of ELVs that we'll see in 1sts & 2nds and the "partial set" that we'll see in S12 & 3N. Means heaps of people watching/playing communtiy rugby, which is fantastic!

I don't know Ecky there were triple the number of tries score in this years Sharks match to last years Sharks match.

[Jess]

One of the only times I've agreed with what Grumbles has said... but I sure as hell don't like the way he said it! Could he be anymore anti force?

Familiar flaw among the new laws - rugbyheaven07.com.au

Familiar flaw among the new laws
Greg Growden | February 18, 2008


WESTERN Force fullback Cameron Shepherd kicked as much as an AFL defender from the goal square. Players all over Australia, South Africa and New Zealand were on the turf, with legs propped, trying to stretch out the cramps.

During the first six Super 14 matches, there was a lot of huffing and puffing. The experimental laws had the desired effect of speeding up the game, with more open-field play, which tested the conditioning of many competitors. But there were downsides. Several matches turned into relentless kick-fests, with teams making it clear that they were not keen to get into a contact situation. And sides which had been regimented for so long had obviously lost the knack of counter-attacking. These teams did not take the initiative provided by extra space, or the restrictions now imposed on those who toss the ball back into their own quarter and kick for the sideline.

Some teams appeared confused by the new laws. Others used them to their advantage, and opted for scrums rather than free kicks. Several succeeded in dropping the pace. There was a lot of scrambling play, and not surprisingly Waratahs winger Lote Tuqiri compared it to a touch football match, involving plenty of turnovers.

Bulls captain and Springboks halfback Fourie du Preez was unimpressed. "It's a different game," du Preez said after the Bulls' win over the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday. "It's less enjoyable. It's not the sort of rugby I enjoy, it's too much like Sevens. There's too much kicking and counter-attacking and not enough set-pieces."

Waratahs captain Phil Waugh was more positive. "I think they're pretty good. It is pretty clear it's new for everyone, including the referee," Waugh said. "We all had a good go at it, but there's still a little bit of interpretation that all of us need to work on."

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper wasn't sure that the game had suddenly become a speedway. He was more concerned that the Waratahs were able to slow the game down. And Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie believed it would take time for the new laws to have their full impact. McKenzie said yesterday that the laws were "not a mystery, but still a bit of benchmarking was going on".

"That will level out over the next couple of weeks," he said. "We have had three trials under Australian referees, now we are moving to South African referees. So inevitably there is going to be a bit of transition."

But what was clear was that Australian teams, who have often been caught short in the midfield kicking department, could be exposed if the relentless booting upfield continues. Kicking has been a neglected skill in Australia for some time. Shepherd was the best Australian kicker in round one. And his team lost.

[GIGS20]

Why the hell point at Shep? The Sharks backs were doing exactly the same thing? on top of that, the bacs were criticised by real rugby writers for counterattacking too much and running into danger....More importantly, the Brumbies Crusaders match turned into a game of kick to kick for lengthy periods....why not bag Julian Huxley....I'd need to see the stats, but He surely kicked more balls away than Cammo!

[JediKnight]

Maybe Growden rates Sheps as a better player than Huxley (not many would disagree) and therefore thought more people would know of Sheps. It's hard to think of Growden almost complimenting a player but I think that's what he's tried to do!!!

[Ecky]

I disagree. Deliberately collapsing a maul is incredibly dangerous and was one of the worst full-ELVs to be tried in the ARC. I was very pleased to see that it was one of the first to be dropped.

Please note that the ELV says you can collapse a maul, but only by pulling the player down by the body. So, if someone collapses it by taking out a player's legs, then he shall be penalised - dangerous play.