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

[littleleck]

From RugbyHeaven:

Rugby World Cup star Bryan Habana has criticised the new rules being trialled in the Super 14 competition, saying they are turning the game into rugby league.

Having played three games under the new format, the South African and Bulls winger is not a fan and hopes the so-called Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) remain experimental.

"It's got a lot more of a rugby league feel on it," Habana told reporters at the Laureus World Sports Awards, where the World Cup-winning Springboks were nominated for Team of the Year.

"There's no stop-start, the essence of what rugby is, anymore."

Rule-makers believe the ELVs will speed up the game and increase the amount of time the ball stays in play by cutting the long periods in which the ball is at the bottom of a ruck, secured in a maul or out of action while scrums are set and reset.

The rules provide for free kicks instead of penalties for many infringements around the tackled area, meaning play is often re-started immediately by the non-offending team taking a tap kick and returning the ball to play.

"If guys wanted to play rugby league, they'd go out and play rugby league," Habana said.

"The essence of what rugby is about is something that I don't think any player or any supporter wants to see lost.

"There's something special about rugby ... your forwards pride themselves on the scrum and the line-out and your backs pride themselves on that contest against the opposition.


Stop start being the essence of rugby? Sorry but i think stop start would they key difference between league and union, with union priding itself on flowing, running rugby.
And there are still plenty of lineouts, and more scrums than ever due to the free kick rule.

[Ecky]

From RugbyHeaven:

Rugby World Cup star Bryan Habana has criticised the new rules..."There's something special about rugby ... your forwards pride themselves on the scrum and the line-out and your backs pride themselves on that contest against the opposition.


Stop start being the essence of rugby? Sorry but i think stop start would they key difference between league and union, with union priding itself on flowing, running rugby.
And there are still plenty of lineouts, and more scrums than ever due to the free kick rule.

Agreed littleck, if that last para is yours. If the ball goes out then there's a lineout. I haven't seen stats yet but they'll be available soon - that will show how many lineouts (average) in 6 Nations vs S14. I don't imagine there'll be a huge difference. And scrums? Well there's heaps of scrums for stuff like forward passes etc, plus there's still a scrum option for either penalty or free kick.

AND if the backs who pride themselves on that contest against the opposition aren't happy that they have more space at scrum time.........

[GIGS20]

Let's not forget boys that Habana plays for the Bulls, he's used to standing around on the field for about 65 out of 80 minute watching other people do the work and then haring it at warp speed at an exhausted opposition. Of course he'll hate a system where he can't get the easy ride of having his fullback reef it 65 metres up the field from the 22 and have his (very goo) lineout jumpers contesting for the ball. Now, somebody has to chase every single one of those kicks, because they have to bounce infield for the tactic to work......Bryan is probably dieing simply from that aspect.