Maul to remain as key part of rugby
The maul is set to continue as an integral part of rugby union after an International Rugby Board (IRB) conference rejected a controversial rule that could have led to its extinction.
Delegates discussed the impact of the Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) being trialled around the world and recommended that 10 of them should become law when the IRB's full council meets in Dublin on May 13.
However, the two most controversial ELVS, allowing the maul to be pulled down and sanctions regarding free kicks, were not ratified.
The maul, the traditional strength of northern hemisphere countries especially England, has virtually disappeared from the game since the ELVs began in August last year.
The idea of each team determining the number of players in line-outs was also rejected and the sanctions ELV which caused most offences to be penalised with free kicks is to be reviewed.
One of the ELVs recommended to become law is the pass-back rule, which prevents players from making any ground with a kick to touch if the ball has been played back into their own 22.
Before a two-day International Rugby Board (IRB) meeting in London to discuss the ELVs, the governing body's vice-chairman Bill Beaumont, a former England captain said it was important the same match rules applied in Inverness (in Scotland) as they did in Invercargill (in New Zealand).
And IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset, speaking after the meeting finished on Tuesday, said the over-riding aim of the conference was to get the game being played again under just the one rulebook.
"Naturally opinions differed in several areas of the ELV programme," Lapasset told news agency AFP.
"The IRB regards this as a healthy and positive state of affairs as the game's laws have always and should continue to allow coaches and players to interpret law so that different styles of play can be employed.
''What was clear was that there was agreement on many aspects of the ELVs and a collective will to see a return to one set of laws to govern the game as soon as possible,'' the Frenchman added.
After a conference featuring some 60 of the sport's leading administrators, coaches, referees and players' representatives, the IRB announced on Tuesday that they'd recommended the law allowing mauls to be pulled down be thrown out.
The conference was not a decision-making body but was designed to assist the IRB to finalise their own list from the 23 original ELVs for permanent incorporation into the sport's rulebook when their governing council meets on May 13.
It also rejected the ELV allowing teams to select as many players as they want in the line-out.
-Reuters, with AFP
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Lee #2 - I hope it's the planet rugby article as well! Some of the other new ELV's they want to trial seem like a good idea tho - I like the rule about how players on their hands can play the ball with their feet! Very Funny : )
BRING BACK THE RUCK AND MAUL!!!!!!!!!!
One of my great rugby memories is watching the length of the field driving muals from Otago teams of the early 90's! Funny thing is the crowds and the fans loved it..... who then decided for us that we didnt???
Lee #5 that is very observant, the ability to maul has never been removed despite the scaremongering generated among the UK press that it had.
Now that the ability to legally defend against it, allowed for a brief snapshot in time, has been removed we can go back in time to happily watching some kicks and clapping each time a team is penalised, rightfully or wrongly by some over officious ref, for bringing it down.
If your idea of entertainment is waiting for a minute or two to see a ball being drilled between the posts from a penalty kick then go watch soccer.....
I was hoping there'd be an april fools article on stuff today, I had a good look around and this was the only one I thought might be but I really hope it isnt because if it is, its possibly the lamest april fools EVER!!!
The maul is historically, and should remain, an integral part of proper rugby union... no need to be clouded by silly and unneccesary changes, that attempt to produce something different. Wisen up and front up, guys.....A key element of Union is the grunt and grinding from tough carthorses.... it's not all endless running by thoroughbreds. This "southern style" is boring the masses..... crowd sizes are testament.
Peter #4
Never realised that mauling wasn't a part of playing rugby? Funnily enough rugby isn't always about running it and scoring tries, if you want that go watch league.
Guess this suits those teams who like to maul for 80 minutes rather than playing rugby, milk the penalty for the collapsed maul, kick then clap.
One team in particular comes to mind.
the lineout rule should stay, free kicks for this offense are ridiculous and unnescassary why not get rid of the rule about early jumping while they are at it, it is loosly governed and is it only against the defeding team because that is the way it is policed which is an unfair advantage
Is this article the April fools or is this one:
http://www.planetrugby.com/Story/0,18259,9822_5126767,00.html
I hope its the planet rugby one. :)
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If it's that easy to win a penalty from a maul why didn't every side in world rugby do it before it could be pulled down? Because it takes skill to set up, and if you are a half decent forward pack, you should be able to sack it before it gets properly formed or be able to at least slow/stop it.
I am not a fan of a game where it is just penalty penalty penalty but I think you might be a victim of the "all northern hemisphere rugby is crap" mentality that the Southern journalists try force on everyone. Some of the best/most exciting games of rugby are when there is only a couple of tries and a penalty/or drop goal wins it - see the Ireland/Wales six nations game.
Added to the fact that the maul has always kept the forwards out of the backline, if a team can pull it down, why do it? Just leave your forwards in the backline, over time you stop needing big forwards because all of the "boring" moments, where you "can't see the ball" will be gone i.e. rucks, scrums and then rugby will be a great spectacle because we will have two backlines runnig at each other for a game, and the reason it will be so good - because you can see the ball all the time - I'll say the same thing again, go watch league if thats all you want to see.