Sorry Lyndon,

blaming players, coaches and lawmakers for players not knowing how to ruck is a (sadly) typically referee's stance.

Refereees have penalised players for true rucking (backward motion) as a result of a changed interpretation BY REFEREES - the actions penalised did not change at the outset - it was the referees' changed interpretation that changed behaviour and introduced uncertainty and fear.

Before we hear further denial, just consider the "modern" stance on feeds to srums and forward passes - the laws have not changed but behaviour has - referees' interpretations cuased this not coaches, players or lawmakers.

Take it on the chin - refs have turned safe (hard) rucking ala Jason Eaton into a no go area - slow ball, more boring game.

Stop blaming everyone else.

i have simple solution. Penalise the player doing the rucking, BUT BIN the player being rucked. If you are illegaly preventing the ball coming back, OFF with you. Oh yes and ALL professional fouls for slowing the ball to carry an automatic 2 week ban, with NO RIGHT OF APPEAL. I am reminded of a comment by the great Sir Pinetree, when he was punched in a lineout. the ref told him if he got punched again he was off. EG he was only getting hit because he was breaking the rules. The only reason people get rucked is they are on the wrong side.

Well done Lyndon. As an old timer player being rucked from a breakdown was something you avoided and one never remained there longer than 2 seconds. The current rules set by the Northern dominated IRB were instigated to reduce the thuggery of English teams who didn't know the difference between rucking and their brand of stomping and booting players when down. In reply to many comments above, it is players who break the rules, not the refs, and the refs are the enforcers of those rules. Dissention by the spectator and players comes only from those people who want it both ways. It’s OK when rules are broken and we get advantage but totally referee bias and referee mistakes when ruled against us. Rucks produce faster games and would be one way to eliminate much of the shambles at the breakdown. Keep on the case Lyndon, you have my vote.

As others have said, I'm not sure if Lyndon was watching Matt Mad Dog Goddards efforts in Hurricanes vs Bulls match.

Despite his yellow card festival he somehow omitted to penalise (or yellow card which was his flavour of the day) Bakkies Botha for hanging onto the ball on the ground on the wrong side of a ruck which lead to Jason Eaton rucking him out of frustration and getting yellow carded for his efforts.

What message does that send out Lyndon ?

Oh no! It looks like Lyndon Bray is Paddy (Dr Evil) O'Briens mini-me! The refs are always right and it's the fault of the players, coaches, lawmakers, spectators, baggage-handlers, ball boys..... Everyone, and I mean everyone, knows the Northern Hemishpere refs will penalise, yellow card or worse, anything that remotely looks like a ruck. We must ask why he has come out with this now? It hasn't even been discussed recently in any rugby forums. Clearly he has a personal agenda of climbing on Paddy's coat tails to further his own ambitions - and what better way than to brown-nose your boss!

We are not fast losing the art to ruck, we have lost it. Refs call "it's a ruck" now when almost all players are off there feet. Perhaps the ruck has been re-defined in the new law book. There'll never be any more rucking while players are allowed to have their hands in a pile up and near the ball. It is a right shambles. And while I'm on a grizzle. Any sport that has to change the rules regularly to satisfy the public and gate takings can't be in a very good state. I would imagine the rules of 'soccer' haven't been altered much, if at all, in the last decade. Even league's simple rules are easy to follow. Everyone can usually see what the infringements are. In rugby we have to put up with referee's interpretation of the law and this is far from satisfactory. It appears players are ignorant of the rules as well as the refs are continually telling the players when they are infringing. If they infringe, penalize them for the infringement ..... don't pussy-foot with them for the sake of keeping the game moving. They'll soon learn if they do have in fact have the capacity to do so.

What is the point of rucking if you cannot ruck players out of the way?

Sorry #13 Dean you seem to be confused between stomping/kicking players and rucking players

After 25 years playing the "old school" game I know what rucking is about. It is, and always has been targetted at the player and not the ball. Anyone who beleaves that its not.... doesnt understand the game.

The purpose of rucking is to clear the player from the ball not vice versa! After all the only time youre going to ruck is when a player is lying on it or has his hands on the ball. If you could get your feet to the ball to ruck it back..... Its obviously available to pick up!!!!!!!

As for the claim that modern players cant ruck?? Its not rocket science? The modern player maybe soft but surely theyre not that stupid!

The quicker rucking(as NZ &SA taught the world decades ago)is allowed,the better the game would be. People talk about the dangers of this part of the game which would be no more dangerous than the way the majority of modern day rugby players tackle(head in front of the attacking player or grabbing around the neck). The Eaton yellow card is a good example of how pathetic things have become.

Agree.Players have lost the skill as it is no longer needed in the type of game we now have.Players know that there is a difference between boot on ball(rucking)and boot on body(stomping)but plead innocence when guilty of stomping.Eaton was guilty of stomping under the rules of the game.DON`T BLAME THE REFEREES.