Six Nations test for entertaining rugby
BY DUNCAN JOHNSTONE
THE DOUR NORTH: What's grinning got to do with winning anyway?
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OPINION: Sanzar's intentions of producing a more entertaining Super 14 and Tri-Nations this year are very noble. Whether there is a global desire to up the ante will be revealed when the Six Nations kicks off this weekend.
The hopes to produce a better rugby spectacle than has been on display for the past year has been clearly signalled by officials in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
The three southern super powers have instructed their referees to operate in a manner that should produce better rugby to counter the kick and chase game that dictated in 2009.
It all sounds good in theory.
But for it to be a success there needs to be a buy-in from everyone concerned.
There's a chance that might succeed on this side of the equator. Whether it happens up north remains to be seen.
The Brits have tended to look down their nose on Super Rugby since it first reared its head in 1996, seeing it as candyfloss footy - all look and little substance.
In general, the teams from the north have ploughed on with their more conservative approach, occasionally snaring the odd win over their southern foes and even claiming a rare World Cup in 2003.
Sanzar have clearly been encouraged by the All Blacks' ability to defy the odds and produce some brilliance in Marseille last year when they walloped the French.
But it must not be forgotten that the French bought into that theory then, trying to match the All Blacks' open approach.
It produced a high-octane match but also showed the folly of trying to play the ABs at their own game.
It's hard to see that approach being taken up again by anyone from Europe.
But it won't stop Sanzar from trying to change the look and feel of rugby at a time when it desperately needs a facelift.
NZRU boss chief Steve Tew launched the Super 14 in Auckland on Tuesday with some strong messages on where he wants to see rugby going. At the same time his Australian offsider John O'Neill was thumping his fist in similar fashion across the Tasman, aware of looming changes to the Sanzar structure next year which just happens to be a World Cup year played in New Zealand.
"If we want to go into a brave new world in 2011, 2010's the year when the foundations will be laid," O'Neill stressed.
"I think the message has sunk in, the time for talk has stopped and now the execution and the playing of the game will show the reality of that message has taken hold.
"The universal and very unanimous view of Sanzar, the owners of this competition, is that it was time to refresh the product, and that's what we're doing.
"If there's an opportunity to play a spectacle that is entertaining, that opportunity will be taken. It's (about doing) what you need to do to win but it's also recognising the need to avoid negativity."
Hear, hear, I say. But whether anyone north of the border hears him or is even listening remains to be seen.
The best guide for that starts this weekend - Italy against Ireland, Wales against England and France against Scotland in the best that Europe has to offer.
European refs will control the first two rounds before some southern hemisphere whistlemen join the action.
Will they operate under the edict being placed on referees in the Sanzar competitions or will it be the status quo?
And what happens when the best teams from the north and south come together to tangle in tests in June and November?
Can the Boks, Wallabies and All Blacks transform international rugby on their own or will the northern foe continue to use frustration as a chief tactic?
Will all the fancy stuff of summer and autumn rugby down this way get bogged down by stodgy approaches by northern referees and teams?
As we saw in Marseille, it takes two teams to tango but ultimately there can be only one winner.
Let's hope that winner is rugby.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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gotta agree with #10 and #11, enteraining rugby is only to garner new money....any real fan of rugby will enjoy an intense 80min struggle with no quarter given. NZ is too preoccupied with playing a particular style when sometimes you just have to put your head down and get go forward, play the percentages and accumulate points any which way.....winning is the first priority. Any team to be considered great must be able to do both styles according the situation in front of them...the All Blacks must be the only team in the world that can play that open style against all comers in all conditions and remain competitive.....even when we play poorly
Good to see the free flowing ball in hand 6N rugby last night......
Look, the grass has grown 1mm while the paint dried!
@NHFan#40 thats rich when you say "I hope the SH adopt this and maybe we will have a free-flowing, kick-free game again."
ur so funny....your takin the ... right? LMAO
It looks like the SH will get their wish after all. Apparently, the 6 Nations union bosses are getting together after the comp in April to come up with a new set of regulations and directives for implementing in the new season in October. They are thinking of trialling them in the June tests against the SH teams. The new laws will address problems at the breakdown, lineout performance, crooked scrum feeds, and the SH-created aerial ping-pong kicking that has plagued the S14 and lately the NH game, as a result of the ELVs. It's hoped that the last ruling about first person to the breakdown can be modified so that the attacking team gets more of an opportunity to get the ball back to their team-mates once tackled. The NH unions will also be looking for SANZAR unions to implement the tough new sanctions they've introuced against gouging and stamping and hope the SANZAR will take note. The NH refs will be undergoing a programme of training in the summer with a view to rolling out the new brand of rugby for the World Cup year.
It's likely that the new rules might be trialled in the S14 next year before they are introduced for the World Cup tournament. NH bosses are hopeful that the SANZAR teams will follow the lead of the NH unions in this further development of the game as they were asked to do similarly this year.
I hope the SH adopt this and maybe we will have a free-flowing, kick-free game again.
Gotta be honest, I'm from the northern hemisphere and I agree that southern hemisphere rugby is better, hence the reason you guys always beat us (except sometimes France). However I don't think the Welsh and the French should be tarred with the 'boring brush'. At least France and especially Wales try to score tries and entertain the crowd. Believe me, if the Welsh team don't score tries, then the public let them know about it. Wales have always prided themselves on being entertainment, this is one of the reasons the NZ rugby public and the Welsh rugby public have always got on.
I have just survived watching Bayonne play Biarittz and it was the usual bull at the gate gate stuff by the forwards esp by Biarittz who insisted on playing the inside channel and by the forwards. Watching paint dry is a better option. I recall 3 line breaks by Bayonne 2 by Manny Edmonds the ex Wallaby both leading to tries and 1 late in the game by Orinle for Biarritz. The amount of creative play would have embarrassed a slug and even the ref was determined to stop any outbreak of it, by immediately blowing the whistle when a knock on occurred by the attacking side,2x and the defending side gained possession and with an overlap. A suggestion let's have 2x 15 man games one for the fatties ie all forwards and one for the backs the sevens players. Why do forwards rarely pass and insist on going to ground it is boring.
ok i think everyones missing the point about the long term effects of enterprising rugby basically if its ugly and boring then no one wants to play including kids. in the late 80's early 90's ABs put on a huge winning streak cos we had a kicker called grantFox. ok fox was a great player but his style of play was killing membership numbers at grass roots age grade level and league ended up getting all these new recruits...i know because at time for me and my friends we were playing the latest cult sport league and watchig the winfield cup i agree that it doesnt matter how u win as long as u win, but for NZ purposes the long term affect is grassRoots dries up. of course lets not get into how the NZRFU is killing grassRoots and provincial rugby thats another issue NH have managed to keep to their style and as a purist i enjoy watching a good forward pack battle it out. but in NZ if u dont look good doing it then no one will want to do it. i dont think it matters for the team how u win but long term a win isnt necessarily a win
Anyone who enjoys a 12-6 peanalty slug feast over a 56-38 result has given up on life and is just waiting to meet his maker. You are a long time dead - enjoy it. RIP
Can we please just fast forward throught the meaningless snoozefest that is the Super 14 and get to the All Blacks and the ANZC?
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The Ireland v Italy match made even this NH Fan want to roll over and go to sleep. Dire stuff from the Italians whose negative coach, SA born Nick Mallet, has set a target of not losing by more than 15 points.
You could see how it might work. Get ball in ruck. Hold for 5 minutes. Throw to nearest forward, create ruck, start process over.
When you get ball, kick it away aimlessly, and smother any attacking play by opposition, and create a ruck. Slow ball down until backlines are moving at 2mph.
Wales v England was a little bit better, particularly the second half.
France v Scotland - good first half by French, better second half by Scotland, but nothing to write home about. It was like watching the Tri-Nations opening matches in South Africa.
Lets hope for improvements next weekend.