Who will be the Kings of Club rugby
View(s):
Club Rugby League is around the corner and a question that is asked is “Who will be the Kings of Club Rugby”? I say, it would be those who approach the game professionally and are ready to play it with discipline.
Recently, there were workshops in Colombo and Kandy, conducted by two RFU regional trainers. A point of discussion was the enforcement of current law which World Rugby advised in May 2015- Law changes in the 2016 Law Book and the Maul interpretation for implementation in the Southern Hemisphere in January 2016 and in the Northern Hemisphere in July 2016. ARFU too will conduct their tournaments based on the 2016 laws.
In Colombo, there were the two Coaches, Sanath Martis of Royal and Sumedha Malewana of DSS present along with three Junior Coaches. In Kandy, there were around 80 Coaches of different age groups present, and all Coaches and Players of Kandy Sports Club were present.
Speaking to people of those who were not present, but aspire high, I realised the expectation of the law changes was not understood. The only thing they thought was that the Royal’s Rolling Maul was over, as the ball cannot be kept with the last man. That is not what it is about. It is about the Ball being transferred backwards. Ball in the middle of the maul which is legal, Ball carrier moving and/or sliding back while in possession of the ball is and Long placement. With a few adjustments, the Rolling Maul will continue, but there is room to be penalised. There are others who ask why local Referees do not blow, as they see in International matches on TV. The reason being it is to be implemented in this region from July 2016 and then I think it will be in place for 2016 Club League.
The other areas people would need to realise are the special directives of 2015 in enforcing the current, law particularly on Foul Play. High tackles and neck contact which includes choking the neck and neck clean-outs. This will also mean that, even when a man is on the ground or, close to, you cannot choke nor do neck clean-out. This will, when penalised, draw howls of protest, as people think a high tackle is when standing tall. Challenging a man in the air, “Use it at” scrum feed and rippers need to be bound in a maul.
Another howl of protest will come about with the 2016 World Rugby Laws. “A throw forward occurs when a player throws or passes the ball forward, i.e., if the arms of the player passing the ball move towards the opposing team’s dead ball line”. This is different to what was said in the law book up to 2015. “A throw forward occurs when a player throws or passes the ball forward. ‘Forward’ means towards the opposing team’s dead ball line”.
For all purposes, this is a change in the laws, but reading past guidelines in top tier, as well as the governing body, the practical advice on judging a forward pass was to look at the direction of the hands. Yet, we have heard screeching and asking for the heads of Referees on a forward pass, based on what they see and not how it is expected to be seen. There will be a huge increase in the voices of those who see a forward pass differently. There are other areas such as maul, contest for ball in air, time for ending etc, which have been in the laws in some cases, but not practised, and have been brought to the attention of all Rugby playing countries.
As I see, some of the laws implemented in matches abroad are as approved for the region, which makes the focused Rugby lover to ask why it is not done here. The query is because of not being aware of the implementation dates, which differ by region. On the other hand, people are bound to shout with the forward pass which at all times will draw their wrath upon the Referees. It will take time for people to get accustomed to seeing things happen as they should, but are a different image in the minds of other followers.
People who talk of the amounts spent on Rugby and ask for the head of the man in the middle, when things go wrong for them, must also realise the need to participate, learn and contribute to the discussion. There are changes which may not seem what you expect, as you watch. Particularly, it may become worse as the school season gets under way, and that is where most screaming will be on a forward pass or, a neck tackle or, a challenge on a man in the air. Also, World Rugby wants Rugby to be Rugby and not Football, as they have specifically included the recognition and punishment of those who feign and create a drama to show that they were brutalised, when they were not. Next time, when you see it almost late and there is a huge drama, the probability is that the ‘actor’ will be punished.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB