Fix Rugby, Fix Rugby, Fix Rugby

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Rugby needs fixing. Obviously. We all know that right?

Well it seems common knowledge on the otherside of the world, and to some this side, but the message seems to have passed me by. Fix rugby? Didn’t know it was broken!

Are there problems? Yes, no doubts. There is too much kicking, there is too much cheating – but most of the rule changes I see are ridiculous. Graham Henry has suggested that he wants a couple of changes, one is the ability to call mark anywhere on the field. But he doesn’t seem to have thought it through, take a look here at what I think of that idea.

But can someone tell me why we need to fix rugby? The British Lions wasn’t exciting? Maybe the Magners League hasn’t had enough tries in it (even if it does lack a certain quality)?

Rugby has always gone through fads, and kicking has become one of them. But the constant rule changes are making things worse, not better. What to teams do when the rules are changed and they are unsure of the best thing to do? Do they play high risk rugby or do they revert to safety first? objimage

Rugby’s authorities might be playing the rules to try fix the game but they are making things worse. The ELV’s made things worse, the Southern Hemisphere ones weren’t any form of rugby I have seen or could care about whilst the Northern Hemisphere ones just didn’t work.

Other suggestions include 1 point penalties (another Graham Henry suggestion) which will guarantee a cheats charter and slow the game down, not speed it up.

But for all the calls from the Southern Hemisphere (especially New Zealand and Australia) for rule changes seem to be entirely because they are struggling. The Aussies are worried about competing with league and aussie rules – but why should we help them with their marketing? The game here is in rude health, outside of Wales many countries are seeing record crowds, and the problems with attendances inside of Wales have nothing to do with the game as a product.

Rugby, in my opinion, isn’t broken. But it has become en vogue to blame the game rather than to try look for other answers. Where is the innovation from the coaches? Focusing on rule changes, from rolling subs to 1 point penalties.

Rugby works, rugby is a good product, rugby is successful. Stop trying to fix it, it isn’t broken.

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