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#Post#: 156586--------------------------------------------------
Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get in
the way of itself
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: July 21, 2026, 5:03 am
---------------------------------------------------------
21/07/2026
Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get in
the way of itself
 
Robert Kitson
There are a few contenders for the most striking image from the
first block of fixtures in the inaugural Nations Championship.
Was it South Africa splintering the Wales scrum like balsa wood
in Durban? Or England’s Manny Feyi-Waboso underlining his
potential to be one of the superstars of next year’s Rugby World
Cup? Or maybe New Zealand reminding everyone, themselves
included, how lethal they can be when they trust the catch-pass
game that was once their default setting?
There were some definite coaching winners, too, inevitably led
by Rassie Erasmus but also including the All Blacks’ new head
man, Dave Rennie, who is three from three so far. Anyone seeking
another serious fix of international rugby need look no further
than next month’s Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks
and the All Blacks, an even spicier prospect now the visitors
are back up and running.
Before that, though, anecdotal feedback suggests the new Nations
Championship format has been enjoyed by many sofa-bound viewers,
with all games freely available on ITV and the action flowing
from one throbbing encounter to the next. As anyone who sat
through the football World Cup final between Spain and Argentina
will testify the title of The Beautiful Game is temporarily
vacant; at its best international rugby can refresh the parts
other sports cannot reach.
Scotland were certainly compelling at times against South
Africa, as was Matthieu Jalibert for France. England had their
moments when they were not humming the title of Coldplay’s first
big hit, Ireland nicked a tight one against Australia, Wales
beat Fiji and Japan took Italy by surprise. Whether or not you
buy into the wider North v South contest, there was something
for pretty much everyone, aside from Fiji or Argentina who both
appear to have slipped backwards.
There was even a touch of comedy, with the crowd at Ellis Park
so intent on booing Henry Pollock they didn’t notice the player
concerned was actually Guy Pepper. It was about the only
rugby-related misstep in South Africa this month; from Cheslin
Kolbe’s coruscating sidestep past Cadan Murley to Damian
Willemse’s all-round excellence, the Boks were certainly too
good for England.
There has been just one recurring snag. Rugby’s ability,
regardless of individual brilliance or fresh formats, to get in
the way of itself remains unrivalled. In an ideal world the
Nations Championship would be the launchpad to a shiny new era
where refereeing consistency is a given, TMOs are seldom heard
and the ability to understand the laws of the game does not
require a doctorate. In reality, new-look competition or not,
many of the same old frustrations remain.
Take New Zealand against Ireland at the weekend and the nasty,
over-the-top ruck clear-out by the All Black back-rower Luke
Jacobson. Red cards do not come much clearer – so, naturally, he
only received a yellow. Then there were the deliberate knock-ons
by, among others, Quinn Tupaea that also failed to attract cards
when players in other games were dispatched for much less
obvious transgressions.
This could be swiftly consigned to the folder marked one of
those things if the margins in top-level rugby were not so slim
and the demarcation lines so blurred. Another prime example was
Argentina’s non-try in the closing moments of their defeat to
England in Santiago del Estero. Watching from the other side of
the field it looked like a try which is how it also looked to
the Australian referee Angus Gardner, standing just a few yards
away.
But the longer the TMO process dragged on and the more
slow-motion angles that emerged, the more questions presented
themselves. Ultimately a case could have been made for almost
everything from no try – and thus an England win – to a penalty
try which would have ensured a 31-31 draw.
And by the time a decision had been reached and the final
whistle had sounded a supposed 80-minute game had spanned some
two and a quarter hours – almost as long as the full version of
Argentina’s national anthem. By then the drama and colour of
Bautista Delguy’s original dive and Henry Slade’s heroic cover
tackle had been reduced to greyscale irrelevance by, among other
things, the endless minutiae of a law book never designed for
repeated trial by video.
So here are a few related ideas to ponder on the beach. 1) In
future TMOs should only be responsible for flagging up head
injuries or serious foul play with all other decisions the
preserve of the on-field referee. 2) Aside from clearly
deliberate cynical slap-downs by the last defender close to the
try line, other less serious one-handed knock-ons or failed
intercepts no longer merit a yellow card. Instead the opposing
side will have the option of either a scrum or a tap penalty 20
metres upfield. 3) Only captains to be permitted to talk to
referees. 4) Players guilty of instigating head contact will
receive a 20-minute orange card to clear up the “Is it a red or
a yellow?” bunker confusion.
While we’re on the subject of streamlining and enhancing the
game, the authorities also have to acknowledge at some stage the
need for a reduction in the volume of kicks to the corner
followed by predictable close-range lineout drives. The
tournament promoters should also be demanding that national
teams take a more proactive, open-door approach to spreading the
rugby gospel via the media in match weeks. In an increasingly
crowded sporting landscape, doing the bare minimum simply isn’t
enough any more.
The jury is still out, either way, on how November will pan out,
with the competition’s only two current unbeaten sides unable to
meet in the final as they are both from the same hemisphere. And
will ticket sales be compromised if certain teams are already
out of broader title contention, rather than each game existing
as a standalone event? Travel wise, as England’s Ben Earl has
confirmed, the new tournament is extremely tough logistically.
But, hey, it’s a long way to the top if you want to ruck and
maul.
#Post#: 156587--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Camquin
Date: July 21, 2026, 5:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
If you want to stop kicks to the corner, then you need to
actually police the line out.
Do not permit crooked throws and do not permit players leaving
the line early to set up the maul.
Currently, you can throw squint enough that it is not worth
jumping - and if you do not jump you will not get a crooked
throw calls. And the attacking players are in position to join
the maul at speed, which means if you do jump you are not i
position to defend.
All of which make the maul too easy
Most ex-forwards love a well drilled maul.
But we also want their to be the risk that the defence can stop
it and win the scrum.
If we could also make the ball a little harder to kick
accurately, while still possible to pass - that might de-power
the long kick.
#Post#: 156590--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 21, 2026, 6:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Agree with Camquin, but suspect it is far to sensible for world
rugby to consider, they make changes without consideration of
the effects on the following phases of play, so solve one
problem and create two or three new problems.
The changes to the kicking rules are a classic example, a change
to make kicks more contested, massively increasing the amount of
kicks and allowing access has created a much higher risk of
injuries, due to midair collisions in “fair contests”.
Tackle height rules that never considered that the attacker
would just adopt such a low body position that a fair tackle is
impossible close to the line in particular, by all means lower
tackle heights but you need to police the ball carrier as well.
#Post#: 156592--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: July 21, 2026, 6:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I agree with his No.1 but you know coaches and fans will then
bleat on about it was/wasn't a try or forward pass (which is how
we got here in the first place) so let the ref ref and hold
their hands up if wrong. We can all live with that....it's not
wendyball
Also agree with RugbyCat on the tackle height. Putting all of
the onus on the defender is a cop out and ball carriers know
that.
And you should have to register your kits in advance to stop
stupid things like the '86 footy shirt. I love the humour of it
but to then get all tetchy about it when you lose and make up
that you haven't been respected, grow up!
#Post#: 156594--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Yareet
Date: July 21, 2026, 7:10 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Camquin link ---
>
> the attacking players are in position to join the maul at
speed, which means if you do jump you are not i position to
defend.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
Given my understanding that this stems from having a flanker in
the receiver role, I'm not sure how you mitigate against this
beyond saying that only the 9 can stand there.
Even that produces a different outcome for a Mike Phillips than
for a Peter Stringer
#Post#: 156595--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 21, 2026, 7:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Given my understanding that this stems from having a flanker
in the receiver role, I'm not sure how you mitigate against this
beyond saying that only the 9 can stand there.
>
> Even that produces a different outcome for a Mike Phillips
than for a Peter Stringer
>
--- End Quote ---
You will never get a job at world rugby, you have just
identified the consequences of a law change, all number 9’s
becoming the size of Pollock.
#Post#: 156596--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: KiltedQuin
Date: July 21, 2026, 7:28 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Given my understanding that this stems from having a flanker
in the receiver role, I'm not sure how you mitigate against this
beyond saying that only the 9 can stand there.
>
> Even that produces a different outcome for a Mike Phillips
than for a Peter Stringer
>
--- End Quote ---
I think the suggestion is more about 2 or 3 players leaving the
line out as the ball is thrown, or even before so as the player
comes down they are driving from a yard or so away giving the
attacking side momentum that the defensive side cannot get.
Simple way of policing is that players may not join or leave the
line out until the ball is caught or touched. It used to be
until it passed over your head, now it’s an absolute lottery.
#Post#: 156597--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Yareet
Date: July 21, 2026, 8:08 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: KiltedQuin link ---
>
> I think the suggestion is more about 2 or 3 players leaving
the line out as the ball is thrown, or even before so as the
player comes down they are driving from a yard or so away giving
the attacking side momentum that the defensive side cannot get.
Simple way of policing is that players may not join or leave the
line out until the ball is caught or touched. It used to be
until it passed over your head, now it’s an absolute lottery.
>
--- End Quote ---
I think the laws already forbid this - albeit that
interpretation isn't enforced.
FWICS, law 18 states what players can do before the ball is
thrown in:
--- Quote ---
> 18.17 Once the lineout is formed, players:
>
> a. From the team throwing in may not leave the lineout other
than to change positions with other participating players.
> Sanction:Free-kick.
>
> b. From the non-throwing team may leave the lineout only to
ensure that they do not have more players than the opposition.
> Sanction:Free-kick.
>
> 18.18 Participating players may change places in the lineout
before the ball is thrown.
--- End Quote ---
And what they can do after the throw in:
--- Quote ---
> 18.29 Once the lineout has commenced, any participating player
in the lineout may:
> a. Compete for possession of the ball.
> b. Catch or deflect the ball. A jumper may catch or deflect
the ball with the outside arm only if they have both hands above
their head.Sanction:Free-kick.
> c. Lift or support a team-mate. Players who do so must lower
that player to the ground safely as soon as the ball is won by
either team.Sanction:Free-kick.
> d. Leave the lineout so as to be in a position to receive the
ball, provided they remain within 10 metres of the mark of touch
and they keep moving until the lineout is
over.Sanction:Free-kick.
> e. Grasp and bring an opponent in possession of the ball to
ground, provided that the player is not in the air, nor if a
maul has been formed.Sanction:Penalty.
--- End Quote ---
My interpretation would be that before the ball comes in, a
player can swap with the receiver but not 2-3 players. We hear
refs saying something along the lines of “the receiver’s joined
the lineout but somebody dropped out”.
Once the ball is thrown, players have to keep moving so setting
for a forward push takes huge co-ordination and they can’t hit
the maul until the lineout is over.
#Post#: 156617--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: T-Bone
Date: July 21, 2026, 6:12 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
One of rugby's biggest issues is the constant tinkering with the
laws, while refs collectively decide which laws they will just
ignore. So kitson's answer is to change more laws.
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