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#Post#: 156742--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 29, 2026, 8:39 am
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--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Again I've not seen anything that says that all law changes
since 2024 are aimed at reducing kicking. Of the eight laws
highlighted in the article you cited, only one would seem to do
so. Two could be argued encourage more kicking (no scrum from a
free kick and a mark from a restart).
>
> And I think we have a different interpretation of the SA
coach's point. My understanding was that the danger came from
escort players changing their lines and appearing underneath a
jumping kick chaser.
>
--- End Quote ---
So they didn’t mean this “ World Rugby has introduced a series
of major law changes under its "Shape of the Game" action plan
explicitly designed to reduce "kick tennis," eliminate negative
tactics, and incentivize teams to run with the ball. These
adjustments aim to increase ball-in-play time and make the sport
faster and more entertaining for a global audience.“
Run with the ball, I would suggest means not kick the ball.
HTML https://sports.yahoo.com/article/wing-becoming-rugby-most-dangerous-060700036.html
At this point I will bow out as we just seem to be going round
in circles.
#Post#: 156743--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Yareet
Date: July 29, 2026, 9:42 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Cheers for that article. Fully agree that it would support your
argument in the same way that the SA coach would seem to have
the opposing view.
I'd hope we can agree that there are differing opinions.
To your other point, the stats I can quickly find seem to also
back up the fact that removing escort runners has decreased the
amount of kicking.
In the 2025 6N, there were 898 kicks in play. This year there
were 833. Not a massive sample size (just 15 games for each
year) but that equates to 2 fewer kicks per team per game. Every
team made fewer kicks in play except Ireland who made exactly
the same number.
England were top both years but were less of an outlier with 4
more kicks than 2nd place as opposed to 24 more.
England may have persisted with an outdated strategy still made
6.5 fewer kicks per game; dropping from 36.6 to 30. That could
however because we had less ball to play with!
#Post#: 156744--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 29, 2026, 9:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Cheers for that article. Fully agree that it would support
your argument in the same way that the SA coach would seem to
have the opposing view.
>
> I'd hope we can agree that there are differing opinions.
>
> To your other point, the stats I can quickly find seem to also
back up the fact that removing escort runners has decreased the
amount of kicking.
>
> In the 2025 6N, there were 898 kicks in play. This year there
were 833. Not a massive sample size (just 15 games for each
year) but that equates to 2 fewer kicks per team per game. Every
team made fewer kicks in play except Ireland who made exactly
the same number.
>
> England were top both years but were less of an outlier with 4
more kicks than 2nd place as opposed to 24 more.
>
> England may have persisted with an outdated strategy still
made 6.5 fewer kicks per game; dropping from 36.6 to 30. That
could however because we had less ball to play with!
>
--- End Quote ---
Happy to agree to disagree, it would help if world rugby were
more transparent around the intentions of law changes, but since
they are not a homogeneous organisation, but a collective of
different unions, I suspect that the individual law changes are
more about negotiating and compromise then a agreed vision.
#Post#: 156746--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: July 30, 2026, 1:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Umm, surely what the jumper does is premeditated? He/she is
deliberately provoking a potential sanction against the oppo by
leaping in the air? Its not like getting caught in the air is
going to come as a complete surprise, is it?
#Post#: 156747--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: never sleep
Date: July 30, 2026, 3:25 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: deadlyfrom5yardsout link ---
>
> Umm, surely what the jumper does is premeditated? He/she is
deliberately provoking a potential sanction against the oppo by
leaping in the air? Its not like getting caught in the air is
going to come as a complete surprise, is it?
>
--- End Quote ---
I would be in favour of banning jumping to catch the ball in the
same way that jumping over a tackle.
Surely this would just make everything safer
#Post#: 156748--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Camquin
Date: July 30, 2026, 4:08 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The TV companies - and those making short on-line videos - love
players jumping to catch the ball.
#Post#: 156749--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: July 30, 2026, 4:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: never sleep link ---
>
> I would be in favour of banning jumping to catch the ball in
the same way that jumping over a tackle.
> Surely this would just make everything safer
>
--- End Quote ---
That would immediately lead to chasers going full pelt looking
to absolutely smash the catcher knowing they will be a largely
static target. No thanks
#Post#: 156750--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: July 30, 2026, 5:32 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Are we talking about a shorter contestable ball or maybe a
slightly longer kick for territory? I played in an era when the
kicker was often a winger who would chase hell for leather to
try and slam the catcher. This, of course, is where the famous
cry of "yours" originated.
#Post#: 156751--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: July 30, 2026, 6:03 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Rugby is inherently a risky game. You're sending big blokes up
to smash into other big blokes. Obviously, we want to minimise
risk, but the only way to totally eliminate it is to not play.
We have to balance what makes the sport entertaining against
protecting players. Jumping in the air is entertaining when done
well. It's an impressive athletic achievement. I'm all for
figuring ways of making it safer, but not getting rid of it.
#Post#: 156752--------------------------------------------------
Re: Nations Championship fails to solve rugby’s ability to get
in the way of itself
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: July 30, 2026, 7:25 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: FrostAndFire link ---
>
> Rugby is inherently a risky game. You're sending big blokes up
to smash into other big blokes. Obviously, we want to minimise
risk, but the only way to totally eliminate it is to not play.
We have to balance what makes the sport entertaining against
protecting players. Jumping in the air is entertaining when done
well. It's an impressive athletic achievement. I'm all for
figuring ways of making it safer, but not getting rid of it.
>
--- End Quote ---
I agree, but part of the frustration of world rugby is, actually
getting them to clearly explain what they mean.
Two requests for clarification, giving examples question 1 is
clearly answered, question 2, not so sure.
HTML https://passport.world.rugby/laws-of-the-game/law-clarifications/2022/clarification-3-2022/
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