O.k. so the game is now faster, but is it better ? I feel that's not the case! The new rules were to speed up the game I believe, and to make it easier to ref. Well it is faster, but it sure as hell ain't better, and easier to ref ?! Judging by the mistakes made on Friday nights game there was still plenty missed !
Now I must admit that I've only watched the two home games live to see the effect of the new rules, but I've heard comments from other spectators who have travelled too away games and say the resulting games where pretty much the same.
All that's left to introduce now is 'rolling the ball under the foot after a tackle' law ......
To be fair I watched the highlights of Quins v Irish and there was some good exciting running rugby and not all this kicking stuff we saw at Tigers on Friday.
The only real difference in the Quins game was no rolling mauls but then again neither side has been a real exponent of that in the past.
It seems that it depends on how teams decide to play.
Tigers for the premiership and European Cup. Get behind the team and make some noise!!
In the Sunday Telegraph, Paul Ackford suggested that it will be the "arch-conservative" teams who struggle most with the ELVs whilst the more innovative sides will adapt quicker.
He clearly considers Leicester Tigers to be arch-conservative and he may well have a point.
so, is there an official place we can register our concerns over the ELV's then ? How long do you all think a fan should give them a go for ? I don't know how long before the season started that the ELV's were announced but the same amount of time has to be given if they are to be removed, so will the ELV's decision be made half way through this season or are to be trailed for a minimum of two seasons ? (please forgive my ignorance )
Interestingly I've just looked for a place to appeal, but found all the ELV's links on the RFU.com (http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction ... ryID/20179) ( but no place to object!) and the ELV survey makes interesting reading esp about Defending players can pull down the maul; 58% were strongly NOT in favour of this rule and 58% feel the effect on grass roots rugby would be very negative. It seems I'm not alone, but it's still an ELV
Bearing in mind that we have had some of the best conditions for a running, handling game it is a travesty that there have been so few tries scored (by all the GP teams I mean). Gawd knows what the game is going to deteriorate to when the weather turns - we might find out tomorrow evening!
Kick kick kick kick - just about the most boring game of rugby I have had the misfortune of watching
Leaving aside our ineptitude during the game, the woeful tactics and once again dreadful captaincy and leadership especially after the Uncontested scrummage cheat fiassco - the new rules are pants
No mauling - hardly any lineouts - rucks a complete b.gg.rs muddle - at the lottery that is the refs whistle - scrummages that can just be stopped if you are no good at them - it's a joke
This is not rugby union and I have little interest in watching this ertzatz form of the game
I now have a season ticket for 2 years but once the bigger stadium is avaialable and I can get in when I want I cannot see me renewing again - not because of the team but the game - this is not something i want to watch ever week - maybe just for the occasional big match in the hope it improves - The Aussies have got their way - they have ruined Rugby union so that their eventual plan to join the codes can come to fruition - the combined game - they are welcome to it - I shan't be interested
Couldn't agree more mightymouse - last Friday's game was one of the poorest I have ever watched.
But I'm still not sure what the ELVs have done that makes it such a game of ping pong - is it the fact that a maul can be brought down and the chasing team are simply hoping to cause a maul, bring it down and, by virtue of not taking the ball in, win the resulting scrum (or penalty).
If so, some more creative thinking needs to be gone into to establish how to counteract this, and quickly. Otherwise, spectators will simply be turned off, even those of us with 3 years to go on their season tickets.
If a Maul can now be brought down there is no reason to create one in the first place, the problem is that tactic was able to draw players in and after a couple create gaps in the defence the other team could take advantage of. The game against Wasps enabled both team (well tigers in the first half) to have a strong defence, as minimal players had been drawn in, because players could be stretched across the width of the pitch( hmmm bit like Rugby League really ). I don't think the ELV's have created a ping pong game as such as we should have tried to run it more ( or at least found touch and hope for a mistake in the following throw in).
The accusation of a negative mindset is primarily aimed at the coaches and players.
That said, and I speak generally here and not specifically to any one poster, I believe this forum is hugely reactionary. With exceptions .....
Anti-ELVs, anti-playoffs (although that is gradually changing), anti-EPS, anti-Barnes/Vickery/Lol, anti-referees, anti-AI's, anti-Wheeler/Tom, anti-RFU ..... I'm bound to have missed some.
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