Laws and/or entertainment?

[jgriffin]

On FB made an observation I've made often in the last two seasons or more. Refs are slack on the breakdown and more because, apparently, fans would stop watching a game that had become boring.
So the question is, how much off the feet, in at the side, offside obstruction etc can be tolerated in the cause of entertainment?
For me, it is the evenhanded application of the Laws that makes players play rugby, not the laissez faire entertainment of AB standard Law blurring.

[daktari]

It’s not come to it yet but I do wonder how much longer I’ll watch a sport that doesn’t enforce it’s own laws.

[ellis9]

What annoys me is the insistent law changes/adaptions to try and make the game faster. If people want to watch a rugby game which is faster than what Rugby Union once was, there's sevens or Rugby League.

The beauty of Union is that the fatties can join in and run from one scrum to another.

[BFG]

Forearms on the floor over the breakdown is my current bugbear, let alone all of the other stuff.
I've no idea what that is all about currently as if I can see it then Sir surely can, sometimes penalised and sometimes not.
A bit frustrating to watch and more so if against your own team.
For me though it's even more frustrating to watch on T.V and to then hear the commentary spiel about what a great turnover it was or this player has improved so much.
I turned the Quins match off last night, got bored when Monye got the hump about the ref awarding what was a try to Wuss.
I still prefer attending matches with no commentary spiel but then I often see highlights or read on here about a decision, have a look and sometimes think what was the point in that!

[JP14]

Forearms on the floor over the breakdown is my current bugbear, let alone all of the other stuff.
I've no idea what that is all about currently as if I can see it then Sir surely can, sometimes penalised and sometimes not.
A bit frustrating to watch and more so if against your own team.
For me though it's even more frustrating to watch on T.V and to then hear the commentary spiel about what a great turnover it was or this player has improved so much.
I turned the Quins match off last night, got bored when Monye got the hump about the ref awarding what was a try to Wuss.
I still prefer attending matches with no commentary spiel but then I often see highlights or read on here about a decision, have a look and sometimes think what was the point in that!

Agreed, currently my bugbear is a law which at the moment is actually mostly being officiated correctly. That is the unplayable ball after the collapsing of a maul. In my opinion there should be a law change, because some if the time it’s actually the defenders fault for collapsing it in the first place. I just think it’s an annoying rule that hampers the matches, especially if a player has made ground in a maul and it’s lazy defending (of which I am guilty of). Personally I would ban mauls in open play all together and only have them off kick-offs and from lineouts, but to some people that might make it too similiar to rugby league so perhaos the only alteration should be that the scrum should go to the attacking side instead.

[jgriffin]

I'd agree with that, as well as attackers collapsing mauls and getting penalties as well as the anomaly of the 'choke tackle'. Also players running past the 'breakdown' obstructing defenders, classic AB stuff originally along with the circular exit from a tackle.
The current 'ball out' issue is a case in point.

TBH thought it was just me, moaning about the continual 'law breaking'.

[Smudge]

What is the point of a scrum now? The ball is always fed illegally so that the hooker has no chance of hooking it..

Whe might as well step over it as in league.

[BFG]

Forearms on the floor over the breakdown is my current bugbear, let alone all of the other stuff.
I've no idea what that is all about currently as if I can see it then Sir surely can, sometimes penalised and sometimes not.
A bit frustrating to watch and more so if against your own team.
For me though it's even more frustrating to watch on T.V and to then hear the commentary spiel about what a great turnover it was or this player has improved so much.
I turned the Quins match off last night, got bored when Monye got the hump about the ref awarding what was a try to Wuss.
I still prefer attending matches with no commentary spiel but then I often see highlights or read on here about a decision, have a look and sometimes think what was the point in that!

Agreed, currently my bugbear is a law which at the moment is actually mostly being officiated correctly. That is the unplayable ball after the collapsing of a maul. In my opinion there should be a law change, because some if the time it’s actually the defenders fault for collapsing it in the first place. I just think it’s an annoying rule that hampers the matches, especially if a player has made ground in a maul and it’s lazy defending (of which I am guilty of). Personally I would ban mauls in open play all together and only have them off kick-offs and from lineouts, but to some people that might make it too similiar to rugby league so perhaos the only alteration should be that the scrum should go to the attacking side instead.

The unplayable maul.
It's playing man and ball in open play and shouldn't be allowed.
The tackle or the ball rip should be the only options.
Man and ball needs outing in open play.
Compete for the ball and get on with it!
Likewise at the breakdown with defenders over the ball carrier preventing a ball presentation position and then claiming holding on.
It makes little sense presently.

[Robespierre]

What gets up my nose in the maul is defending players staying attached to the maul on the wrong side preventing/slowing the release of the ball. They should detach and rejoin the maul behind the rearmost player on their side!

[WiggoTiger]

What annoys me is the high tackle law, if classed as dangerous play surely it's a yellow card. Sadly Dickson didn't ref this correctly today

[Big Dai]

Not straight put in at line out.
Not straight put in at scrum.
Off side at ruck
Off side in midfield
Hookers' feet on pitch when throwing in
Endless appeals by players
Forward passes missed.
Warning after warning but no sanction.

Just a few of the things that annoy me.

[POSTIGER]

What annoys me is the insistent law changes/adaptions to try and make the game faster. If people want to watch a rugby game which is faster than what Rugby Union once was, there's sevens or Rugby League.

The beauty of Union is that the fatties can join in and run from one scrum to another.

I don't always agree with your posts Ellis9 but I could not agree with you more here. Absolutely spot on.

I hate how the principles of the game have been compromised to make it more 'mainstream'.

[teds]

What annoys me is the insistent law changes/adaptions to try and make the game faster. If people want to watch a rugby game which is faster than what Rugby Union once was, there's sevens or Rugby League.

The beauty of Union is that the fatties can join in and run from one scrum to another.

I don't always agree with your posts Ellis9 but I could not agree with you more here. Absolutely spot on.

I hate how the principles of the game have been compromised to make it more 'mainstream'.

+1 . The net result is that the standard of officiating has never been lower, and commentators frequently appear to misunderstand the rules.