This is my problem with it!
The advantage rule is something that really needs fixing imo... it's great that you get a "free play" as you can change a risky play that you would not normally do, but there are so many huge variations in how it is refereed that it can be so frustrating to watch.
I think that there should be a fixed number of phases before advantage is either called over or you go back. This would stop the perennial farce of an advantage in the 22 lasting until the attacking team either cocks up (and they go back for the penalty) or scores. An advantage shouldn't be a golden ticket to points... and repeated infringements should be dealt with with a yellow card! I've seen advantages last over 2 minutes before - this is ridiculous.
If the team feels they are not in a good position and want to go back for the penalty then they should just inform the ref; you shouldn't get an infinite number of bites at the cherry for someone being 10cm offside at the try line (especially when most of the time the defending team is offside but is just not noticed)
There is no reason why you cannot have more absolutes, e.g.
- Short arm penalty... kick it and advantage over. Cock it up? Not the referee's fault - be better next time! (Let's face it, you've only got the ball at this point because the opposition has cocked up!)
- Any penalty... make 40 metres up the pitch. Ball gets turned over because your team mates haven't got you covered? Not the referee's fault - your team mates need to play more "heads up rugby"!
- Any penalty... pick and go 5 times and get nowhere? Advantage over. Not the referee's fault - you had a free play (or the ability to choose to take the penalty) and squandered it!
People always complain about how much time is "wasted" with scrums, but how much is "wasted" with dead time when an advantage is pulled back!
I think this would speed up the game immensely and cause teams to be more innovative. At the moment you have plays where teams go through phases and phases just to get to the perfect square centimetre of grass, knowing that they've always got a free "out" if it doesn't work. Also I think it might encourage referees to be more willing to card people sooner for cynical play, and/or give penalty tries as appropriate.
Finally it will hopefully eliminate some accusations of bias (I don't rate every premiership ref highly, but I certainly do NOT believe any cheat!!)
