2 pt scrum penalty

[trendylfj]

I have thoroughly enjoyed most of the WC except for the bias towards the scrum penalty and it is ranked as a 3-point penalty. There are certainly teams that have tried to play a more open and, I would argue, more entertaining game. I have always thought that the penalty for anything other than foul play, ie technical infringements, should be worth no more than 2 points. To be clear, physical foul play (striking, high tackle etc) = 3 points if the kick at goal is taken and a maximum of 2 for the rest. I would also give 3 pts for a penalty awarded for repeat offences where a team has been warned, such as a continued offside in the red zone. Surely we all want to see tries as the bedrock of winning a game and reducing the value of some kicks would help to do that. Drop goals would also go down to 2 pts for me.

[Rugbygramps]

Unsure why we would to fiddle anymore.
Disagree about drop goals it is a very difficult skill, as shown by some of last night’s attempts, and imo should be used more not less

[Farmboy]

Why not increase foul play & repeated infringements(how do you decide how many ?) to 4 points to discourage.

But not really making the game easier to understand for casual watcher.

[Tigerbeat]

The scrum is very much part of the game and teams need to work on technique. The laws of the game are complex enough and teams need to work with them rather than change them to a teams advantage etc.
Some people want free flowing rugby whilst others enjoy a good arm wrestle and low scoring game.

[wigworth]

Swap most current penalty offences over to a free kick only, which might help stop the cynical milking of penalties. However I would change it so that you can directly score from a drop kick off a free kick, so at least you have an option of scoring but it is much more difficult.

[Rugbygramps]

The scrum is very much part of the game and teams need to work on technique. The laws of the game are complex enough and teams need to work with them rather than change them to a teams advantage etc.
Some people want free flowing rugby whilst others enjoy a good arm wrestle and low scoring game.

I do agree the scrum is such an integral part of the game and it’s important that it’s identity is maintained and forward dominance is often required so the free flowing game can happen

[Old Hob]

The scrum and maul plus the free flowing passing is what makes the game so enjoyable. A team has to be skilled in all these arts to prosper.

[DeadlyDunc]

Without a reasonable points risk from scrum infringements would there be an even greater risk of players all being built like centres?

[mol2]

Without a reasonable points risk from scrum infringements would there be an even greater risk of players all being built like centres?

Too true. Too often sides with a weaker scrum will not fight too hard to keep the scrum up hoping that the the ref will guess. 2003 wc final where the Aussies took it down or popped up virtually time. Reduce the penalty to 2 points and there is even less risk.

If you want to dissuade some of the scrum time wasting, reset the clock to clock to the time the initial scrum formed up if a reset is required.

Start enforcing the “Use it” time in the way they do the shot clock might speed the game up.

There’s an obsession with running rugby but I would be just as happy watching Tigers’ maul try yesterday.
If I liked watching running rugby with no forward play I would watch league. Nothing wrong with League as such but you get the impression much of this is driven by Australia who have a bigger league influence.

[ads]

Too much of a lottery for penalties imo. Most refs haven't got a clue and get swayed to easily.
Last scrum of Eng SA was basically awarded to SA because of previous scrums, ref was just assuming England were at fault.

I'd change it to free kicks, but maybe get the throw in to the line out...

[DeadlyDunc]

Too much of a lottery for penalties imo. Most refs haven't got a clue and get swayed to easily.
Last scrum of Eng SA was basically awarded to SA because of previous scrums, ref was just assuming England were at fault.

I'd change it to free kicks, but maybe get the throw in to the line out...

You can say that about any facet of any sport at any time because the team on top is the one applying the pressure onto opponent which will, over a period, build unconscious bias’ in the refs view of incidents.

Ergo Liverpool in their 80s pomp never conceding a penalty, Richie McCaw getting away with blue murder at times and Ireland off their feet at nearly every breakdown most recently.

Thus it has always been

[Rugbygramps]

Too much of a lottery for penalties imo. Most refs haven't got a clue and get swayed to easily.
Last scrum of Eng SA was basically awarded to SA because of previous scrums, ref was just assuming England were at fault.

I'd change it to free kicks, but maybe get the throw in to the line out...

You say that but with most decisions once reviewed the right one was made.
Semi final Genge went to knee before the put in, some refs would have reset, that one didn’t and decided that be going to knee this enabled Genge to bore in, majority of commentators hav said it was the correct decision.

At the risk of repeating myself the laws are complicated enough, coach and play yo them rather than changing every 5 minutes

[Rugbygramps]

Too much of a lottery for penalties imo. Most refs haven't got a clue and get swayed to easily.
Last scrum of Eng SA was basically awarded to SA because of previous scrums, ref was just assuming England were at fault.

I'd change it to free kicks, but maybe get the throw in to the line out...

You can say that about any facet of any sport at any time because the team on top is the one applying the pressure onto opponent which will, over a period, build unconscious bias’ in the refs view of incidents.

Ergo Liverpool in their 80s pomp never conceding a penalty, Richie McCaw getting away with blue murder at times and Ireland off their feet at nearly every breakdown most recently.

Thus it has always been

Does make me smile when people cite McCaw, all those tests and super rugby games, and yet he was cheating most of the time. Never occurs to people that he was that good he was a split second quicker than most

[Scott1]

Too much of a lottery for penalties imo. Most refs haven't got a clue and get swayed to easily.
Last scrum of Eng SA was basically awarded to SA because of previous scrums, ref was just assuming England were at fault.

I'd change it to free kicks, but maybe get the throw in to the line out...

You can say that about any facet of any sport at any time because the team on top is the one applying the pressure onto opponent which will, over a period, build unconscious bias’ in the refs view of incidents.

Ergo Liverpool in their 80s pomp never conceding a penalty, Richie McCaw getting away with blue murder at times and Ireland off their feet at nearly every breakdown most recently.

Thus it has always been

McCaw was a true great but always played on the edge and got away with a lot. I distinctly remember a game reffed by Nigel Owens and Nigel saying “ you’re not gonna get away with that with me” to him very early in the game. It was one of McCaws quietest!

[Jimmy Skitz]

Too much of a lottery for penalties imo. Most refs haven't got a clue and get swayed to easily.
Last scrum of Eng SA was basically awarded to SA because of previous scrums, ref was just assuming England were at fault.

I'd change it to free kicks, but maybe get the throw in to the line out...

You can say that about any facet of any sport at any time because the team on top is the one applying the pressure onto opponent which will, over a period, build unconscious bias’ in the refs view of incidents.

Ergo Liverpool in their 80s pomp never conceding a penalty, Richie McCaw getting away with blue murder at times and Ireland off their feet at nearly every breakdown most recently.

Thus it has always been

not forgetting Sarecens standing next to the attackers but not getting called offside etc. Top sides always get the rub of the green, I suppose refs just assume they don't need to cheat in that way