Better Rugby Rules

 Source: Split looms After North turn back on ELVs – Greg Gowden

The southern hemisphere is committed to retaining the ELVs, meaning Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will be playing a significantly different game to their northern counterparts.

“This leaves us in the southern hemisphere in a quandary, but more particularly leaves the IRB in a very difficult position,” O’Neill said. “They’re looking to have a universal game with one set of laws at the earliest opportunity. But it’s impossible to have consistent and common dialogue about the new laws unless we have all trialled them.”

O’Neill said he was sick and tired of the northern countries arguing the ELVs were a southern hemisphere plot, and that the European teams were being ambushed into using the laws.

“To the contrary, the IRB has promoted these laws to improve the game and the spectacle, but there is now the serious risk of two games, with two different sets of laws. It could happen,” he said.

“People in the north are saying, ‘You just want the game to look more like rugby league’. Do you reckon the last two All Blacks-Springboks Tests look like rugby league? They have got to be kidding.”

My Comments:  There wont be two sets of rules when the dust settles, if there was International rugby would die, and so would the sponsorship with it. The north have more money, so the south will eventually back down. John O’Neill will find out that his other SANZAR partners wont be standing side by side when the bayonet meet flesh of international rugby status. For now they will put on a brave face. This public spat shows more how ineffective the IRB are leading the game. Why couldn’t this spat be fought out in a board room is beyond me.

I am in favour of most ELVs, but not all. I bet the English like some of them too, but not all. The north is drawing a line in the sand to get a more ‘northern style ELV’ package to their liking. I guess this means: No pulling down the maul, no free-kicks for hand in the rucks, stuff like that.

John O’Neill brought this attention on the ARU and himself, he has been acting like a peacock with the ELVs, and his counterparts don’t like it. You change minds behind close doors John, not public out bursts. Maybe his second term as ARU CEO will be his last, thank god !

Negotiations are continuing, but with daggers and bayonets drawn !

It was always going to get down this, seriously the ‘boring old farts’ cant run anything.

UPDATE1:

Source: O’Neill comes under-fire from UK  – Neil Reid

But Welsh Rugby Union chairman David Pickering has rubbished comments that Wales was wavering over the ELVs.

However, he conceded his union had opted against trialling ALL the ELVs which had been initially proposed by the IRB.

“In Wales all 13 new ELVs approved by the IRB will be part of every game so that we can all clearly see how the new rules modernise and improve the spectacle of rugby for supporters and the enjoyment of all the players who take part,” Pickering said.

“The original 24 suggested new laws have been paired down to the 13 and there has been widespread agreement not to adopt the experimental sanctions which replaced penalties with free-kicks for some infringements.

“Here in Wales we agreed with the sentiment that the sanctions were a step too far.

The ELVs have now had two showings in the top-level international arena, with both All Black/Springboks Tri Nations clashes played under the experimental law.

The laws are set to be introduced to the UK on August 1.

My Comments:Like I said the north will have their ‘northern style ELVs package’, that suits them. In the end, all 23 ELVs may never be played in a professional game of rugby union at the same time, but there will be a ELVs in the game at the next RWC, just whose package will it be, my bet a package that represents the northern ELV selection. Those that have the gold, make the rules !

UPDATE2:

Source: O’Neill’s hectoring holds no sway in the north

Finally, nobody likes to be bullied, nor has much respect for someone who takes their bat home. If you want to go your own way, then go; see how far you get without the economic power of England and France. Our game will be the poorer without you, but we will always have one.

My Comments: In other words, ‘Go get Stuffed John!’