Simplifying the laws

[Camquin]

So if you wanted to make the laws simpler what would you change?

As I have said before I would get rid of all the regulations around substitutions, blood bins, front row replacements and HIAs and just have limited interchanges.


Also I might experiment with touch.
I would like to see how the game changed if you used a law that says that the ball in flight is in touch when it crosses the plane.
Any player - whether in touch or not - may knock but not hold the ball before it crosses the plane.
if i player who is in touch, or jumps from touch, holds the ball they have taken it into touch.

But I am not sure if it would improve the game.

But then I am not sure if this seasons experiment improves the game.

 

[ChrisR]

So if you wanted to make the laws simpler what would you change?

As I have said before I would get rid of all the regulations around substitutions, blood bins, front row replacements and HIAs and just have limited interchanges.


Also I might experiment with touch.
I would like to see how the game changed if you used a law that says that the ball in flight is in touch when it crosses the plane.
Any player - whether in touch or not - may knock but not hold the ball before it crosses the plane.
if i player who is in touch, or jumps from touch, holds the ball they have taken it into touch.

But I am not sure if it would improve the game.

But then I am not sure if this seasons experiment improves the game.

Conceptually, using the plane of touch simplified the law but it made judging some touch situations much harder.

I'd get rid of 'taken back in' restrictions on kicking from within the 22. Added complication for no real gain.

 

[Taff]

So if you wanted to make the laws simpler what would you change?

The one law that seems to cause loads of confusion is the FR replacements etc. If you look through the WR clarifications there are more querys regarding FR replacements etc than a lot of the other laws combined.

 

[crossref]

Plus every competition organiser uses their freedom to vary it ..

 

[OB..]

Conceptually, using the plane of touch simplified the law but it made judging some touch situations much harder.

Agree.

I'd get rid of 'taken back in' restrictions on kicking from within the 22. Added complication for no real gain.

Disagree. The underlying aim was to stop the kicking duels aimed at gaining ground (and stopping play), and to restrict touch-finding to defensive situations. Allowing "taken back in" let players get round this restriction with no concomitant benefit.

 

[Dickie E]

The underlying aim was to stop the kicking duels aimed at gaining ground (and stopping play), and to restrict touch-finding to defensive situations. Allowing "taken back in" let players get round this restriction with no concomitant benefit.

I agree with OB. I don't like the idea of getting an advantage by deliberately going backwards. Similar situation in soccer where the goalie can't pick up the ball if its been passed back to him.

 

[Dickie E]

As I have said before I would get rid of all the regulations around substitutions, blood bins, front row replacements and HIAs and just have limited interchanges.

HIA is all about the very real risk to players of returning to the field with concussion. Bad move to go backwards on this.

 

[crossref]

HIA is all about the very real risk to players of returning to the field with concussion. Bad move to go backwards on this.

On the contrary HIA is a device that allows players who in any ordinary game would be forced to leave the pitch permanently, to have a ten minute rest and then carry on playing. It should be stopped

 

[OB..]

On the contrary HIA is a device that allows players who in any ordinary game would be forced to leave the pitch permanently, to have a ten minute rest and then carry on playing. It should be stopped

I see that as an overly simplistic, cynical view. We are trying to find a midpoint between unnecessary action and essential action, which is not easy.

 

[ChrisR]

On the contrary HIA is a device that allows players who in any ordinary game would be forced to leave the pitch permanently, to have a ten minute rest and then carry on playing. It should be stopped

HIA is there to ensure that players get properly assessed. If the player had to be replaced permanently then that would put the referee in the difficult position of being the concussion assessor. Again.

 

[Camquin]

But with interchanges they can come back on if they are fit to do so.
So anyone who needs time from any knock could choose to go off - up to the maximum number of interchanges.
Though if they have had a blow to the head they should be replaced permanently.