Rugby Union’s Worst Rule?
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By Ryan Nixon
The Sevu Reece penalty and yellow card over the weekend was totally in keeping with the way a strange law is applied; in fact it was a textbook example of it. Under the current laws and interpretation that was seriously stupid from Sevu Reece.
This is not to complain about the decision, but it shows how this is Rugby Union’s worst rule.
People who argue for the law often say “it’s negative play.” If anything, this just further highlights how much things have tilted towards the attack, often to the point of a healthy imbalance.
In basketball, when a defender tips a pass out of play, it’s heralded as great defence. Same in football when a player slides outstretched to deflect a pass. Same in American football when a defensive back bats a pass away from a receiver.
And in rugby league, the closest sport we have to rugby, a winger blocking the final pass will be celebrated for the play. As in rugby, there is already a sanction in place – it’s a knock on.
In a sport where attack is trying to beat defence, it is absolutely illogical to say “you cannot defend the ball when it is passed,” but yet if a lineout jumper goes up with one hand and tips the ball forward, it’s just a knock on, and if a player deliberately blocks a kick forward, it is play on.
You will never convince me that the law makes sense.
If you don’t want the pass to get intercepted or deflected or tipped or blocked or swatted out of the air Dikembe Mutombo style, execute your pass better.
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Tomorrow. The counter argument