Do something about the angst, dropkicks
7It has officially reached that stage in the Super Rugby season when New Zealand rugby fans are getting more than a little angsty.
Australian teams sit on top of the table, the All Blacks are rubbish, the Chiefs are slipping, and we can’t even rely on the Crusaders anymore. The Wallabies are about to get the perfect preparation with the Lions tour, and South Africa seems to be bringing another batch of beasts through. Is there life after McCaw, and just how injured is Dan Carter?
It’s not quite panic material yet, but the worry lines are showing when it comes to the rest of the season
See; quite normal really
These issues come and go, professional sport is a cyclical thing, but one thing does not change and continues to sit unopened in a dirty box in the corner of the room.
The drop-kick. The box is treated with a combination of suspicion and contempt by players, fans and media alike, and it really make no sense.
From the IRB website.
Dropped Goal. A player scores a dropped goal by kicking a goal from a drop kick in general play. The team awarded a free kick cannot score a dropped goal until the ball next becomes dead, or until an opponent has played or touched it, or has tackled the ball carrier. This restriction applies also to a scrum taken instead of a free kick. 3 points
Like most rules in rugby union, the wording is way more complicated than it needs to be, but it is pretty clear; scoring three points via a drop-kick is a perfectly valid way of adding to your team’s score.