OK, so here's my opinon on the Laws to be trialled this Autumn
Law 20.5 & 20.5 (d) 5
No signal from referee. The scrum-half must throw the ball in straight, but is allowed to align their shoulder on the middle line of the scrum, therefore allowing them to stand a shoulder width towards their own side of the middle line.
First, it has taken WR far too long to realise that having the referee determine when to put the ball in was a mistake. There are only nine people on the field who know when they are ready for the throw in, and the referee is not one if them.
Second, I'm happy enough with the shoulder alignment thing, so long as the SH now has to throw the ball in STRAIGHT!!! (I wonder what
@Dunhookin will have to say about this?)
Handling in the scrum – exception
Law 20.9 (b)
The number eight shall be allowed to pick the ball from the feet of the second-rows.
This is just legitimizing what is already current practice.
Striking after the throw-in
Law 20
Once the ball touches the ground in the tunnel, any front-row player may use either foot to try to win possession of the ball. One player from the team who put the ball in must strike for the ball.
Rationale: To promote a fair contest for possession.
Sanction: Free-kick
Sounds like they have been listening to me... or at least, HALF listening to me. They have only done half the job!! The opposing FR should also be compelled to strike.
Law 15.4 (c)
The tackler must get up before playing the ball and then can only play from their own side of the tackle "gate".
Law 16
A ruck commences when at least one player is on their feet and over the ball which is on the ground (tackled player, tackler). At this point the offside lines are created. Players on their feet may use their hands to pick up the ball as long as this is immediate. As soon as an opposition player arrives, no hands can be used.
These two should combine to make the breakdown easier to manage and to put a stop that tactic employed by both the Chiefs and Italy of not forming a ruck so that they can lurk in opposition back-lines
I have heard arguments that taking away the tackler's rights to play from any direction will make pilfering the ball a lot harder. I completely disagree with that view! Currently, how often do we actually see the tackler get to his feet quickly enough to play the ball from whatever direction he is in? Most times, he is cleaned out or the ruck forms before he has the chance to get hands on the ball anyway; its the arriving jackler who gets most of the turnovers (either by a straight pilfer or by a PK for the tackled player not releasing). Even worse, a tackler who tries to grab the ball from the opponent's side of the breakdown, and fails, is more likely to end up in the opponent's side of the ruck (through no fault of his own) and blocking quick ball.
IME, its the arriving player who seems to be completely unaffected by the changes... the first player to the tackle is still allowed hands on the ball - as before, Law 16.4(b) - and opposing arriving players would have to go though the gate - Law 15.6 (d) - regardless of the quicker appearance of the ruck offside lines. This offside line formation is only going to affect those who want to hang back and wait on the wrong side; and although I concede that it will make defending a line beak more difficult than currently, its still not nigh on impossible the way it was with offside at the tackle ELV..
Other ruck offences
Law 16.4
A player must not kick the ball out of a ruck. The player can only hook it in a backwards motion.
Rationale: To promote player welfare and to make it consistent with scrum law.
Sanction: Penalty
A - fracking - men to that!!!
Kicking the ball out of the ruck is a negative action, designed disrupt already won possession and quick ball at its source, not compete for it.