Proposed changes to rugby laws

[Peat]

Changes I'd like to see:

The law on head high and tackles in the air be scrapped. There are many times when these tackles are technically illegal (a player tackled when about 3cms in the air, for example). Simply have a law that bans dangerous tackles and allow referees to have discretion.

Why?

Make a dropout be made from under the posts. I see no sense in a team gaining a 22m advantage simply by grounding the ball behind the goal line.

It's not giving the team now in possession an advantage, its punishing the team that kicked for not getting the kick right. Remove that, and teams can kick all day in expectation of superior territorial gains, because its now a lot easier to get it right. Not a fan at all.

Change the offside line from the hindmost feet to 10m back from a ruck or maul. This would open the game up considerably.

One quick ruck will put almost the entire opposition team offside. That's unplayable.

The obvious counter is for the defence to never put in anyone other than the tackler, thus avoiding the creation of a ruck or maul. I don't think that's a good thing to encourage.

 

[j'nuh]

Change that is absolutely needed:

ATM, if someone other than the quick lineout taker touches the ball, then the quick lineout cannot happen.

During the Bath-Glos game, the ball deflected off a ball boy (it barely touched him, and he didn't try to catch it or play it), and it stopped Glos from taking a quick lineout. It was beyond silly.

On a more cynical level, what stops the home ball boys only fetching the ball for the opposition, stopping quick lineouts for the opposition, but allowing the home team to take quick lineouts?

 

[lucky number 7]

What a silly idea.

Jog on.