Rugby Union is one of the most complex games out there, it's very hard to simplify it. You could change one law that you think is going to simplify it, but it causes issues in other areas. I agree it does need a few tweaks here and there, but it's not that straightforward to simplify it. League is a simple game and probably has half the rules union has, look at the scrum, noone pushes, there's no competing for the ball, it's a non event. You mess with the union laws too much, we'll end up with a hybrid of union & league.
Here's a good example for you;
Law 15 outlines the responsibilities options and obligations of all players at the tackle.
Late in 2007/08, the iRB changed the Law with regard to arriving players at the tackle. They decided that if an arriving player (or the tackler getting to his feet) got his hands on the ball before a ruck was formed, he would be entitled to keep his hands on the ball (previously, the player had to let go). The result of this was a dramatic change in the way the game was played.
1. Jacklers had a few extra seconds to secure a turnover, leading to
2. Many more turnovers and the chances of losing the ball when taking it into contact increased dramatically
3. Coaches/Teams became unwilling to take the ball into contact, especially in their own half, so they chose to kick, and try to gain a turnover in the opponents half
4. It became more advantageous to NOT have the ball, so aerial ping pong was born.
The entire way the game is played was changed, because the Law was changed to allow the jackler an extra couple seconds with his hands on the ball.
But sometimes, you don't even need to change a Law to change something. Sometimes just a change in the interpretation or the way a law is enforced can have a dramatic effect on the game.
In 2010, SANZAR Referees decided that they needed to address the issues I have outlined above. They decided that they would set a priority order in which things must occur after the tackle. That order was...
1. Tackle
2. Tackler(s) MUST release tackled player (to give him the opportunity to place pass or push the ball)
3. Tackled player, once released by the tackler(s), may place, pass or push the ball, but MUST release it to any jackler/arriving players.
So that, if a player arrived at the same moment the tackler and tackled player went to ground, and if the tackler was still holding the player, while the arriving player jackles for the ball, the penalty kick would go against the tackler for not releasing. Previously, the tackled player would have been penalised for not releasing the ball. This again changed the emphasis, made turnovers more difficult to get, and the aerial ping-pong virtually disappeared from the game in just one season.
Both these are great examples of
"The Law of Untended Consequences"
