All Blacks rubbish scoreline ban

Former All Black Marc Ellis says a new rule capping scorelines in junior rugby games is a

Former All Blacks have rubbished a new rule aimed at stamping out lopsided games in junior rugby as "social engineering" that would never happen in Australia.

Under the New Zealand Rugby Union's Small Blacks development programme for children aged 13 and under, the winning margin for junior rugby games is capped at 35 points.

Coaches from opposing sides can meet at halftime if one side leads another by 35 or more points and agree on how they can "generate a more-even contest".

Former All Black winger Marc Ellis, who once scored a record six tries in a 145-17 thrashing of Japan, said the new policy was a "ludicrous" attempt to protect children from reality.

He said children would not learn the skills they needed to succeed after they left school if they were shielded from disappointment.

"That's the kind of weak wristed thinking that's the bane of New Zealand society... it's protecting people from themselves - it's protecting them from realities they need to find out.

"The real tragedy is I've never met a kid who doesn't have a talent, an x-factor. But someone like myself who struggled at maths - should I always have got a C when I deserved an E. Where does it stop? Those knocks are a part of life."

A similar rule would never be implemented in Australia, Ellis said.

"You see it in cricket, where they're win at all costs and I don't care if I'm seen as a prick. That's part of the cut throat sporting world.
"I'm in favour of competition. It gives you the reality of where you sit."

Legendary former All Black captain Wayne "Buck" Shelford called the policy "social engineering" that catered to a small minority of young rugby players.

"It's social engineering people not to be hurt by score lines, not to be hurt by losing.

"You go out there and try and play as hard as you can. It is all about winning, obviously, but at the same time winning makes you humble and so does losing.

"I don't think you are going to lose many players by being thrashed like that. I guess they would get a bit despondent, but at the same what are they there for?"

Shelford also said it was not fair for better players to be subbed off after halftime to even up the match.

"If every Saturday the better players get stood down the negative is they could walk away from the game because they are not getting as much football."

Sevens great and former All Black Eric Rush earlier said the NZRU's intentions were good but a lot of coaches tried to make games fairer without the points capping.

Rush said he would "definitely" take players off the field or swap boys around to make things fairer in his role as co-coach of the under-12 East Tamaki rugby side.

"If we are playing a hard game that is when all our good boys will stay on for most of the game, it works out so all the boys get a run, that's the important thing."

An email to Auckland rugby club delegates suggested teams rest star players and give reserve players more playing time to make games "more even and sporting".

Scores of 100-nil are now posted on the Auckland Rugby Union's website as 35-nil.

- HERALD ONLINE