Paul Williams refereed the opening game of Super Rugby Aotearoa between the Chiefs and Highlanders. Photo / Photosport
Paul Williams refereed the opening game of Super Rugby Aotearoa between the Chiefs and Highlanders. Photo / Photosport
After the opening round of Super Rugby Aotearoa, referees found themselves among the more prominent talking points after the introduction of several new rules.
The changes, which come mostly in dealing with the breakdown and offsides, were implemented as a way to try create a safer game; one that isalso faster and more exciting.
In the opening week of competition there were glimpses of that, though largely broken up by the whistle, with 58 penalties blown across the two games. In the match between the Chiefs and Highlanders, about 80 per cent of penalties awarded were against the attacking team.
New Zealand Rugby referees manager Bryce Lawrence said he wasn't surprised to see such high penalty counts and doesn't expect them to drop off too soon.
"Personally I think we need about 10 games…before we start to get a feel for this," Lawrence said.
"Coaches, players and referees are just having to learn as we go."
In terms of the new offside rules, the major change is that players must be clearly onside at a tackle or ruck, with assistant referees playing an important role in enforcing this.
"We're demanding a lot more from our ARs. We're really taking a 'team of three' approach," Lawrence said.
Paul Williams refereed the opening game of Super Rugby Aotearoa between the Chiefs and Highlanders. Photo / Photosport
At the breakdown, tackled players are allowed just one dynamic movement before releasing the ball once they hit the ground. Tacklers must roll east to west as to not impede the cleanout of the attacking team, while the players arriving at the breakdown must come through the 'gate' – their own side of the ball with their backside facing between the corner flags. Once arriving, attacking players can only clean out a breakdown by driving a defending player's torso; attacking the legs of a defender trying to get over the ball will be penalised as dangerous play.
For the defensive player, getting over the ball will not be enough to secure a turnover at the breakdown. The player has to show a clear lift with both hands on the ball while supporting their own body weight. If the try to get over the ball but overshoot, they are not allowed to bounce back onto the ball once they have gone past it.
While it might take some time for teams to get a proper understanding of the new rules and how to best adapt to them, New Zealand Rugby's head of high performance Mike Anthony noted in round one there were no significant injuries at the breakdown – an area that has been a concern in the past.
"That's a massive positive for us," Anthony said. "Players don't sound so sore in a shortened return to play."
While there were positives to take out of the first round of rugby played under the new rules, Anthony said it would be good to keep the penalty counts down and hinted it might be a matter of patience before that happens.
"We understand nobody wants 30 penalties in a game; it's a work in progress."
