The recent spate of suspensions due to foul play should be no surprise as player frustration rises due to overly complicated laws governed by subjective refs. Tank Lanning sees real elephant tears unless this gets sorted out.
Tank Lanning
That SARU made an operating profit in what can only be described as a tricky economic environment – for the fourth successive year – is impressive, and CEO Jurie Roux deserves huge credit for making this happen. Especially when comparing it to the strife a few of the other federations have gone, or are going, through.
Now they need to sort out the mess that a few of the provincial unions have got themselves into through burning cash on player salaries that their meagre earnings just cannot service.
That said, though, SARU do have it a little easier than the unions in that they negotiate the TV and sponsorship rights to the golden goose that is Super Rugby, decide how much of it should go where, and pick up only the top up contracts of less than 20 players. Sure, they are the top players in the country, but without central contracting, it is the provincial unions who pick up the bulk of the player’s salaries.
Good on them for making the numbers work, though. It is an astutely managed federation. And they are incredibly transparent when it comes to how that central pot of money is divvied up, so unions know what is coming their way, and it is up to them to make their numbers work.
Of more concern to them, though, should be how quickly that golden goose is being cooked (to my mind it is already dry and a little tough), and how quickly the game is deteriorating as a spectacle between the white lines.
I do not enjoy being “Negative Knobby” in the corner always casting aspersions on the game, but when last did you really look forward to a game of rugby, so much so that you kept your diary clear no matter the invitations that came your way?
SANZAR have probably bought themselves some time in already negotiating five years of proper TV cash for this convoluted Super 18 that is coming our way next year, but unless they use it wisely to engage with the North so as to come up with a more interesting (and simple) tournament, and sort out the on-field fiascos, all I see are real elephant tears for the game!
The scrum is probably the biggest on-field fiasco right now, but I have bored you to beers on that subject in the last 2 columns, suffice to say that it is a problem area that needs solving. The breakdown is a complete lottery, the omnipresent driving maul from lineouts set up five metres from the tryline is basically legalised obstruction, and the latest fad that sees a player going for a ball in the air sent from the field because he was one centimetre lower than the other player going for the ball is fast becoming a proper point of friction.
The recent spate of suspensions due to foul play should be no surprise really. You can almost feel the levels of player frustration rising every weekend as referees are allowed to interpret the game differently. The fact that two sets of on field officials, and then two sets of Judicial teams, could not agree on what whether Frans Steyn’s tackle was an illegal tip tackle or not speaks to exactly that point. And that’s surely simple to spot when compared to the horror shows that are the scrums, mauls, rucks and in the air contests?
As such, teams and players are making like water polo and playing for the penalty, actually being coached how to milk them from that day’s referee based on videos of his previous games. Teams do not contest the breakdown so as to avoid not only the whistle, but also the offside line. Teams opt out of the lineout so the opposition can’t milk the legalised obstruction loophole, yet still passes back to the flank and then forward to the lock in said unopposed lineout are missed. It’s a bloody freak show!
It’s no wonder players are getting frustrated. It has long been said that rugby is a beastly game played by gentlemen, and that soccer is a gentleman’s game played by beasts. But overly complicated laws being governed by subjective interpretation is fast turning these gentleman into beasts.
This blog post was first published as a column on Sport24
Maybe I’m in the minority but I have enjoyed the scrum’s far more this year than I have in years. They seem competitive, and while many do still get blown up on penalties I simply cannot understand, its great to have them as a competitive addition to many teams arsenal rather than a total coin toss called by a bewildered ref.
Perhaps the rules don’t need to be changes – ref’s just need a few years to really learn the in’s and out’s of the dark arts of the scrum with penalties being awarded only when the ref believes the player is attempting to milk a penalty rather than simply from being overwhelmed by his opposition.
Hi Tank
Just to let you know that you are not alone in the 0.3% of people who think Frans Steyn, should not play for boks in up coming WC. Like you mention in episode 5 of Think Tank, he is disruptive and can cost you a game if he looses his temper in the first half and gets send off. There is to many off the ball incidents with him and disputes with SARU etc that becomes public and ugly. dont need that negativity in a WC year.
As a matter of interest does a player still get paid when he is on suspension?
Gotta say Tank, #SuperSaturday (Final Day of the #6Nations2015), was a day that we all were all looking forward to. It always is… But what unfolded on Saturday 21st of March, exceeded all expectations.
Exciting rugby and scores galore!!!
That one day reinvigorated the European Rugby Public’s love for the game and showed everyone… Players, coaches and spectators alike what can be achieved with a change in approach to a game!
We now have 2, if not 3 teams in the Home Nations who could conceivably compete for the Webb-Ellis Trophy this year. I know that you Southern Hemisphere rugby gurus will scoff at that statement, BUT… England, Ireland and Wales, have now demonstrated that they are able to compete with and beat any of the SANZA Group.
I’m looking forward to the #RWC2015 with great relish!!!
Let’s hope the players and coaches come to play rugby and look to score more tries than their opposition, rather than looking to just stop their opposition scoring more tries than they do.
Let #RunningRugby be the winner of the RWC.