YEP Jury: Rule changes will keep Leeds Rhinos and the rest of Super League on their toes

ADAM ANDERSON

When the rugby league season returns, there will be many new rules in place that are intended to make the game quicker and possibly more entertaining.

If you’ve watched any NRL games since the return, you’d have seen the six again rule, which is brought into play should there be any messing about from the opponents in the ruck.

It puts defences on their toes and does make the game more fluent without the penalties.

Another one of the rule changes is no scrums.

This I’m not sure about.

Scrums don’t really do anything in today’s game but I don’t see an issue with this.

Players will be allowed to tackle each other and get involved – ‘up close and personal’ – in the games, so why not in a scrum?

The suspension of the reserve grade is a good thing; teams will need to utilise the squad that they have.

It’s great seeing the lads all back in training this week and it sounds like full steam ahead from the Rhinos, which is great news.

CHRISTINE KIDD

What do I think of the new rule changes that will come into force when Super League restarts on August 2?

No scrums is a big rule change which will have an impact on the teams that have a big pack.

The ones who are more mobile will probably cope with it a bit better.

Not having scrums is bound to speed the game up and the props and second-rowers will not get as much rest as they are used to.

I know this has been done to reduce contact with players owing to coronavirus but I hope it reverts once things improve, hopefully next season.

The other big change is the six-again rule where an infringement in the tackle results in another set of six.

I have to agree with Richard Agar on this one; it is sometimes difficult when watching the NRL games to see what the infringement has been.

This rule will also quicken up the game.

We will only be able to gauge the impact on the game of these rules after a couple of rounds have been played.

GRAHAM POULTER

So, when the season restarts on August 2, besides welcoming the return of the sport we can also celebrate a rule change to the game – the ‘six to go’.

It has worked perfectly well in the NRL; it speeds the game up considerably, which is surely what was needed. It is proving to be a great success in Australia. I understand about changing rules through a season, however the NRL clubs had only played two games each when their season was halted and Super League teams had played between four and seven games when that competition was halted back in March, so not a lot of difference really.

There were plenty of objections against the rule coming in, mainly moaning Pom doubters in our country. The NRL brought the rule in and the players have embraced it and just got on with it as they tend to do in Australia, unlike over here.

The game is much better for it, it was a no-brainer for me and I am pleased that the powers that be have seen sense for a change and introduced it.

It will prove to be a success over here as well. If anyone hasn’t watched a game in the NRL yet, then I’d urge you to.

And then you’ll see the extra excitement that it adds to the spectacle!

DIANNE HALL

With the proposed rule changes, whether permanent or temporary, on the face of it I think they’re designed to speed up the tempo of the game.

The one change that everyone seems to like is the ‘six again’ rule, whereby a minor infringement in the tackle is dealt with by wiping the tackle count.

The NRL games that I have watched have definitely speeded up.

However, when the six again rule is used, it’s often unclear why the tackle count has been restarted.

Even the commentators are sometimes bemused.

I dread to think what the fans will think when we are allowed back in. Other rules that haven’t been talked about much are the relaxing of the 21-player squad violation and kicking the ball out on the full, resulting in a play-the-ball instead of setting a scrum.

What is a little concerning to me is all of the tweaks are aimed at making the game faster.

Is this a good thing when playing midweek games is a possibility? Surely player welfare must be uppermost in the rule makers’ minds!

IAN SHARP

Maybe it’s just my age, but I find the NRL like the “cool/popular” kids in a episode of Beverly Hills 90210!

This is what we have decided is cool for this season, so you should all do it.

And the Rugby Football League (RFL) are the geeks that just go along with it, so they look cool too. I don’t get this obsession of always wanting to “speed up the game” – the game is fast flowing, exciting as it is and, don’t get me started on player welfare, every week it’s about it, until they decide they want to be the NRL.

Set restarts are just going to bring on more injuries for me, and taking out scrums is just nonsense.

You get four or five people in a tackle, so I don’t see the problem of a scrum, and it gives the players time to have a drink and a gulp of oxygen.

The RFL spout about player welfare when it suits, and then bend over backwards to be like the NRL,

It’s about time the governing body in this country grew a spine and made decisions that help the style of rugby we play and not concentrate on being one of the cool kids.

MATT FOWLER

The season will restart with some new rules. The no scrums rule is probably something that has been coming for some time.

The scrum is pretty pointless and no longer a contest, it may well give the scrum-half room to put on a play, but I can’t recall many great tries scored direct from a scrum in recent times.

The pace of the game now has mitigated that advantage which brings us on to the next major rule change.

The ‘restart the tackle count’ rule is not one I am in favour of. I think the game is fast enough without this new rule.

I have watched the NRL, which was much more robotic, and wrestle-oriented, and it has helped their game speed up but I don’t think we had that problem here.

It has, however, started to have an effect on player welfare. There are quite a few players in the NRL now out for the season with ACLs and large muscle tears.

With Super League planning on having three fixtures a week at the back end of the season, I think this rule could have a major impact on a player’s fitness. There is no need for it.

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