Latest / Cut The Kak / Mini: Rugby Union: Why Scrums Matter
Transcript
- Byron: Whenever we get good at one aspect in the sport, they find a way to change that rule so that we're no longer that dominant at it anymore. And that, at least in the last few years, has been the scrum. And now, instead of changing the rules of the scrum, because we're finding a way to be good at scrums, they're just like, let's just get rid of them completely. Then they can't get a scrum penalty anymore. And I just think that's, I don't know, like, I'm... Chad: Yeah. Yeah. Byron: I don't want to think that they're purposefully targeting the spring box, but it kind of feels that way when they're going so gung-ho on getting rid of just the scrum, when I think there are other components of rugby that are removing ball in playtime. Chad: Yeah. Byron: And again, after my little weird comparison, maybe not the most important metric to be looking at. Chad: It'll actually be interesting. I'm going to do homework for next week's pod. I want to see what the metrics, see if I can find them, what the metrics are that they're trying to hit. Like, is it, like I said, ball in play? Is it number of scrums? Is it number of penalties? What is it? I want to try and if can find all that stuff. Byron: So my understanding is they say that, you know, knock-on is called and then from the time the knock-on is called from getting the scrum set up, having the scrum, having a winner of the scrum and then the game to continue. They say that's taking too long. But you can make that same argument for a line out because if you watch modern rugby today, there a line out happens and then the team has a full board meeting where they have a Chad: But they are cracking down on it though, I must say. It used to be horrible and the spring blocks were problem with it. Byron: Yeah, but the ref will go, come guys, hurry up, let's get the line out ready. And then they just walk on over. I mean, when we were playing at a high school level, if we didn't jog to the line out, the coach would make us run laps the next day. So again, there are other areas of the game, 90 seconds for a penalty. I'll give that one as an example. Chad: Yeah. Yeah. Byron: There are other parts of the game to look at if you care so much about time in play, or ball in play, or whatever they're calling it. There are other places to do it. Getting rid of a quintessential part. Huh? Chad: This is you struggling tonight, You struggling with words. Byron: I'm struggling today. It's such a quintessential part of rugby as a whole to talk about getting rid of it when there's a sport that already doesn't have it. That's the part that blows my mind. And also, why are you and I talking about it? Why isn't it not a bigger conversation for rugby as a whole? Chad: You I I don't know. This is all good. All good questions. Byron: You would think I know what I'm talking about, the way I'm going. ⁓ Chad: I know but... and we've literally spoken about this for the last... what? Four points? Five? Maybe even more? It's... it's just because that's such a problem. Yeah. They're making so many changes to the game that are just unnecessary and... Byron: Maybe even more. And I think, again, I'm repeating myself, but I think all of the changes that have led to player safety, I think that's fantastic. All the changes that have led to a faster game, fantastic. I think that people are scoring more trials now more than ever. I mean, the 50-22 is such a fantastic attacking weapon now that didn't exist before. Chad: Yeah. Yeah, but even that they've changed now. The new rule is that you can take it back and then... Byron: Yeah, see that I don't like as much, but I get it. I'm not gonna sit and fight about that one, but I will fight about the scrum because it plays two major roles in rugby. One, it is something that we speak about all the time. It allows everyone to play rugby. Because if you're short, tall, skinny, fat, strong, weak, doesn't matter, there is a position for you on the rugby field. Chad: I think it's stupid, yeah. Byron: If you get rid of scrums, then everyone just has to be a ⁓ big back or a tall back, because that's all that you need. and a fastback. That's it. That's all you need. Big, strong, fast guys. They're already playing rugby league, but apparently they want rugby league version two instead of rugby. Chad: Yeah.