Wallabies forward Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has welcomed SANZAAR’s decision introduce law variations aimed at making the game faster as they prepare to host the world champion Springboks in Brisbane – and expects them to suits the Aussies.
On Tuesday, SANZAAR confirmed several LVs for The Rugby Championship. Along with changes to the 20 minute red card and protection of the No.9 at the base of the scrum there are others that aim to put a rocket under the forwards. Scrums and lineouts will have to be formed within 30 seconds.
“It sucks. I want the game to slow down. I struggle to keep up,” joked LSL on Tuesday.
“No, it’s good. We want the game to be entertaining and for that to happen, you’ve got to try and speed up the game in any ways that you can.
“It doesn’t change too much for us. We’ve got our systems and Joe [Schmidt] has a certain way that he wants us to play. I think it just plays right into our hands. It’s attacking footy and speed of ball is important for all teams … whilst it’s going to hurt on the fitness side of things…”
SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris said the intent was to “make The Rugby Championship and rugby in general even more attractive to fans.
“The Rugby Championship is the flagship of the sport in the southern hemisphere and annually we see the best players in the world battle it out for the title,” he added.
“We believe this year’s championship, that has been keenly anticipated by the players and rugby fans, will again exhibit the best of what the game has to offer with exciting, tough action on the field, enhanced by the evolution in the Laws of the Game.”
The southern hemisphere has led the way on 20 minute red cards but the idea has yet to be adopted by World Rugby. So in a slight shift this season, the 20 minute reds will live alongside a “full red card” for more significant foul play.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“In the event foul play is determined to be deliberate and with a high level of danger it will result in a full red card for the offending player who will not return to the field nor be able to be replaced,” SANZAAR said in Tuesday’s statement.
“All other Red Cards that do not meet the above threshold will be 20 min Red Cards in which the offending player will be removed from the match but will be entitled to be replaced by another player after 20 minutes. The offending team will then be able to replace the red carded player with one of their available replacements.”
On Sunday Schmidt flagged the LVs and acknowledged they would bring difficulties for tiring players.
“One of the challenges is to keep players moving from set-piece to set-piece. With the new law trials, 30 seconds to set a scrum, 30 seconds to have that line-out underway, 60 seconds, not 90 seconds, for a conversion now,” said Schmidt.
“Some of those times are being contracted a little bit and maybe that will impact on the size of the player.”
Salakai-Loto described the Springboks pack as “world class” but is ready to aim up against the likes of Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman.
“You’ve got to meet fire with fire and that’s the challenge for our pack this week,” LSL said.
“We’re here at home at Suncorp in front of a sellout, so there’s no better arena for it and it’s going to be an awesome challenge
“I know the boys are up for it and we don’t expect it to be easy. We know what’s in front of us and we know it’s going to be hard, so we’ve come to terms with that and we know that world champs at Suncorp, it’s everything that you want to experience.”
He understands the important of the tight five battle in Brisbane.
“They’re world class, back-to-back world champs. There’s no other way to put it. They’re probably the best in the world right now,”said LSL.
“It’s not so much about making a statement for us. Our goal is just to win games and this week is another opportunity to do so. For that to happen we’ve got to be right up for the fight in the tight five and that’s where it starts and ends in games.
“It’s a big challenge. We know what’s coming and we don’t shy away from it. It’s going to be tough but that’s Test footy. We just roll our sleeves up and go to work and do the plan that we’ve set out to do and hopefully that gets us a win.”
SANZAAR STATEMENT ON LAW VARIATIONS
1) RED CARD
In the event foul play is determined to be deliberate and with a high level of danger it will result in a full red card for the offending player who will not return to the field nor be able to be replaced.
All other Red Cards that do not meet the above threshold will be 20 min Red Cards in which the offending player will be removed from the match but will be entitled to be replaced by another player after 20 minutes. The offending team will then be able to replace the red carded player with one of their available replacements.
Rationale: the individual, not the game, punished for red card offences.
2) COUNTDOWN CLOCK FOR SCRUM, LINEOUTS AND KICKS AT GOAL.
a) Conversion & Penalty: A player will have 60 seconds to kick at goal [conversion] from when a try is scored; or 60 seconds to kick at goal [penalty] from time referee is informed of kick at goal option. If a player exceeds this time limit the conversion kick shall not count/be kicked – play restarts at the centre mark; for a Penalty a scrum is awarded to the non-kicking team at the place of the penalty.
b) Scrum: A scrum must be set 30 seconds from when the mark for scrum is made by the referee. A Free Kick shall be awarded at place of scrum against the team causing the delay.
c) Lineout: A lineout must be formed 30 seconds from the AR signalling the place of the lineout. A free kick shall be awarded on 15-metre line against team causing the delay.
Rationale: Speed up ball returning to play after a score, kick for touch or scrum.
3) PROTECTION OF THE NINE AT THE BASE OF THE SCRUM, RUCK AND AT THE MAUL
Ruck: A player who was part of the ruck may not play an opponent who is near it, and who is attempting to play the ball away. ‘Near’ is defined in Law as being “within one metre”. Sanction: Penalty
Maul: A player who is part of the maul may not play an opponent near it, and who is attempting to play the ball away. Sanction: Penalty
Scrum: Once play in the scrum begins, the scrum-half of the team not in possession must take up a position with both feet no further than the centre line of the tunnel; or permanently retires to a point on the offside line either at that team’s hindmost foot, or permanently retires at least five metres behind the hindmost foot. Sanction: Penalty.
Rationale – all three measures allow the scrum half, or player in that role, to play the ball away cleanly from the phase of play without disruption.
4) PLAY ON FOR A LINEOUT NOT STRAIGHT IF THE THROW IN IS UNCONTESTED.
Law dictates that the ball must be thrown straight into the lineout.
However, if the defending team are not lifted to compete for the ball, then play shall continue in the instance a throw may appear not straight.
If the defending team lift a teammate to compete for the ball and a throw is not deemed not straight by referee then they shall be offered the option of a lineout or scrum. If the lineout is chosen and the ball is again not thrown straight, a scrum is awarded to the team that originally threw in the ball.
Rationale: Doesn’t force a stop in play where no material offence has taken place.