Reviewed ELVs collapsed

After a season of debate, the new experimental law variations have finally been assessed with all bar two surviving to fight another day. The most controversial variation however, the collapsing of the maul, has been withdrawn, much to the delight of rugby folk across the northern hemisphere. The change in temperament in the contact situation has hindered the game in our leagues, and although it may have been an introduction with the best intentions, the truth of the matter is to say life would be a lot more entertaining if it wasn’t introduced in the first place.

Steve Bates, Newcastle Falcons’ rugby director, spoke of its problems back in January, shining some light on why teams and coaching staff have struggled to come to terms with the collapsing of the maul. It was said that with the rolling maul now taken out of a team’s arsenal, a defending side can opt to leave minimal players in the contact situation, spreading a more condense defensive line across the pitch, and in turn encouraging an attacking team to kick more often with less ambition to run.

This is the opposite of what was intended, but, as seen in the recent Six Nations championships, teams have struggled to adapt to the conditions of fast contact rugby, influencing more aerial battles with the high ball, and fewer contests of wit and tactical running play on the floor.

Last weekend’s Anglo-Welsh cup game between Gloucester and the Ospreys saw the welsh side fall to an inspiring Cherrys defence. Ryan Jones’ men left without even a point to show for their efforts, and although it was the men in red who booked their place at Twickenham, I would like to have seen the game played again without the collapsing maul. Ryan Lamb at ten instigated his albeit hot and cold kicking game, and in doing so failed to capitalise on space in attack, reciprocating a well drilled Gloucester defence.

The returning combination of Hook, Henson, Bowe, and Williams to the Ospreys’ setup would have suggested a host of tries in the score line. This was non-evident, with Williams trying his hardest to shine and thus proving his step can be stopped with the lack of room to manoeuvre. If the play was pulled inwardly with more emphasis in the rucks and mauls, would we have seen the running Welsh rugby of old and therefore a different result after the eighty minutes? Overall, a pleasing result for Dean Ryan’s side who have established their best form of attack is an unyielding defence, publicised in the authoritative 17-0 win.

Law variations to be kept include the ruling that prohibits kicking directly into touch from ball played back into the twenty-two, the five-meter offside rule at the scrum, and the corner flag not being treated as touch in goal. I stand quietly pleased with these outcomes as the first two especially have proved to increase the game’s fluency and excitement to some extent.

The other variation discarded is the freedom for teams to choose numbers in the line-out, which, although has had some good impacts on the game, none of which make that much difference to the standard of play.

The controversial impact of the ELVs over the past seven months have caused more trouble than I feel it is worth. Any law changes that are going to give Brian Moore and Jonathan Davies more to shout about surely would encourage fewer variations in future trials. We are coming to an end of a guinea-pig of a season; hopefully next season’s rugby will be left out of the lab and played out on the paddock.