Rugby Union

  • My top 10 rule changes in Rugby Union 2022

    My top 10 rule changes I’d love to see changed or implemented in rugby. Of course this is just a base outline and further scrutiny would be required but it’s not the mauls or scrums that annoy me but the small nuances of the game that allow a referee to dictate too much or take the control from players. Stealing the ball at the ruck I’d love to see this more in the favour of the attacking team. At the moment defending players will too often have their hands on the ground or the backs of their hands on the ground and gain a penalty. The other one I see…

  • Rugby in New Zealand – Is it going the way of the Titanic?

    The titanic, a massive tragedy in the history of this world. To compare the state of NZ rugby and it’s slow decline is perhaps unworthy of this event however that is how I feel at present. Given New Zealands unprecedented dominance in world rugby over the past years one could easily scoff and suggest I’m just an ignorant prat who never sees the glass half full. The All blacks having an 80% win rate over the last 4 years. Winning the Rugby world cup in 2011. Our Junior all blacks dominance at their world cups. A high performing 7’s team. These would suggest we are never sitting prettier. But I…

  • What does it take to win a Rugby world cup

    The Rugby world cup has just finished for 2011. While the players in the southern hemisphere take a well deserved rest, those from the northern return back to their respective clubs and continue the job of the full time sportsmans. As is the case, there could be only one set of players that reflect on this time as one of job completed and for 2011 that was the New Zealand All blacks. In a final where the excitement came not from tries scored or gripping game play, the winners by a margin of one point cam off the field battered but victorious. Their opponents, France held their heads up high…