The rucks in RU are a false equivalence.

What I’m talking about is cheating behaviour which often leads to unnecessary stoppages and penalties given incorrectly. It can make a lottery out of possession.

If you don’t find it frustrating I’m happy for you but I do.

“If you’re not cheating, your not trying...” Rhinos legend, Barrie McDermott

Up until 2010 the game in the UK was a lot faster, not necessarily saying that it was a better spectacle, but after the World Cup In 2008, with the Super League players not adapting well to the slower/more ruck orientated game, the RFL purposefully allowed the likes of Michael Maguire, Nathan Brown etc to introduce a lot more wrestling in the ruck, much to the detriment of the game.

The NRL speeded up the ruck with the introduction of 2 referees, to clamp down on wresting and pressure on the joints etc.

Wigan’s team in 2010 was the most negative, ‘rugby killing’, ruck orientated team to win the GF in SL history.

People have to realise with regards to the ruck that if you speed it up so much that teams can literally roll down the field with one man rugby as the defence cant get back in time and I see this a lot in the NRL.

If you can make 60 or 70m a set by taking no risks why would you? Watch an NRL game and every set of 6 is the same. Drive, drive, drive, structured spread set play on 4th, drive and attacking kick cos you are upto opponents 30m line.

With regards to ruck speed impacting TV viewing figures for Sky I just dont buy it. RL fans will watch RL games regardless if they can. Non RL fans out of the heartlands will watch a game now and again but I dont believe for a second they will turn off cos there is too much wrestling in the ruck.

The 2 on 1 ball steal was brought in initially because likes of Gavin Clinch and Paul Dixon was becoming experts and literally stripping or stealing the ball while teammates held the player up. Now players get penalised for making a tackle and touching the ball in that tackle which makes the ball carrier lose the ball. That shouldnt be penalised but its difficult for referees who haven't developed eyesight that can see through 3 human bodies sometimes. It's impossible for them.

I once asked David Ward what makes a good hooker he replied the best cheat.

No no cheating only came in when Michael Maguire and Wigan starting winning.......apparently.

With player safeguarding becoming more and more important, it will be interesting to see if there are more rule changes around welfare - and if emerging evidence makes it even more difficult to attract youngsters to the game going forward.

Not sure who's said that?