Quote tvoc="tvoc"The sport has been sanitised, the skills in this country have been dumbed down - scrums, play the ball, obstruction - half-backs who can't pass or kick or in one case even run. The video referee is beyond a joke where a referee's on field 'guess' is nine tenths of the law. Little movement of players between hemispheres or sports, crowds that turn up through what I can only imagine is a sense of duty rather than the prospect of being entertained. Too many games, too few that mean anything.
The game in my eyes is on it's booty in this country.'"
There used to be a smilie you could choose of someone hanging themselves - that would be apt after your post tvoc.
Taking your points in turn. The sport has been sanitised but it had to be didn't it? Look at the NFL where players are getting millions in compo thanks to the sport ignoring medical advice. RL had people trying to clean it up for decades and it needed it - we both remember how many players got head injuries when the clothesline was "part of the game". What era would you say had the balance right in your view? Would you allow a punch up now? I did enjoy them but the litigious world we're in makes it difficult to allow. Do other sports allow this sort of thing to continue?
Skills dumbed down in this country? I'm not sure it's necessarily that. Young players now get better skills coaching than they ever did in the 80s and 90s. I think it's more to do with the rules of the game and the gameplans that are put into practice. There's an opportunity for a revolution in the way the game is played - maybe then next Jack Gibson is around the corner - I hope so.
Scrums have been a foregone conclusion since the late 80s. It's a bit late to blame them IMO. We've had some superb rugby over the past 30+ years with uncontested scrums.
Play the ball - totally agree. That's an area that needs properly sorting out as it's become the be all and end all for coaches and teams to "win the ruck". It's become too important. Probably due to the imposition of the 10m rule.
Obstruction - IMO it's just a minor thing. It's not going to put the game on it's backside. We just need common sense and consistency. We used to have that, no reason why it can't happen again.
Halfbacks - Think the 10m rule has caused the change in halfback play to some extent. Halfbacks now facilitate getting a roll on and build pressure with a kicking game. The loss of the battle for possession at scrum and play the ball means fewer players are prepared to chance their arm with risky plays.
Video ref - I'd get rid of it.
Movement between NRL, Union and SL? Well we are where we are. It does remind me a little of RL in the 70s before the international transfer ban was lifted. We do need an injection of overseas talent and we have missed the odd union convert lighting things up. Short of a massive cash injection changing things those days are gone.
I wonder if many Leeds fans have become too used to success and too used to playing the same old teams? What you need is a period of decline and fall like us. It really helps re-focus your expectations. I now look forward to games almost as much as when I first began. I'm involved more than ever with helping our U16s and U19s. When you get closer to the game it can re-ignite your passion for it.
