I remember the back end of the era of contested scrums and they were always a mass of struggling players trying to bend the rules to get possession. It was a lottery to try and officiate them. The play the ball nowadays is like that.

I wonder if the cause of the problem with the wrestling and buggering about at the play the ball is down to the 10m rule. When players only had to get back 5m there was less need to wrestle and hold down so it didn’t happen.

You’re probably right but I think the issue at the PTB is as much down to the defenders as the attacker so any steps to clear it up must address both parties.

Not a bad idea that.

BTW, don't want to re-rail the thread, the documentary was superbly done. Would love more of these to be done as we have so many great stories to tell. I was welling up when i saw the footage of Don kicking that goal all those years later

Whilst there is a lot of diving about at the play the ball in an attempt to win a penalty, there is also a lot of messing about and actual interference at the play the ball, so if they change the ruling to one you suggest we might see an even further increase in the messing about at the play the ball due to been a lesser punishment should they get punished in the first place.

Why not just start penalising the attacking player for his over drama? Similar to diving in football, this should act as a deterrent and make players think twice about throwing themselves on the floor.

A minor point,never realised that the national anthem was played after the match in those days ,when did this change?.My memories are of the band of the Coldstream Guards marching onto the field playing Congratulations allthough the watersplash final would predate this i think.Must have been the quickest lap of honour on record !