Rugby league must evolve for the international game to progress

[Butters]

What problems?

The lack of specialisation of positions. The forwards don't push in the scrum so the skillset required for scrummaging has dissappeared in league. Hookers don't hook the balls in the scrum so they've lost what use to be the most important skill a hooker is meant to have.

The elimination of the contested scrum has allowed for players to get by on being "athletes" rather than "footballers". There are no skills any more that define the role a position is meant to play. The game has become sterile, centres hardly link up with each other let alone the halfback and 5/8. A centre and a 2nd row are pretty much the same role in the modern game and most coaches in the NRL use them as such.

And so on.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

The lack of specialisation of positions. The forwards don't push in the scrum so the skillset required for scrummaging has dissappeared in league. Hookers don't hook the balls in the scrum so they've lost what use to be the most important skill a hooker is meant to have.

The elimination of the contested scrum has allowed for players to get by on being "athletes" rather than "footballers". There are no skills any more that define the role a position is meant to play. The game has become sterile, centres hardly link up with each other let alone the halfback and 5/8. A centre and a 2nd row are pretty much the same role in the modern game and most coaches in the NRL use them as such.

And so on.

Who gives a stuff about scrums, if you want scrums, watch Union.

And if you think it's become sterile, don't watch it.

Was last nights game sterile?

 

[Butters]

Ok so you'd rather watch a game where pretty much every player is an interchangeable robot with no discernible unique role? I thought you were a fan of rugby league parra, scrums are an essential part of both forms of rugby. Without them there is literally no difference between a forward and back.

It's also a credibility issue, when you have the front row of scrums breaking before the ball is even fed it just makes the game look amateur.

 

[typicalfan]

Hookers no longer hook but they are now some of the most important playmakers in a team. Cameron Smith is as talented as any hooker to have played the game, maybe moreso. Smith can do things even skillful players of the past like Elias could only dream of.

The contested scrum is probably the ugliest aspect of RU and it is not needed. Fullbacks are more involved, as are wingers. Wingers are expected to contribute to the go forward these days and are some of the best at it. Uate v Sailor in the middle of the park is a non contest. Sailor did it at times but was average. Uate always does it and is a handful.

 

[Butters]

Hookers no longer hook but they are now some of the most important playmakers in a team.

And they weren't when scrums were contested?

Cameron Smith is as talented as any hooker to have played the game, maybe moreso. Smith can do things even skillful players of the past like Elias could only dream of.

Which is a result of the professional era, not of the scrums no longer being contested.

The contested scrum is probably the ugliest aspect of RU and it is not needed.

You may have had a point 5 or so years ago but union scrums have improved a hella lot. There were hardly any resets in the world cup just gone.

 

[typicalfan]

And they weren't when scrums were contested?



Which is a result of the professional era, not of the scrums no longer being contested.



You may have had a point 5 or so years ago but union scrums have improved a hella lot. There were hardly any resets in the world cup just gone.

Sure it has a lot to do with it. It means you can put a player in the 9 with more playmaking ability rather than a prop with a passing game. As you said hooker was there to hook the ball. Hooker these days is to give the forwards and halves good, early, quality ball. That is the major skill required. And also to tie up the middle of the defense. I enjoy watching the current hookers in the game, they are exciting and are so well rounded with skill.

Union scrums are a farce. I thought I saw more scrum penalties than scrums that were done correctly!

 

[Butters]

Sure it has a lot to do with it. It means you can put a player in the 9 with more playmaking ability rather than a prop with a passing game.

Benny Elias: a prop who can pass.

 

[typicalfan]

Benny Elias: a prop who can pass.

He was an exception. Besides if you were aware you would know the non feeding team is still allowed to push in scrums.

 

[Butters]

That may be the case, but whenever they try to the refs literally tell them not to push.

 

[typicalfan]

That may be the case, but whenever they try to the refs literally tell them not to push.

That is usually before the ball is fed. Besides contested scrums and scrum penalties were brought the game down in the 70s. The game is a mile better today.

 

[adamkungl]

Butters showing how much he understands about Rugby League again

 

[Butters]

Butters showing how much he understands about Rugby League again

Thought i'd enlighten some of you troglodytes.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Ok so you'd rather watch a game where pretty much every player is an interchangeable robot with no discernible unique role? I thought you were a fan of rugby league parra, scrums are an essential part of both forms of rugby. Without them there is literally no difference between a forward and back.

It's also a credibility issue, when you have the front row of scrums breaking before the ball is even fed it just makes the game look amateur.

What a heap of garbage.

How many 110 kilo half backs and dummy halfs are running around?

 

[Butters]

That is usually before the ball is fed. Besides contested scrums and scrum penalties were brought the game down in the 70s. The game is a mile better today.

Yet the game soldiered on with contested scrums until the late 90s. And apparently the golden age of rugby league according to many on here was an era in which the scrums were contested. :-k

We had contested scrums in the league i played in and they didn't slow the game down or ruin it. Might've helped that our hooker was a gun and would steal the ball in half the scrums we were defending, but that's a bad thing apparently.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Yet the game soldiered on with contested scrums until the late 90s. And apparently the golden age of rugby league according to many on here was an era in which the scrums were contested. :-k

We had contested scrums in the league i played in and they didn't slow the game down or ruin it. Might've helped that our hooker was a gun and would steal the ball in half the scrums we were defending, but that's a bad thing apparently.

What would you know, you think everyone is the same size.

 

[typicalfan]

Thought i'd enlighten some of you troglodytes.

So you call us cavemen, when it is you that wants to go back to the dark old days of the contested scrum and scrum penalties.

 

[typicalfan]

Yet the game soldiered on with contested scrums until the late 90s. And apparently the golden age of rugby league according to many on here was an era in which the scrums were contested. :-k

We had contested scrums in the league i played in and they didn't slow the game down or ruin it. Might've helped that our hooker was a gun and would steal the ball in half the scrums we were defending, but that's a bad thing apparently.

1996 late nineties? ok

It wasn't because of the scrums I can confirm to you. If anything the salary cap and even moreso the Super League has played a bigger part in killing great sides like the Eels, Raiders, Bulldogs and Broncos of the 80s/90s.

 

[Butters]

But you just said the dark old days were when scrums were contested. How could the dark old days also be the golden age of rugby league? It's almost as if there's no logic to your argument... :-k

 

[hutch]

But you just said the dark old days were when scrums were contested. How could the dark old days also be the golden age of rugby league? It's almost as if there's no logic to your argument... :-k

Rugby league is bigger now than at any stage in the sports history! We are entering the golden age!

 

[supercharger]

How about leaving the rules alone. Just cut back on the number of teams in the World Cup until such a time as more teams can compete. That may not be in our lifetime, but so what. Try this - the top six ranked teams in the World Cup. Teams ranked 7-14 play a single knockout tournament as do teams ranked 15-22. Teams 1-6 play in a traditional tournament held in one (or two) countries spread out over 6-7 weeks. Teams play a round robin of five games each before top four teams play in traditional 1-4, 2-3 semi's with winners advancing to final. The other two tournaments would see all eight teams in each tournament play three games, but if you lose the games would be friendlies, if you win you move on to the next round. First round would see 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 at the home of the higher seed. Winning teams move to the next round, again at the home of the higher seed, and then, of course, the final, at the home of the higher seed. Travelling expenses to be shared by the competing nations and the RLIF/RLEF. For the next World Cup a shuffling takes place. Team 6 in the top group drops down to the second group, Team 1 moves up to the first group. Ditto for Team 8 in second group and Team 1 in third group.

Me and my brother were throwing around ideas for international league the other week and we basically landed on 2 models from other sports we thought the RLIF could implement although they would prove to costly right now
first is the Baseball world classic where 16 teams are split into 4 groups of 4 with each pool being played in a different country
pool A was in Tokyo) B Mexico city) pool C was in Toronto) and pool D was in San Juan) the top 2 from each group moved onto
the next round where teams were seeded and split into 2 groups of 4 one in San Diego and one in Miami the semi's and final were then held in LA
Second was the Ice Hockey world championships where the top 40 nations are split into divisions with 16 teams in the main championship group
12 teams in division 1 and 12 teams in division 2 if there are more than 40 teams then they are placed into division 3 teams get promoted and relegated between divisions