Steve Tew

Creating time and space in attack, and clarity at the breakdown are at the top of the New Zealand Rugby Union’s(NZRU) early wish-list as it ponders how to improve the game for fans and players.

Current NZRU CEO Steve Tew said that “there is clearly a growing frustration on the over-emphasis on defence. We are looking at ways to create more time and space for the ball.”

World Rugby, rugby’s global governing body, is conducting a law review process which could see trials of new or revised rules in place as early as next year.

The NZRU has been gathering information from stakeholders about what is perceived to be right and wrong about the game and, more importantly, what could make it better.

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie will sit on the World Rugby’s Laws Representation Group that will consider recommendations from around the globe in the middle of the year.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said the NZRU was in the early stages of consultation, but that a recent workshop had indicated a desire to see the pendulum swing back toward the attacking side.

“Clearly, there is a growing frustration on the over-emphasis on defence. We are looking at ways to create more time and space for the ball,” he said after presenting findings to the NZRU’s board.

“Rather than go into the specifics, because we are still working on it, the key is how do we give the ball a better chance of being used in an attacking sense rather than a defensive sense?”

The initial working group, which involved top New Zealand coaches, referees, players and other key stakeholders, had also identified the breakdown as being too confusing.

“The breakdown is clearly the area we are focused on because there is a lack of clarity for the fans and for the players because often they look up when the whistle goes and are never quite sure who will be penalised,” Tew said.

However, the solutions were not simple with the group also agreeing the contest for possession after the tackle was a crucial element of the game.

“In the end there was an agreement that the game… is largely delivering on the charter. We still have a contest for the ball, there is a legitimate contest at set piece and the breakdown.

“We still have a game people of all sizes and shapes can play. We still tick a lot of boxes.

“That’s part of what we’re looking at. I wouldn’t say we are satisfied with the breakdown, but we are satisfied it needs to remain part of our sport.

“You could do away with all these problems but your wouldn’t have props, you wouldn’t have loose forwards, they’d all look like rugby league players.

“The big difference in our sport, particularly from rugby league, is there is still a contest for the ball at set piece and breakdown.”

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