Rugby: Familiarity gives ABs edge

Nic Berry of Wasps passes during the Aviva Premiership match against Leicester Tigers. Photo / Getty Images

Try-scoring and point-scoring is on the rise in the United Kingdom - but the All Blacks will still have an advantage on the Grand Slam tour because they are more familiar with the new law interpretations.

Referees in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres were told to officiate the game in the same way from February this year that coincided with the start of the Super 14 and crossed over with the latter stages of the Premiership and Heineken Cup competitions.

The Six Nations was played under the old interpretations, although the June tests came under the new.

Northern Hemisphere clubs have only recently started their first full campaign under the new law interpretations and are still learning the changes.

Like Super Rugby, they are experiencing a bedding-in stage as teams and coaches adjust. More tries are being scored, although not truckloads more, and fans are seeing more running rugby and less kicking.

Leading English rugby writer Chris Hewett of the Independent doesn't think New Zealand's greater familiarity with the new law interpretations will make a massive difference on the Grand Slam tour but it will give them a head start.

"Southern Hemisphere sides have played more rugby as national teams under the current law interpretations," he says, "and they have smart players and coaches. That ought to be worth four or five points.

"I think England will revert to type against the All Blacks. They will be as direct and physical as they can up front. The coaches see rugby in a particular way, and it's not pretty. It will be a test for the All Black tight forwards but, if they can cope with that, they will win and win with a bit to spare."

Hewett is adamant next year's World Cup will once again be decided by goalkicking, meaning running rugby will be less visible.

There is a greater appreciation in the UK for tight contests decided by tactical and goal kicking.

They generally like to see a side exert their control over the other and don't like "stupid scorelines" that blow out.

"There's still a notion that the try should be more like a goal in football," Hewett says.

It's still early in the season but there have been very few low-scoring matches in the first five rounds of the Aviva Premiership. Gloucester's 18-3 defeat of Bath three weeks ago was the lowest combined score and Leicester's 48-6 demolition of Leeds the most one-sided game. Leicester were also involved in the most high-scoring game, when they were on the wrong end of a 37-30 defeat by London Wasps and also beat Exeter 37-27.

This has seen an increase in total points being scored. Last season, matches produced an average of 37.4 points a game - that has risen to 45.7 a game so far this season.

Similarly, teams scored an average of 1.6 tries a game - Bath were the most prolific at 2.2 a game. This season, that average has increased to 2.1 tries a game in the first five rounds, but that has been spiked tremendously by Leicester (21 tries) and London Irish (17 tries).

IRB referees boss Paddy O'Brien has been pleased with what he has seen so far.

"It's fair to say the rugby up north is similar to down south," he says. "They have taken it on board. It's a settling-in period but, from what I have seen, they are very happy with the way the European Cup has started.

"What the laws allow is for teams to play the way they want to. In the past, teams that wanted to run the ball were being stifled because they were being turned over or there were penalties.

"Now as a coach you can choose which way you want to play and that's what we wanted. If they want to put it up their jersey and play without passing it, they can do that. But the team that wants to run can now express themselves."

England coach Martin Johnson said the new were having an impact on the fitness of his players, with the elite squad all posting personal bests in testing.