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Crusaders and Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is enthusiastic about rugby's rule changes, but says they weren't entirely responsible for the high scoring rate in the Crusaders' 55-33 win over the Hurricanes on Friday.
"We played 100 minutes, so there was another 25 per cent of game time and we played extended squads - that blew the score out as well," Deans said.
Pre-season matches are typically messy and unstructured, but much of Friday night's game in Motueka was reasonably ordered with the experimental law variations (ELVs) in play, Deans said.
Main changes include freekicks rather than penalties for offences other than offside and foul play, and requiring each backline to stand five metres from the hindmost foot at the scrum. Also, if the ball is passed or taken back inside the defender's 22m line, then kicked out on the full, the lineout is in line with where the ball was kicked.
The ELVs are being trialled in this year's Super 14, which starts in three weeks.
Deans said he had no doubt they would make for better rugby. "It does not change the ability of the referee to control and penalise where they believe a penalty is warranted. Anything that is clear or obvious or cynical, they have the same sanctions ... but what they have as an added tool is what we refer to as a broken arm penalty, or a freekick."
He said that allowed referees to use a step before a penalty or yellow card if they believed there was doubt at breakdown infringements.
"It gives the ability to be harder around the contact area, to be hard on the people who they want to move, for example the tackler rolling away.
"If you get that message across with a freekick early and consistently it will clean the game up.
- NZPA
