Ironically, it was of course the selfsame NRL that first combined wrestling with rugby. Maybe we can follow whatever it is they have done to reduce it?

The dual ref system has cleaned up the ruck over there as one bloke can keep an eye on it while the other polices offside. The result is less milking by the tackled player and less deliberate slowing down of the PTB. It’s not perfect but it’s a sight better than over here where it’s much slower.



The wrestling side of things was first introduced in the modern game by Bellamy at the Storm and his protégé Maguire brought it over here. You can see how his protégés Wane and Harris are coaching it too. As a result watching Wigan defend is one of the most frustrating things ever. They’re incredibly well drilled and they’re very effective at what they do but to me it’s taken the game in a direction I don’t like. There’s too much emphasis on it. They get bodies in the tackle and peel off as slowly as possible leaving people just in the way enough to make it as awkward as possible for the attacking team. The referee is put in the position of being able to blow up every time but won’t for fear of reducing the game to chaos so he allows a level of offending that has a negative effect on the game as a spectacle. That’s happened for years but sides coached under the Bellamy ethos have taken it too far IMO. Obviously in Australia they’re tried to address it with the “pocket ref” and as a result Bellamy has been whinging a bit lately but the Storm are less effective now that the ruck is cleaned up to the benefit of the viewer.



Other rules they’ve brought in there I like are the seven tackles for the side taking a 20m tap after the ball has been kicked dead. It encourages better kicking. Also the rule about a second or third man in the tackle must tackle above the knee is a great one for player welfare.



They don’t always get it right. The quick tap for the side that’s just kicked a 40-20 has been controversial. I think it’s been dropped.

I believe it's still being used as the Eels were denied a try late in the game last week after a quick tap 40/20. The try was disallowed because the ball boy passed the winger the ball for the restart. The winger then passed to another player who raced away to score. The rule states that the ball must be placed on the sideline and picked up by the winger and then passed to the hooker for the restart.

Yeah the media’s been up in arms about it. It was a barmy rule since it involved potentially putting ball boys at a crucial point in the course of a game. TBF Chris Sandow didn’t even tap the ball correctly. You get enough advantage from kicking a 40-20 without having to get a quick tap too.

Best keeping the ball boys and girls out of it.



Just a few years back my 15 year-old nephew was a ball boy at the Bulls and a winger, playing for London called him an "F ing barsteward" [ or similar because the winger wanted him to throw the ball infield, to take a quick tap after a penalty. However, the Ball boys are trained to place the ball on the line which is what my nephew did. So the erudite, articulate and well spoken current Sky correspondent, who comes across as if butter wouldn't melt [yes, Jon Wells, I'm talking about you went into tirade mode.



I'm 100% certain my nephew will have heard far worse [and probably could have trumped him but it's not really the point.

Many moons ago I wrote to RL Express suggesting an alternative points system.

There would be 3 points available for each game. 1 for winning the game and one for winning each half.

So, the points distribution could be 3-0, 2-0 (if one half is drawn), 2-1 (if one team wins one half) or 1-1 for a draw.

Wakefield would have got a point last week for winning the 2nd half despite being 32-0 down at half-time. Rewarding making a game of the second half and punishing a team for taking their foot off the gas.

Had bonus points for a while now in our League, most championship fans like it. Certainly makes for some cracking last quarters in close games.



I would suggest that all Bulls fans wait and have a look how it works before writing it off as a bad idea.

Don't be ridiculous. Much better to have hysterical, knee-jerk reactions.

I suppose we have to experience it to see how it works. Just looking at it and watching and forming an opinion based on that is clearly beyond the wit of man.

throughout the pro / semi pro leagues.

Same as like cauliflower.

..or even [inot[/i liking cauliflower