ELVs - do the right thing

• Posted by Dan Owen at 3:50 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Have to say after having watched the Australia v South Africa tri nations on saturday i'm a bit concerned about the ELVs.

South Africa looked shattered after two weekends getting beaten up by the All Blacks but Australia cetainly made the most of the experimental laws.

They deservedly won but the game just seemed to be playing into their hands.

Endless hoofing, along wioth certain things at the breakdown that would make even the most devious of player blush made for a game that was built for them - George Smith had a field day on the floor.

The beauty about union is it is not league.

We want to see players bridging at the breakdown, using a whole lot of skill to both turnover and recycle the ball.

We like the ball in hand for more than five phases.

We have a wonderful game, let's not pander to those who would make it different just for TV ratings in certain parts of the world.

Today ELVs. Tomorror unified rugby?

• Tags:
• australia
• elv
• south africa
• tri nations

Interesting times ahead

• Posted by Rob at 3:32 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The season is just around the corner again and I'm already looking forward to the new campaign, both locally and internationally.

But it doesn't seem as though the season actually ever ends any more.
No sooner has the curtain come down on the season then the summer tours - disastrous as they often are - come knocking on the door and then also this summer we were treated to the IRB Junior World Championships.

So it honestly feels as though the game is becoming a 12-month spectacle, especially seeing as though I've been getting out of bed at silly times in the morning on a Saturday to watch the recent tri-nations encounters.

But this season promises to be one to remember for a number of reasons.

Not only do Wales go head-to-head on home soil with the three tri-nations this autumn, but the Celtic League looks to be heating up already with a number of new and exciting signings for the four regions, and then of course there's also the added prospect - or burden in some cases - of the new ELVs.

These ELVs will prove to be a real shake up to the game, not one I'm sure it necessarily needs, but it will at least make the game a lot more interesting as players and referees get to grips with them, and also myself sitting on the sidelines.

At the moment I'm going to sit on the fence on the issue of the ELVs and I'm going to wait and see how they pan out before deciding whether they are necessary. Should be interesting whatever happens on and off the field this campaign.

• Tags:
• celtic league
• elvs
• welsh rugby