End The 50:22 Sideshow And Sort Subs And Scrum
The Rugby Paper|April 05, 2020
Jeremy Guscott outspoken and unmissable...Every week
Jeremy Guscott
End The 50:22 Sideshow And Sort Subs And Scrum

What is the point of World Rugby considering making a new law change like the proposed 50:22 rule – which has been trialled in Australian club rugby – rather than looking at what is staring them in the face in terms of the urgent need to sort out substitutions and scrums?

These are areas that so blatantly require action that it is staggering that the World Rugby council are contemplating steering our 15-man game even further towards Rugby League when/if they meet in May.

The main aim of 50:22 is to open up more attacking space by depleting the defensive line, by copying the 40:20 kick in Rugby League, but my feeling is that it could end up doing neither.

The new 50:22 rule allows a team to throw into a line-out if they kick from behind halfway and bounce the ball into touch in the opposition 22, or, alternatively, if they kick from inside their own 22 and bounce it into touch beyond halfway.

This is aimed at speeding up the opportunity to make yardage, and at the same time force more opposition players to drop back to defend the kick, rather than being in the defensive line.

It is a tough skill to execute, but it will only take wingers and full-backs to cover it at the top level of the game – which is exactly what happens at the moment in terms of tactical kicking to the corners.

I don’t believe it will promote more attacking play anywhere near as much as reducing the number of subs – and while the 50:22 idea isn’t bad in itself, changes to the laws should be prioritised, and this is not a priority.

This story is from the April 05, 2020 edition of The Rugby Paper.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 05, 2020 edition of The Rugby Paper.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE RUGBY PAPERView All
England were good, but a bit complacent
The Rugby Paper

England were good, but a bit complacent

WATCHING the France versus England game last Saturday night, I couldn’t help but think that a little complacency had found its way into the England team after their surprise win against Ireland.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Hurricanes fly high as Crusaders flop again
The Rugby Paper

Hurricanes fly high as Crusaders flop again

JORDIE Barrett bagged two tries as the Hurricanes thumped the Melbourne Rebels 54-28 to maintain their 100 per cent record at the top of the table.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Millfield end long wait as they take 14th title
The Rugby Paper

Millfield end long wait as they take 14th title

MILLFIELD ended their decade-long wait to win a 14th Cup title at Rosslyn Park as they defeated reigning Champions Harrow 28-17 in a thrilling final.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Turner leads Crusaders to hardest of triumphs
The Rugby Paper

Turner leads Crusaders to hardest of triumphs

DINGS and Exeter University were involved in a try-fest that could have gone either way.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Having strength in numbers is proving big Barnes bonus
The Rugby Paper

Having strength in numbers is proving big Barnes bonus

BARNES have used an incredible 51 players this season, and head coach Jack Heald puts his side’s success down to their squad depth which derives from a second team that continuously punches above their weight.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Cooper stars as Bury end poor run
The Rugby Paper

Cooper stars as Bury end poor run

RELIEVED Bury St Edmunds ended a run of seven defeats by grinding out a win against an emerging opponent.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Lewis full of pride for his Titans in bid for promotion
The Rugby Paper

Lewis full of pride for his Titans in bid for promotion

LOSING just one game all season would usually be more than enough to finish first, but Rotherham Titans can count themselves unfortunate to be in the same division as Leeds Tykes.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Okafor at the death has Tykes stunned!
The Rugby Paper

Okafor at the death has Tykes stunned!

ROTHERHAM Titans threw the promotion race wide open by inflicting a first defeat of the season on Leeds Tykes in a tense Yorkshire derby yesterday afternoon.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 24, 2024
Warren seals Tigers' league status in thriller
The Rugby Paper

Warren seals Tigers' league status in thriller

A WIN at long last for Sedgley Park Tigers who hosted Cinderford at Park Lane yesterday and came away with a well-earned win for the first time in 2024 to secure their place in National 1 for next season.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 24, 2024
The whistleblowers under the spotlight
The Rugby Paper

The whistleblowers under the spotlight

Matthew Luddington talks to two referees at the lower end of the game about the trials of taking charge of a match

time-read
5 mins  |
March 24, 2024