The most obvious example was Harlequins v Sale, where the home side were immediately up to speed, while the visitors conceded 16 penalties, and not surprisingly lost.
However, the biggest issue over last weekend was, as it has been for a while, scrum resets. It’s not only that we have too many – although we sometimes do – but the amount of time eaten up while the front rows adjust their hair before deciding to have another go.
Worcester and Gloucester, as well as Bath and London Irish, managed to avoid any resets, whereas the Northampton and Wasps game had six.
The scrum is an area that’s always under attack, usually from backs turned pundits – in the past I’ve labelled them the enemy within! However, Rugby Union minus meaningful scrums becomes Rugby League, albeit with more focus on player welfare!
If you look at videos of old games, players jog to the scrum, and quickly get stuck in – as the saying goes, they’re mad for it! Nowadays it sometimes looks as though the front rows don’t fancy the job! Referees need to stop the dithering.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 23, 2020-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 23, 2020-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Campese: Schmidt is wrong man for Aussies
DAVID Campese delivered a blunt message regarding Joe Schmidt’s position as Australia’s head coach, claiming the Kiwi isn’t right for the role because he doesn’t understand the Wallabies’ culture and history.
How London Welsh are working way back to top
William Gupwell goes down to south-west London to find a club out to rediscover itself
Sorry, Geoff, but let's not de-power scrums
EVERY week I can’t wait for Sunday to come around so that I can read The Rugby Paper and see what is really happening in our game.
Howdy! England pair saddle up to spread the word
JESS Breach and Ellie Kildunne have launched their new podcast Rugby Rodeo with one ambition in mind – to grow the profile of the women’s game.
I put in three good shots on Jonah Lomu
BACK in the day, when we first started in Leagues in 1987, we began in North East 2.
Dupont & Co need to take on the very best
I THINK we established long ago that my admiration of Antoine Dupont knows no bounds, he is the best rugby player I have ever reported on or watched in the flesh, pipping Gareth Edwards by a short head, but there is no question that there is a gaping huge hole in his CV which many cite against him when the all-time lists are compiled and debated.
Tuipulotu's power is too much for Cardiff
SCOTLAND star Sione Tuipulotu has been hailed as one of the best three 12s in the world following his player of the match display in this 13-try rollercoaster at the Arms Park.
Following in father's footsteps ... but for how long?
CAST your minds back, those of you who are sufficiently long in the tooth, to Melbourne in late October 2003.
Borthwick should call up these young props
IT WAS surprising that neither of England’s U20 world champion props, Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale) or Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester), were in the England training squad going to Portugal ahead of the autumn series.
Lively Reed lights the spark to ignite Sharks
AARON Reed proved to be Sale’s pivotal weapon, and the perfect foil in both attack and defence to ensure Sharks came out on the right side of a nine-try nailbiter on Friday.