How ELV's affected the Super 14

[pieter blackie]

Like them or loathe them, rugby's Experimental Law Variations had a significant impact in their first season of application in Super 14.

Statistics from the just-completed season showed there were more tries, less lineouts, fewer penalties kicked and the ball was in play longer. There were roughly the same number of scrums, more mauls and many more free kicks.

The new rules appear to have reduced the contest for possession by allowing few breakdowns to run their course, but opened attacking possibilities from free kicks and scrums.

Former International Rugby Board chairman Syd Millar, who presided over the decision to trial the new laws in the Super 14, summarized their intention.

"Defenses are on top at the moment," he said.

"We need to free the game up a bit, make it easier to play, easier to referee, easier to understand and we have to produce more options for the players."

Statistics show some success in that regard. Across the board, 13 percent more.............

READ THE REST HERE

[shasta]

From the above article........

Whether the resulting game is better than games produced under the old rules is largely a matter of taste and interpretation. Views on the issue tend to differ along national lines.

What might give a slightly clearer picture would be to compare this year's stats with those from the past three S14 seasons.

[Burgs]

The way I understood it they were looking to change the Laws to make it a better product for the spectators.
Now they are saying it's up to personal taste if it's better or not???
Champion cop out, why change them at all then if it still going to be personal taste if things are better or not??
It should have been clear cut, "Yep, the new Laws have definately made this better to watch."

[Mtbeaver]

The way I understood it they were looking to change the Laws to make it a better product for the spectators.
Now they are saying it's up to personal taste if it's better or not???
Champion cop out, why change them at all then if it still going to be personal taste if things are better or not??
It should have been clear cut, "Yep, the new Laws have definately made this better to watch."

I think the article was just trying to be unbias....